|
If you don't see it answered here, simply click on the Contact link and drop us a line!
How much does it cost to record?
A very good question, indeed.
Nirvana's Bleach album cost around $600 and was recorded and mixed in a day. (It was originally done as a demo, but came out really well...) Other albums in history have cost millions! However, the reality of recording with us is more affordable than that.
We often see a "demo" session come through in a day for recording and a day for overdubs and mixing - three to five songs can be typical. Albums have been known to take anywhere from three days for a quick-and-dirty style, to over a month, for a greatly refined and defined sound.
A lot of what determines this are the goals of the artist, how well rehearsed they are, how complicated the material is, etc, etc.
It's reasonable to expect a punk album to be recorded in a weekend, but it can take longer too. It's not really realistic to record a highly detailed, orchestrated record in the same amount of time, but it's not impossible.
Some folks go by the adage "estimate how much time you think you'll need, and double it." Don't forget mixdown! To mix, a full length album can run anywhere from less than a day for raw, nasty garage rock, to one or two songs a day for more complicated material.
It's best to contact us when trying to figure out your budget; to discuss your needs and goals specifically.
Can you record live bands?
Certainly. We have several rooms in which to set up even a large-scale band to capture performances live. We can get a very high degree of isolation in most circumstances.
In some cases it's good to consider tracking the basics live, and save some elements, like lead vocals and solos, for the overdubbing stage so they may be concentrated on separately. This gives the advantage of looking at the foundation of the song first, making sure the performance is solid, and then giving full attention to the "lead" elements of the arrangement.
What's the difference between a 'demo' and a 'record'?
A 'demo' is what the abbreviation implies: something for demonstrating the artist's intentions or abilities. A 'record' is a finished work, ready for distribution and public consumption.
Many people contact us saying they want to make a 'demo'. After talking for a while, we come to the conclusion that what they really are after is not a 'demo' but a finished, but short, recording. Three or four songs, typically. This is also known as an "E.P." ('extended play' - as opposed to a full-length recording, or "L.P." - 'long play' - both terms from the 33 1/3 RPM heyday.)
These artists want something they can use not only to help get new gigs, but to sell at those gigs, in local record stores, and online. Something that they want to be fully proud of as realised, finished, recordings.
We encourage artists to decide concretely what the goals of the recording are before settling on a budget. If a 'demo' is really what they're after, that's fine. We can provide inexpensive options to document the artist's sound and help them get gigs.
But if it's a 'record' they really want, they should consider the time and effort that usually entails, and plan and budget accordingly. After all, it's something that will have their name on it forever - they should be proud of it!
"Studio X" is cheaper - shouldn't I just go there?
The question to ask is "will I like the sound of my recording from there better?" Ask to hear recordings from every studio you're considering, and go with the one that the sound impresses you the most - the one that the sonics make the most sense for your project. We have a jukebox on the Audio page here so people can get a sense of what our recordings sound like without going through too much trouble (and because we believe our sounds speak for themselves. Shouldn't every studio proudly display their work?) Remember, this is a recording you will live with for the rest of your life - one that will represent your music to the public. If your budget's tight, talk to us - there are loads of options when it comes to recordings that can make a great sounding record affordable.
I have a home studio,
what can a bigger studio possibly do for me?
Our friend is recording us in his practice space studio,
what can a bigger studio possibly do for us?
Home recording rocks. We completely think so here at Slaughterhouse. (Owner Mark Alan Miller had a home studio for years before getting into the 'biz' professionally...)
Sometimes, a "bigger studio" can offer some advantages in certain stages of recording, while everything else can be done in a home environment, making the most of the budget that's available.
We've seen the most benefit come in three forms from the collaboration of home recording with "pro recording".
The first is the recording of live drums, or even basic tracks. Drum kits in particular are a big instrument, with a lot of tricky factors that sometimes hang people up when they try to record them at home. Factors like mic phase, room sound issues, and drum tuning all can add up to a frustrating home recording experience. Sometimes, the neighbors get testy, too.
Secondly, vocals and acoustic instruments can suffer a similar fate. This time, it is less-than-desireable acoustics or microphone options that can take away from otherwise great vocal takes. Not to mention the people outside running the lawnmower!
Third of all is mixing. Some consider it an art unto itself. Many times we've had people simply wowed by the results of us giving their home recordings a good, solid mix. (With all humility in mind, sometimes experience still counts for something...)
Be sure to call us to discuss how "home" and "big studio" recording can be a cooperative, inexpensive, and fruitful effort.
Is Digital better than Analog?
Does Analog sound better than Digital?
Yes. No. Maybe.
Analog recording has inherent "warmth" and richness due to its imperfect nature. All things being equal, analog tracks will give you back something that you didn't put there in the first place. It might be a richness to the sounds, or a bit of subtle tape compression perhaps. And this can be a very good thing.
Digital recordings, however, sound playing back like they sounded being recorded - nothing changes. And this too can be a good thing, as the guitar tone you worked so hard to get will sound just like you recorded it when you listen back. (Digital recording technology has come a very long way from the time when it earned a then-deserved reputation for being "harsh" and "cold". Digital recordings are now very musical and pleasing - far from "cold", they can be warm too. The trick of course is, if you want a particular sound, get it at the source.)
There are a few advantages of digital recording over analog these days. Media is much cheaper per track-minute, and editing is a breeze.
Contact us to discuss your particular project's needs.
What is mastering?
Mastering is the last stage in the production process of a recording before duplication.
After your music is recorded and mixed, the songs need to be prepared for release. This final step will contain most or all of the following:
-The adjustment of the spacing between songs, and the cleanup of noises at the beginning and end of each song ("tops and tails").
-A final review of EQ, making sure that all of the songs make sense together, and will sound as good as they can when played on the widest variety of systems.
-A look at the dynamics of the record. This includes the overall volume of the songs, as well as their relative volumes to each other.
-The addition of supplemental reverb/ambience to 'sweeten' the recording. This often falls under a slightly earlier step, sometimes referred to as 'post-production'. (Post-production is a good time to look at last-minute sweetening, edit decisions, and song order choices - before going into mastering. This kind of work is often done at the end of mixdown, at the same studio as the mix, prior to sending the album to be mastered.)
-The preparation of the album in a format that is suitable for the kind of duplication required.
It's a recommended step, as it can really add some nice polish to a record, and at the very least, will insure that the album is in duplication ready condition.
Do you do mastering?
The short answer is no, we don't do mastering.
The medium answer is yes, under certain circumstances. (Outside projects, certain below-low budget situations, etc. Contact us to discuss this more!)
The long answer is, well, long.
As mastering is the final step on the way to the release of a recording, it is a last chance to look at the overall EQ, dynamics, pacing, song order and overall flow of a record.
Because this requires a certain amount of subjective opinion, our fundamental philosphy is that a record should not be mastered in the same room that it was recorded (or moreover, mixed).
The primary reason for this is that any sonic anomolies introduced by the listening environment, and the resulting compensation for (or lack thereof) will simply be introduced again, if the recording is mastered in the same space, on the same equipment, and by the same person.
Secondly, it's really a great idea to get a final opinion from someone outside of the production of the record, someone objective, and who does mastering on a regular basis.
We pretty much recommend using outside mastering companies/engineers for all our clients, as we feel this will ulitmately benefit the sound of the recordings. We have some recommendations on our links page.
However, for those times that we do mastering, we would like to note that Mark Alan Miller has many years under his belt as a freelance mastering engineer in the late '90s, and has continued since then to master for those in particular circumstances, like budget constraints. Sometimes he has been hired for his sonic sensibilities alone, all budget considerations aside!
Like always, we encourage folks to contact us and discuss their needs.
I have a friend who has a comptuer & software. They say they'll master our record for free! Isn't that great?
Well, maybe.
Cool! Your friend has the tools. That's the first step.
You have to ask some more questions!
-How does their mastering work sound?
-Do they know how to prepare the duplication-ready media in the fashion required by the duplicator or replication house?
-Does their work stand up to what you consider to be outstanding examples of similar recordings?
If you can answer 'yes' to all of these, you may have a nice, inexpensive solution.
If not, you should consider hiring someone who does mastering professionally. Even though it may cost you a bit more in the short run, you're the one who has to live with your release & how it sounds. Why not make it the best you can?
If you remember the old saying "you get what you pay for" you'll know what we mean.
Do you have block rates?
No. But why?
Well, we operate at the lowest reasonable hourly rate we can afford. That way, everyone, whether they need 2 hours or 200, gets the same fair price.
Look at it another way. No one is going to operate at a loss, it just doesn't make any sense. So if someone offers a block 'discount' rate, they're offering a lower rate than their 'regular' rate, but one they can still afford. Which means their non-discount rate is inflated from there! That is, if you don't want or need the required hours to book for a block, you're penalized by paying a higher rate than someone else got!
It's like marking-it-up just to mark-it-back-down (and call it a discount, when it's actually the basic rate one can afford to offer...)
Sometimes, studios will offer block rates where they do operate below their operating costs. That means they have to raise their regular rates even more just to make up the difference, so the people who don't qualify for the block rates end up subsidizing the block rate sessions!
We prefer to treat every project equally, and operate at what we can say is the lowest hourly rate we can afford - and still reasonably grow the studio, keep it healthy, and every now and then consider bringing a new microphone or piece of gear to the list to be able to offer more to our clients.
|
 |
