we've listed some of the more common questions below. please browse the list to possibly find the answer to your's. we've also included tips on preparing for a recording session and given some explanation about what you can expect. if you have a session booked or are planning to do so please print a copy of our studio policies.
let's say you're in a band and want to do a 5 song demo. this will require about 34 hours (2 or 3 days to record the basic tracks, vocals, harmonies, and solos, plus 1 or 2 days to mixdown and master). a good rule of thumb is: 1 minute of recorded music = 1½ hours of studio time. here's a typical recording project breakdown:
the drummer should arrive about 30 minutes before the session is scheduled to begin to start setting up drums. once we get those dialed in (will take an hour or more), we'll move on to the other instruments. bass can go direct to the board, to one of our preamps, or your bass player's rig. we'll usually mike the guitar amps, and we have our own amps as well as a 412 cabinet with Celstion Greenbacks. the first song usually takes about 3 to 4 hours to record (including guitar amp setup, placing microphones, eliminating hums, hiss, and buzzes, setting headphone levels, getting everybody warmed up, etc.). the rest of the songs take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour or so per song, depending on the number of takes or effects needed. figure about 8 to 10 hours for the basic session. it can be a very long day but of course we'll take a couple breaks. unless you want everything tracked live all we're going for on day 1 is a good drums, bass, rhythm groove with a scratch vocal. the singer shouldn't push on any of the vocals today. (back to top) you'll add solos, and maybe redo some tracks because you came up with something better, etc. that takes about 4 to 6 hours. you may have done rough vocals during the basic session to help with timing. now, you'll do the finished vocals & harmonies. figure anywhere from about 5 to 7 hours for vocals. final mixdowns take about 3 hours for the first song and about a 2 hours each for the rest of the songs. you'll listen on different speaker systems, and we'll adjust the sound to get the best compromise for the final mix. figure about 10 hours for mixdowns. add another 4 hours for mastering. so all in all a typical five song recording project could run something like this: |
| drum setup | 2 |
| basic tracks | 9 - 10 |
| solos & overdubs | 6 |
| vocals & harmonies | 6 - 7 |
| mixdown | 10 |
| mastering | 4 - 5 |
| total | aprx. 37 - 40 |
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some things may take more or less time. it all depends on how well rehearsed you are, how many overdubs or changes you make, and how much editing you want done in post production. also, these aren't necessarily five consecutive days in a row. they could be spread out, or there might be days off due to previously scheduled sessions, etc. (back to top) |
the more everyone understands what is expected in the studio, the better the recording will turn out. be aware that some musicians get uptight before a session - it can be a very stressful time, and studios can seem a little cold sometimes (but not us :-). because we're on the other side of wall listening to everything you do it can sometimes feel like we're sitting in judgment of your music - we aren't. we have our own issues and responsibilities to take care of in the control room. if we hear a mistake, we'll let you know, but we aren't sitting there waiting for you to make mistakes - we can make enough mistakes of our own! we're here to help you get great sound - not to judge your music or your playing. so relax and let's take it one track at a time! here are some more tips that can help you prepare...
rehearse only the songs that you'll be recording for at least 2 days before the session. for clean starts, use an 8 beat count-off instead of a 4 beat count-off, with the last two beats silent (example: 1 2 3 4, 1, 2 - - ). play the songs straight through including intros, endings, and dynamics. work out all your solos before you get to the studio. bring any and all equipment that you'll need to perform your parts (i.e. guitars, pedals, amplifiers, keyboards, drums). we have equipment available for use (fees may apply), but you are expected to bring your own unless other arrangements have been discussed. also, put on new strings and drum heads at least 2 days before the session and make sure they're tuned up. bring extra batteries, strings, and cables, just in case. get a good night's sleep and make sure everyone is in a good mood before the session. don't party the night before if you want to be in shape for recording. of course, some people might play better when they're smashed, but most don't. check with the rest of the group to see which category you fit into. (back to top) start the songs cleanly and wait till the tape is rolling before turning up your volume. don't talk, play, or move for a count of eight after you finish a take. wait for the last notes to die away completely. sometimes some guitar feedback might sound cool, so listen for cues form us on when to use your volume knob to fade out at the end of a song. and also, don't jam or play between takes or songs. either tune up or sit quietly. goofing off just wastes everybody's time. you may have to change your normal amp settings to get a better sound on the recording. sometimes your stage settings don't work in the studio and we may have to experiment to get the right tone - even to the point of switching amps or going directly into the board. but don't freak out, that's why the knobs are designed to move! and we'll make sure to get a sound you're totally happy with. (back to top) if you screw up, don't panic, but point it out. most of the time we can punch it in later. if one song isn't happening, forget that song and move on to another song, or we'll take a short break. don't bother with "I'm sorry" or "I'll get it this time." you're just putting more pressure on yourself, and screw-ups happen - no big deal. just relax and try it again. if you feel yourself getting tense about a song, take a break. be open to suggestions and changes. and sometimes those screw-ups become happy accidents and end up turning out great. maybe you didn't hit the note you wanted, but the note you hit might be better. after the final session everybody usually wants a rough mix. go ahead and enjoy it that night and the next day, then put it away. get away from the music for a while or you won't be able to hear clearly when we mix. everybody should take a 2 or 3 day break (or longer) before the mixdown session to rest their ears. listen to groups you like, and try to get a feel for their sound and their mixes. before the mixdown session play the rough mix and make notes on every song. is it similar in sound to groups you like? try to pinpoint the differences. need more bottom on the kick? less reverb on the vocal? vocals too loud or soft? is the bass tight enough? move the lead guitar more to the left or right? before you start the mixdown, we'll go over your notes and try to get the sound you want. remember, when you're mixing down you want a finished product that's as good as any pre-recorded material. listen to the whole song, not just your part. ok, that's about all the advice we can give and it's now up to you to make it happen. the right attitude and chemistry will come across in the finished product so above all remember to have fun! (back to top) |
mixing is the process that blends all of the tracks together while addressing each one individually as to how they affect the overall sound of the completed song. things like volume, panning, effects, and automation are all done here.
mastering is a series of processes which include final equalization, multi-level compression, level matching, de-noising, and finalizing to Red Book Standards. often many artists will pay top-dollar to have their recordings mastered at a facility that strictly deals with this craft. we offer a limited selection of mastering options, but can deliver a very polished and professional sounding product. do your songs need mastering? YES! my own experience as well as my dealings with other industry professionals tells me that if you want your songs to sound as good as they can, and match the fidelity of other professional recordings then you should always have your project mastered to industry standards.
a down payment is required for some services for a couple of reasons. we may have to purchase materials in advance to complete your project and the down payment allows us to do so. scheduling is also taken into consideration for down payments because if we block out time for a client and they don't show up it is almost impossible to book another session at short notice (people might fly "stand-by, but they don't record that way). by paying a deposit for a session the client is making a commitment to be on time and to complete the project. for clients that are "no-shows" we require a deposit for all future bookings because they've shown in the past they can sometimes be unreliable. if we're here on time then we expect everyone else to be. savvy?
this document explains and gives further detail on the policies of the studio, as well as providing useful information about how to prepare for an audio or video session. it also serves as a sort of disclaimer designed to benefit both the client and the studio, and protects us both from any misunderstandings. it's easy to understand, and you are not bound in any legal sense to the studio for anything other than payment in full of services and goods provided, as outlined in the policies. (back to top)
to be perfectly honest there might be something we can't do. we know it's impossible to meet everyone's requirements 100% of time, and there may be some limitations here and there. our goal is to provide a quality service and product with everything we're involved with so it's important to us that you're happy and can get what you're looking for. we'll be straight forward about anything that we can or can't do and even recommend someone who can help you. if you have any questions at all please don't hesitate to contact us. (back to top)
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