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------------------------------------------------ Studio rates start as low as $40.00 per hour!! Please click here for more info. This question is like asking, "how long is a piece of rope?", it has no definitive answer.It can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 5 months. It all depends on what you need to do the recording for, whether or not the material has been written yet and/or how well rehearsed you are with it. For quick live band 'demos', you should allow at least 1 hour for every minute of a songs length, plus 2 hours for setting up. Basically, for a 4 minute song, allow 6 hours. To fit into that time constraint, you may need to cut some corners on 'production' but you will get a great 'live sound' result. For a 'finished' single, it can take anywhere from 4 days to a month+... and that's an estimate for only one version of one song. For a whole 'finished' album (from 10-14 songs), anywhere from 3 months to a year or maybe even two years, generally depending on how many songs you want to do, how much time you can spend in the studio on a regular basis, how many re-takes, versions, and/or mixes of each song you wind up doing. If you want a fast demo just to hear what something sounds like or to try to get some gigs, you could cram a few songs into a one day session. We have done 14 songs in three 12 hour days, but that was exhausting, laborious work and, in our opinion, the finished product didn't sound very good. In this we suggest to bands, do not send out too much material just to get gigs. 2 or 3 songs are sufficient. At the end of the day it is ultimately about what you want, but we always warn people of trying to do too much all at once, We really feel this is a false economy. This a very debateable question. Analog tape offers many positive things, the most important being natural 'saturation and compression' of the recordings and it naturally sounds very 'smooth' and 'warm'. Tape also has many downsides. Tape has a very high noise floor (ya know that 'tape hiss'...), it is difficult to edit, it has a limited number of available tracks, there is a very long 'set-up' time, and it is VERY expensive. Digital recordings offer much more flexability. They are 'non-linear' recordings so you can edit very quickly and freely, there is no wait for rewinding or fast-forwarding (which over a long session really saves a lot of time and money), there is no noise floor so the recordings sound much 'cleaner', they have a much wider frequency range, there are an unlimited number of available tracks, they are very convienient to exchange between studios, and the format is very inexpensive. The downsides are there is no natural 'compression' and they don't naturally sound as 'warm'. The average person cannot fundamentally distinguish between the two nor do they care to (which is one reason mp3's are so popular)... so this argument is really only found in the 'musician and engineering' community and they're not the ones buying 99% of the music out there. In the long run digital recording offers so many more options, saves so much more time and costs so much less money that we have adopted it as our principal format. For those of you out there that just have to have that tape sound, NEVER FEAR, we can book you into a large analog tape studio at a reduced rate (you still need to buy the tape!!)! Please contact us for more info. Yes. We support Sound Designer II, AIFF, Wav., mp3, AAC, Recycle and Rex audio file formats, 16-bit ADAT formats, D.A.T. and 1/4" 2 track tapes. We also support most major audio sequencing applications. If it is on another multi-track tape format or random audio application, we can still get it done, but we may have to book you in a larger studio (at a reduced rate) or rent the necessary machines to ideally transfer your tracks to the formats we have here and then mix from there. Yes, they are what you normally use and are familiar with, but we do have many things here that you are certainly free to use. Please take a look at our gear list. Yes, collectively our staff members include writers/producers, editors, programers, synthesists, and D.J.s. They also collectively play drums, guitar, bass, keyboards, piano, and turn-tables. Please, don't forget that this can be expensive, as production/performance rates are very different and on top of studio rates. Yes, tell us what you need and we can arrange it for you. We can arrange producers, programers, piano players, bass players, drummers, guitarists, brass/string players, rappers, back-up singers, voice over actors, turn-tableists/D.J.s, etc. Rates vary depending on the specific musician and what your requirements are. Please, don't forget that this can be expensive, as freelance performance rates are very different and on top of studio rates. Yes, we will rock till we drop(ish). We work days, evenings, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. We try to avoid very late night or overnight sessions as this tends to waste the next day. We generally keep working hours to a 10 hour limit between 10 am & midnight. Yes, but ONLY those that were recorded here and we do not / will not / can not guarantee any response from those contacts. We can definately give you some suggestions as to what avenues to take with your work. Yes, but should you wish to sell this recording later you will need to get licensing permission from the song's publisher. No. Audio files are very large and demand a lot of hard drive space. We are not an archive facility. So, your files will have to be backed up and removed from our computers. You will be given options in which to accomplish this depending on the size of your files and the most economic way of storing them. If you only did one song with just an acoustic guitar and solo voice, a simple CD-R back-up may suffice, if your band is as big as P-Funk and you do 39 songs, then you may need to get a 250 gigabyte hard drive (if a situation like this is relevant, you will need to get a drive before the session begins. We will work from that drive from the get go). Either way (or any way in between) this must be accomplished within 30 days of the completion of your project. After that time, if your files are not removed, they will be deleted. There are many reasons. First, and perhaps most important, you'll need something to give to clubs for booking. If you don't have a CD or tape, most clubs won't even talk to you. Another reason is to shop labels; even though realistically the chances are slim, some bands have gotten contracts from demo tapes. You might want something to sell on-line, in stores or at gigs. You might want something to prove to someone that you're doing more than just making noise in the garage. Chances are, if you're reading this, you should be recording. It's our opinion is that recording is a GOOD thing. There are several benefits to the recording process other than the finished product, better musicianship, a chance to hear your songs without playing them, a chance to maximize your full potential as a band, a chance to make your music something more than it is so far. Finally, it just feels good. It's validating: "Yes, I really AM a musician, not just some person with a guitar." One word: QUALITY. Even an inexpensive professional studio can give you a product that is FAR better than a home-made recording. Mind you, we're not disrespecting the shoestring demo or making your own recordings; almost every band records a practice and shops clubs with the tape. In fact, recording practices is a great way to prepare for the studio. If you just want something to practice against, don't go to a studio, it's too expensive for something you're only going to practice to. But if anyone else is going to listen to your music, and be expected to buy it, it needs to be something that doesn't have room noise, helocopters flying overhead, street noise, buzzes and wierdness from low quality signal processors, muddy drums, etc. If you haven't been to a studio, you may not be aware of the things that we can do with sound... There are 7 stages of making a recording: Deciding, Preparing, Recording, Overdubbing, Mixing, Mastering, and Reproducing. If you're with a label or have high aspirations, add Distribution as an eigth thing. 1. Deciding: This is where you choose a recording platform, analog or digital, a length for your project (three song demo, five song EP, nine to fourteen song CD, twenty to thirty song double CD, etc), the songs that will be included in the project, a studio, possibly a producer and/or engineer, and a duplicator. 2. Preparing: This is where you practice, over and over and over again. Then you get together your recording money, get your gear in shape, and book time. Then practice some more. 3. Recording: This is the time you actually spend in the soundproofed performing for posterity. Compared with the time invested in everything else, it's woefully short. It's also the most fun. 4. Overdubbing: Fixing the parts that were flubbed during the recording process. Most lead and backround vocals are overdubbed. Also adding extra parts (guitar solos or support tracks, keyboard or string parts that were not part of the original arrangement, etc). 5. Mixing: The art of blending all the sounds recorded for a song, adding any effects to them and producing a stereo recording out of them. 6. Mastering: The process of optimizing and balancing several different mixed songs; so that they sound even and consistant with each other and then placing them in a specific sequence (running order) for final duplication. 7. Reproducing: For CD's, they take the final master tape/disk and create a "glass master", the glass disc that is the mirror-image of your CD. This is used to press the plastic for the CD. Cassettes are reproduced by bin-loop, where they take the 1/4" master tape, make several copies, string them together, and use that to feed a cassette-duplication machine. Pros: You can capture the energy of a live show. Some bands find it difficult to take the live energy and reproduce it in the studio. You can also capture the audience response. There's less recording time involved, only a few hours on-site. Cons: It can be VERY expensive. You need to pay an engineer, pay for the recording equipment, negotiate with the club, and the like. If you're just setting up mikes in the audience beware that your tape will be much lower quality than a studio recording. Bottom line: Save it for when you've got a label to pay for and arrange it.) Studio time is expensive. Although what a studio can do is magical, it's not magic and things take time. For a reputable, decent 'budget' studio figure on $30 - $80 per hour, spent setting up, recording, mixing, and mastering. Media & duplication costs are extra. Large studios can charge from $125 - $400+ per hour. Some studios offer package plans. Make sure you understand EXACTLY what that package cost includes so you don't get hit with hidden charges. This question is like asking, "how long is a piece of rope?", it has no definitive answer. It can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 5 months. It all depends on what you need to do the recording for, whether or not the material has been written yet and/or how well rehearsed you are with it. We always think that rushing things can spoil what could turn out to be a great recording and for us, that's what it's all about, making a great recording. For quick live band 'demos', you should allow at least 1 hour for every minute of a songs length, plus 2 hours for setting up; i.e. for a 4 minute song, allow 6 hours. To fit into that time constraint, you may need to cut some corners on 'production' but you will get a great 'live sound' result. For a 'finished' single, it can take anywhere from 4 days to a month+... and that's an estimate for only one version of one song. For a whole 'finished' album (from 10-14 songs), anywhere from 3 months to a year or maybe even two years, generally depending on how many songs you want to do, how much time you can spend in the studio on a regular basis, how many re-takes, versions, and/or mixes of each song you wind up doing. If you want a fast demo just to hear what something sounds like or to try to get some gigs, you could cram a few songs into a one day session. We have done 14 songs in three 12 hour days, but that was exhausting, laborious work and, in our opinion, the finished product didn't sound very good. In this we suggest to bands, do not send out too much material just to get gigs. 2 or 3 songs are sufficient. At the end of the day it is ultimately about what you want, but we always warn people of trying to do too much all at once. We really feel this will not save any money in the long run. 1. Ask people you know who have made a recording in a studio already. They may have had good or bad experiences. 2. Use the internet... duh. You can usually find pictures of the studios and tons of information about them, their credentials, gear, clients, and other useful info (like this page)! 3. Look in the newspaper, particularly independent weeklies or music rags. 4. Pick a price you're willing to spend per hour. 5. Call all the studios you found in 1, 2 and 3 that fit your price range. 6. When you call, if they're rude to you on the phone or if they sound disinterseted or unintelligent, forget that studio as fast as you can. 7. Arrange to visit the studios that are now left on your list, with the whole band if possible. Yes and no. Your band should be the most important producer; after all, it's your music. However, it's really handy to have another pair of ears around that's NOT emotionally involved. To me, a producer is a lot like a proofreader and editor. They take what you do, tweak it a little or a lot, point out mistakes you might not have noticed, and put it all together. It's generally a bad idea to have a band member's significant other (boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, parent, etc) as a producer unless they're a professional. Work for it. Divide the expense between band members. Parents or relatives. Seriously, it's handy to have someone to borrow from if you're not making money gigging. Make sure you pay them back as soon as you can. Record your best songs. It's important to make a distinction between good live songs and good recorded songs, though; It's better to record fewer, better songs than to record more, crappier songs. You may not want to admit it, but we ALL write crappy songs. Record songs that are fun to play. You're probably gonna end up playing them a lot. Record a variety of songs. Show off your musicianship and ability to adopt different syles! Probably not. Two definite no-no's are to record covers that are still under copyright (you may do a better version of "Panama" than Van Halen themselves but that doesn't make it legal) or to record songs that everyone and their sister has already covered ("Mustang Sally," "Little Wing," etc.), If you do decide to do some covers, should you wish to sell this recording later, you will need to get licensing permission from the song's publisher. Most studios have a variety of instruments available for use. Check out their gear lists and see what those things are. If they've got all you need then great... travel will be light. If not... Guitar players: We suggest you bring your rig: amp head and cab, guitar(s), effects, enough cables to put everything together, extra strings and a tuner. If your going to bring 'stomp-box' effects, make sure you have plenty of spare batteries for them. Don't use power supplies! They are very noisy and in a rehearsal room or live on stage that may not matter but in the studio, that noise will be a huge detriment to your sound! If you have a tube amp and plan on bringing it, bring spare tubes too, just in case one or more blow out (believe me, it's happened!). Bass players: For most projects, the bass is usually recorded directly (without an amplifier), so there's no need to bring an amp. For a big album project, bring your whole rig and in that case the same things apply to you as with the guitarist. Keyboard players: You should definitely bring your own sound modules, samplers and keyboards, those things have the sounds you use in your songs. Drummers: Drums are often provided by the studio and many times will already be set-up and possibly even miced, ready to go. Unless you're so totally in love with your kit and you can't play anything else, leave your drums at home, with the possible exception of your snare drum and cymbols. If you do decide to bring your own kit, just remember you'll add at least an hour to your set up time, so you should plan your budget accordingly. Singers: You should bring a big bottle of booze. (Just kidding... sort of.) Let 's preface this by again reminding the reader that this is based on our experience, and that every band has its own style and dynamic. This works for some bands; it may not work for you. The most important preparation to do is of the music. You're paying for studio time; it's cheaper to make sure everything's ready beforehand. Practice time is free, or close to it. Use it. Practice the songs over and over, until everyone could play their part backwards and in their sleep One thing that often works is deconstruction. Play a song a couple of times, then break it down into parts. First, just drums and rhythm guitar, then drums and bass, then rhythm guitar and lead guitar, then rhythm guitar and bass, etc. After everyone is set and is sure of what they are doing and when, bring everyone back in and play it a couple more times. If there are going to be any changes to the arrangement, sounds, or lyrics, now is the time to make them. Speaking in general terms, of course; being in the studio gives a new atmosphere that naturally changes the music somewhat. Get your gear in shape. New strings, drum heads, tubes, or anything else you might need. If the studio has a piano and you are planning to use it, make sure it's tuned and ready to go. There are two major ways to approach the recording process. The "Live" route: Some bands prefer to record everything as a live performance, with the whole band in the studio all being recorded at the same time. This helps capture the interplay of musicianship better, but it can make for looooong times in the studio and many, many takes. Most studios have a drum booth, which allows for live drum tracking, and closets or booths for the guitar amps and acoustic instruments so they are isolated and the mics used for them are not interfeared with by the sounds coming from the other instruments. The band monitors themselves using headphones. OR The "Multitracked" route: Most bands take this route. It is the incremental route. The most important track (several tracks, actually) is the drum track, so it's imperative that it be flawless. Doing it as a "build-up," the drum track is tackled first, either with one or two other musicians or the whole band playing along. Once the drum track is perfect (or acceptable, depending on the budget), the bass track is laid down to complete the rhythm section, and the other tracks are overdubbed, building up to the finished song. Generally, vocals are laid down as the last major track, then atmospherics like tambourine or backing vocals. The mics and direct boxes are run into the mixing board, the mixing board sends those signals to the tape or hard drive to be recorded. The engineer handles the recording and the monitor mix. The monitor mix is the mix heard by the band during the recording process so they can hear what they're doing. It's not the same thing that's actually laid down to tape, however. There are two kinds of recording formats, analog and digital. Analog recordings are laid down on big (1" or 2") tape, which records 16 or 24 tracks. Digital recordings are laid down on a computer hard drive and can have unlimited tracks available. Both can be used simultaneously if they're synchronized. They can be synchronized by a time code known as SMPTE. SMPTE is a time-coding scheme that gets recorded on to one track of the tape reel. The computer then locks to the tape by reading the code on that track. SMPTE stands for the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers and is protocal that was developed by that organization. Expect to overdub a lot of things. Remember, this is your chance to get it right; if you don't fix your mistakes, you'll be hearing those flubbed notes forever as part of your finished product. Do bring your instruments, cables, extra strings, tuners and if needed batteries and spare tubes for your tube amps. Do be nice to the engineer. Do bring food/snacks and water. Do avoid dehydrating drinks (beer, coffee, Coke) if you're singing. Most importantly, do observe the rules that the studio has in place. Most studios are nonsmoking, so you'll just have to smoke outside on breaks. If there's a big sign in the control booth that says "No Drinks on the Console", pay attention. Mixing consoles are expensive, and you don't want to have to pay for that too. Don't yell at someone for making mistakes. Don't expect to make it perfect on the first try. Don't waste a lot of time; in this case, time really IS money. Don't be too wasted to play or sing. A buzz might be okay, but make sure that you really want to capture that buzz, 'cause you will. If you're unsure about anything you're doing, don't settle... unless money is really an issue. Yep. So is everyone else, probably. Take a little break, have a smoke, do whatever. Maybe move on to something else for a little bit. There's not much more advice we can give here, it happens, it sucks. Yep. It happens, it sucks. There are a couple of options here. You can take a break, go scream at stuff, try to relax a little, go get a pep talk. Another suggestion is to try to rewrite the part you may be struggling with to something simpler. Sometimes simpler things, played well, come off a LOT better than complex things, played poorly. It can be disheartening to acknowledge your own limitations, but it might be for the best. Nerves, pressure, fatigue (physical AND mental). Try to relax a little. One of the best ways to deal with this is positive feedback... "strokes." Let the person who's having a tough time know that you believe in their ability and you're not frustrated with them for screwing up, even if you are. Keep in mind that when it's your turn, you might screw up just as much as them. It's a part of the process, not something to be upset with. They know where your potential is, or at least they think they do. If you're happy with a take and you don't think you can do it any better, let 'em know. If you're really happy with it, stick to your guns. This is where a producer can be either an angel or a demon. If they like it, they're an angel. If they're not happy with anything you do, they're a demon. An uninvolved set of ears, however, can give really good feedback. If nothing else, you can always overdub it again later. Chances are, after hearing it a bunch of times the way you want it, they'll come to accept it as part of the song. Eat. (Drink. Smoke. Drink.) You can't play or sing up to your potential if you're uncomfortable. If tension is too high to suggest it, wait a few minutes, but get it done. Basically, mixing is the art of blending all the sounds recorded for a song, adding any effects to them and producing a stereo recording out of them. For one common approach to mixing, the vocals are 'soloed out' and listened to first, they're going to probably be the most prominent thing in the mix, so it's a good starting point. Then the drums are brought in and worked on. This usully takes the longest time as they are the most complex instrument in the process. Then the bass is next to round out the rhythm section. Then everything else. Each track gets its particular sound down, effects are added, and general levels are set. Once the sound of each track is 'dialed in', the whole song is run through and listened to (over and over and over and over again) for any places where special tweaking attention is needed. Mixing is the most complicated step in the recording process and should be approached accordingly. DO NOT RUSH THIS PART OF THE PROCESS!! if you do, you will only be disappointed later. You have to live with your mixes forever, make 'em ROCK! Once everything's set and sounding great (not just heard), the mixing engineer will re-record the entire song as a 2-track stereo 'mix'. Do voice your opinion if you don't like something. Do try to be patient. Mixing can take a long time! Don't touch the mixing board. Leave that to the engineer. Don't get burned out on any one song. Yep. It happens, it sucks. Part of the process. Mixing is arguably the most important step in the recording process, and it's very, very important to stay focused. Unfortunately, mixing also involves listening to the same song over and over and over again. If it feels like you're losing touch with the song, or losing focus, take a break or move on to another song for a while. Before you say anything, make sure that you really do. Try to picture the song as a whole thing, not just a collection of individual parts. If you've carefully considered the interplay of all the parts, and you still think that your part should be louder, then say something. Be prepared to be shot down by someone, and remember, if you've agreed to have a producer, they get to make the final call. Mmm, this is sticky. First off, the producer should be open to your ideas. They're your songs. If the producer isn't paying attention to anything you say, you might want a new producer. Talk to him or her. Try not to get emotional about it; explain yourself rationally. If nothing else, try for a compromise. Q: What is the mastering process? Mastering is the process of optimizing and balancing several different mixed songs; so that they sound even and consistant with each other and then placing them in a specific sequence (running order) for final duplication. Yes. Mastering makes the difference between amature and pro productions. Remember that every professionally made CD, racord and tape you have in your collection has been mastered. These prices are only estimates. Specific costs may vary. Check with your duplicator for real numbers. A run of 100 tapes costs about $250 from a reputable, quality duplicator. J-cards are extra. 1000 CDs cost about $1250, but that can vary depending on the quantity you make, simple packaging is usually included in the base price. Fancy jewel cases, inserts, and backcards are extra. Most CD duplicators offer package deals where they'll duplicate and provide printed material for one price. Most include UPC bar-coding and shrink-wrapping too. If you'll be distributing your product in record stores, you'll need a UPC code. Make it nice, people remember things that grab their attention. At the very least you should have printed labels and cards with your contact info available. Most duplicators take about a week, more for runs over 2500 units. Backlogs may increase late in the year because of holiday 'crunch time' compilations. They ease up around February. Late spring is the best time of year for a fast turn around. |
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| FAQ |
| General Questions |
| Deciding To Go |
| How To Prepare |
| The Recording Process |
| The Mixing Process |
| Mastering & Reproduction |