Episode 435
Building a Place Where Creativity Wants to Happen, with Myles Wakeham, Troubled Clef Studios
What if where we create matters just as much as how we create?
In this episode of YOUR WORLD OF CREATIVITY, host Mark Stinson talks with Myles Wakeham, founder of Troubled Clef Studios in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico — an extraordinary destination recording studio created from an abandoned matador school and full-sized bullfighting ring.
During the pandemic, Myles and his wife Sandra saw possibility in a property that had sat unused for years. Inspired by Sir George Martin's legendary AIR Studios Montserrat, they set out to create more than another recording facility. Their vision was a place where world-class artists would want to travel, disconnect from their everyday surroundings, collaborate, and create something remarkable.
Myles recreated the famous Montserrat live room down to the millimeter, consulted people connected to the original studio, and even tracked down a vintage Neve 8232 console in a New Jersey storage facility and brought it to Mexico.
Troubled Clef officially opened in February 2026 and has already welcomed Grammy-winning artists, commercial production companies, film studios, video game developers, and broadcast projects.
In this conversation, Mark and Myles explore:
- Seeing possibility where others see limitations — how an abandoned bullring became the foundation for an ambitious creative vision.
- Designing environments for creativity — what AIR Studios Montserrat taught Myles about the influence of place, isolation, acoustics, and atmosphere on creative work.
- The value of obsession and craftsmanship — why seemingly invisible details can make the difference between something good and something extraordinary.
- Believing before there's proof — confronting the entrepreneurial question, “If we build it, will they come?”
- Creating a legacy — Myles' hopes for what artists will create at Troubled Clef and what the studio might represent 20 years from now.
Myles' story is a reminder that our creative environment isn't merely a backdrop — it can become an active part of the creative process. And sometimes creativity means looking at something everyone else has overlooked and imagining what it could become.
Connect with Myles
Learn more about Troubled Clef Studios, its story, facilities, and recording opportunities at troubledclef.com.
@troubledclefstudios on Instagram
https://www.linkedin.com/in/myles-wakeham-a0a1b430a/
If you enjoyed this conversation, follow, rate, and review YOUR WORLD OF CREATIVITY on your favorite podcast platform — and share the episode with someone pursuing an ambitious creative idea.
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