8 Tips For Choosing the Right Recording Studio

 While it would look like choosing the right recording studio to your venture is a sincere manner of finding the Phoenix recording studio with the fine price, there may be tons extra to it than that! Your first step is to think about your venture. What kind of sound are you going for? Do you want to tune stay at the ground (every body gambling straight away), or one tool at a time? How many songs, what number of overdubs, etc.

Next, you'll need to compile a list of studios to test out. There are numerous desirable resources for Phoenix and the metro area. Search Kudzu.Com, Google.Com, and AZPunk.Com has as true list, as properly. Be open to possibilities, you're now not necessarily trying to find the cheapest recording studio in Arizona! The question of charge might be first on your thoughts, though, and at the cease of the day, it will likely be a identifying issue. So, with that in mind, we will examine the alternatives, as they relate to the price you will pay on your recording assignment.

1. Check Out The Gear (But Don't Believe The Hype!)

Most studio websites display their tools, with a equipment listing. There's a motive! For a savvy producer, knowing what gear is accessible may be important. The price of renting greater preamps, compressors, or microphones will effect the fee of the challenge. Finding a studio this is nicely-equipped can preserve those condominium prices decrease. A well-equipped studio has more money invested in gear, though, so their quotes could be better.

What gear do you really need to your mission?

If you are planning to report your band 'stay' within the studio (recording the drums,bass,guitars, and scratch vocals simultaneously) you want a studio with enough mics, preamps, cables, and inputs to their recording gadget to deal with that load. Many smaller studios fee a decrease hourly fee, however can handiest song a few resources right now. This means that getting your fundamentals down will take four-8x as lengthy. So that'll cost greater than you may assume.

2. Check Out The Space

If you are planning to song drums, you may need to see the drum room. If the proprietor has spent the cash to construct a facility, with a bit of luck, they've built a respectable drum/foremost room. I'd be looking for a good reverb decay (somewhere around 1.Five-2 seconds to decay to silence) and high ceilings. The BBC recommends monitoring in rooms over 1500 cubic feet, and I tend to agree. The room should sound exact, if it's far too dead, you'll need to apply reverb consequences, if it is too stay, it's going to make for some unfocused sounding tracks.

Three. Check Out The Guy (or Girl!)

While it might be cool to paintings with a young child who likes your track, and he probable charges a low hourly rate, be prepared to spend plenty longer getting sounds,and plenty longer during mixdown. On the alternative hand, using an older man with lots of revel in, however who isn't certainly into what you are doing may additionally result in a product that just does not seize what you are going for. Try to evaluate the engineer's tastes, and whether or not he's familiar with your form of music. Hearing some paintings he is completed in the past will assist a lot in evaluating whether he is an awesome fit, as will talking to him and seeing if you gel for my part.

4. Check Out The Vibe

If you are looking at recording studios, attempt to go to them in individual if feasible. See what the vicinity feels like, what it smells like. Does it appear like an area you could be secure? Do they have smooth bathrooms? A Kitchen? A front room for the band participants to relax in at the same time as your vocalist is tracking his elements? What about parking? The vibe inside the region will determine, together with the engineer, your consolation stage, which influences your performances. If you are no longer feeling relaxed, plan on spending a chunk longer tracking, some greater takes to get warmed up, etc. Keep in mind that building and maintaining a top notch room charges a lot, the prices will replicate that.

5. What's The Reel Deal?

Some studios rate for a grasp CD of your tracks, they'll rate for tough force area, or you may want to offer or pay for tape, and so forth. These usually aren't large costs, even though you can effortlessly spend $500-$one thousand for 2" tape in case you're tracking an album (more than that in case you want multiple takes, or do not like to file over old work!)

6. How Do We Pay?

While maximum commercial studios take credit score cards, assessments, coins, etc, many small studios do not, as they are working as hobbies, not corporations. You have to be privy to that earlier than showing up, as things can get a bit awkward when you whip out the vintage Visa card and the engineer says "Cash Only,please!"

7. What Is The Schedule Like?

Ask approximately upcoming to be had dates, many studios will ask for a few weeks to multiple months improve be aware of a date. Also, find out the policy on deposits. Many studios require 50% to preserve a date. If you need to reschedule, accomplish that with forty eight or extra hours notice, or you may give up a few or all of your deposit.

Eight. Do They Offer a Guarantee?

Not too many studios offer money-returned ensures that I've visible, however it is really worth asking. At the least, they will provide a unfastened remix/tweak if the combination would not translate whilst you get to your home stereo.