College towns are notorious for their music scenes, and Ames is no exception.

In the age of affordable recording equipment, one man has taken his passion for all things music and found fortune in starting a recording studio.

“I started recording at Berklee College of Music [in Boston]. I was broke and needed a Christmas present for my parents and thought it would be cool to record a Christmas album with everybody on my floor to use as a gift,” Wes Fuhrman, head engineer and owner of Blue Room Recording, says.

Fuhrman says his love for music is what drives him to record.

“When I started out, I borrowed microphones and started mixing through the cheapest stuff I could find, and I kept scrapping by to afford new equipment,” Fuhrman says. “I rode the bus and ate Ramen to buy mics when I was a manager at Target.”

He moved to Ames two years ago and began Blue Room Recording about a year ago.

His idea for opening the studio was to allow very cheap, very professional recording to surrounding musicians, he says. The biggest thing that sets him apart from competitors is price.

“You can get almost a week [of recording] here for the cost of a day at other studios. It allows for a lot better result for your money. I try to look at it from more than an engineer’s perspective,” Fuhrman says.

Fuhrman, also a member of the local band Sweet Afton, says he tries to consider the band’s point of view when recording their music.

“I look at it from an artist’s perspective and as a producer. I do preproduction and try to find what direction the band is going and enhance that,” he says. “I get into a lot of bands similar to whoever I’m recording. I really try to give each project a lot of attention and help them as much as I can.”

In his first year with the studio, Fuhrman has worked with his own band, Sweet Afton, as well as The Information, Sons of the Republic and Thoughts of Crossing.

Derek Powers, formerly of the Envy Corps and now with Sons of the Republic and The Information, speaks very highly of Fuhrman’s work.

“As far as a musical standpoint, Wes is the easiest producer I’ve ever worked with,” Powers says. “I’ve worked with people in Chicago, Denver, Minneapolis, and Wes is my favorite to work with by far.”

“The guy really has a tendency to make each project the best he can. He tries to make every project sound different, and he’s willing to take as long as he needs to make a good product,” he says.

Fuhrman has also teamed up with fellow Berklee classmate Barak Shpiez, a Berklee College of Music production and engineering cum laude.

“Wes records and produces bands in his studio, and if they decide they would like to hire me for mastering, he sends me his mixes,” Shpiez says.

He says Fuhrman and himself work as a team on projects.

“Often I’ll listen over the songs before starting to make sure there are no anomalies or such,” Shpiez says.

“I can’t think of any recording studio that would work in conjunction with a mastering studio to make sure the mixes are optimal and then fix any issue for no extra charge. It really makes us stand out.”

Fuhrman insists his passion for music is what drives him to work so hard for such a fair price.

“Music is the uninhibited connection between the mind, the body and the soul. No one can take it away from you, and when it’s right, it makes you feel like you’re a part of something greater than just some person playing an instrument,” Fuhrman says.

“It’s transcendental and cathartic, and I can’t not be a part of that.”

He also says he doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

“Wherever I go, I plan on recording. I love the fact that I can be myself entirely at my job. I don’t have to do anything but be around music all the time,” Fuhrman says.