FAQ

May I take a tour of your studio and check out what you've got going on?
Absolutely, but tours are done by appointment only. Please, don't just show up. We may be in the middle of a session and it's not courteous to other artists as all our sessions are closed sessions. Besides, I may be in my birthday suit and that could traumatize you for life. (NOTE: clothes must be worn to all sessions)

What styles of music do you record?
Anything that will record. Silence is the easiest to record. If you'd like samples of that, let me know, but be very quiet.

What is your recording process?
To date, our set-up will allow for up to 24 tracks to be recorded at one time, but we can record literally an unlimited amount of tracks. As the studio grows, we will upgrade our equipment to be able to handle more tracks at once, however this is still adequate for our recording process as we typically use about 8 tracks for a drum kit (standard 5 pc) and the other available tracks for bass, guitar(s), keys and/or vocals. For a typical band recording (vocals, guitar, bass, drums) we start with getting the rhythm section recorded first. [The drummer is free to use our kit and bring any other hardware he wishes. Our kit is tuned for recording and is ready to go. However, drummers are usually more particular to their own set and we realize that. If the drummer wishes to use their set, we have no problem with that either. Our package prices are the best route to go if time is of the essence for you. We will allow a drummer about an hour to get set up and tuned in.] The bass and drums have to be tight to get a great recording. Otherwise, it will sound more mechanical and pieced together. The drummer is set up in the drum isolation booth, the bassist and guitarist can be in the main studio, and the vocalist will be in the vocal isolation booth. We record a scratch guitar track and a scratch vocal track and keep the initial rhythm section tracks. Once that is down we can move on to the other instruments. When all of the music is recorded, we move on to the lead vocals then back-up vocals. Any other optional tracks can be added such as sound effects or stock audio. When the song is completely recorded, we then move onto mixing. At this point we get the baseline mix without the artist present. Once we have that as a starting point, the artist returns to listen and we can make final adjustments. When the mix is complete, we begin mastering the audio; getting all of the EQ right, making sure it sounds good in different sets of speakers, and we can even broadcast it to your car to give you a feel of what it will sound like on the radio. When your project is complete and paid in full, you will receive your music burnt to a CD. Each member of the band will receive one CD. Your project files can be burnt to a DVD so that you may revisit the mix or opt to have your project mastered at another studio.

How long does it take to record?
It really depends on the size of your project, how many tracks you will have, and how many takes you need to get the right sound. You need to figure about an hour or two to get the initial set-up, each song recorded is usually about an hour's worth of recording (also depends on how well rehearsed you are), and to mix and master the song you should figure on about another hour or two per song depending on the complexity of the song and mix. Of course, these are not set in stone. Some projects may fly by while others seem to take an eternity. It is best to figure on spending at least 3 sessions on your project. We typically put in about 8 - 10 hour sessions each day and concentrate on one aspect each day. The first day is to get the music recorded. The second day is to get the vocals and any other tracks. The final day is the mix and mastering day. This is about typical for a 4 - 8 song project. Some projects may require more time than others. Package prices are the best as you don't have to worry about the clock.

Do you offer duplication?
Not on a large scale basis. We can burn a few CD-r's for you for $1.00 per CD, but for duplication of your project, we can refer you to several duplication companies. If you plan to send your music to radio stations, it is best to have your CD professionally duplicated from a glass master rather than sending the station a CD-r of your music. Some stations will not touch anything on a CD-r due to so many cases of copyright infringement. If your project is simply for demo purposes, CD-r's will probably suffice. One step further is to get pre-printed CD-r's. This looks more professional than magic marker or labels (if left in a vehicle CD player, the heat will cause the label to bubble and will cause problems with eject).

Do you copyright our music?
Copyright is done by the artist through the library of congress. We can assist you in getting you to the right resources for protecting your music, but it is ultimately your responsibility.

Can we record copyrighted music of another artist?
You can record a fly singing "The Star Spangled Banner" for all we care. What you do with your project is up to you and you assume all liability for what you do with your recording. We do not promote copyright infringement. If you intend to commercially distribute your recording you need to obtain rights to do so if you do not already have those rights. Here again, we can point you in the right direction to do this, but it is your responsibility.

Can you make mp3's, wav, or ram files of our music?
Yes. Once your project is complete, we can format your recording into these formats and give them to you on a CD. Any special editing, such as creating a shorter sample version of songs or formatting to a special bit rate, etc., will incur extra fees to be determined depending on request.

Do you keep our project on file?
We keep your project uploaded for up to a week after your project is complete just in case you decided to come back an add something or decide that you really just don't like the way that snare keeps ringing. After that, we keep your files on a back-up DVD where we can load them again in the future or in the event that you need to recover your project.

What do you do with our music after we have left your studio?
Your music is your music. We do reserve the right to upload your music to our website and/or myspace website or playback your music in the studio for demonstrational purposes of our work. With the artist's consent, we may in the future put together compilation CD's to help promote both the artist and the studio. In the event that the artist defaults on payment for services, we may also reserve the right to commercially distribute your recording in an attempt to collect any debt owed to the studio. Once that debt is paid in full, we will cease that activity.

I have recording software at home. Can I take home files and work on my project at home?
No, we cannot allow any of the files to leave the studio until the project is complete.

Can I get a sample mix of my recording before the project is complete?
No recordings are to be released until the project is complete and paid in full.

If I am not happy with the progress of our recording, can I take my project to another studio?
Customer satisfaction is our number 1 goal. We will make every effort to accommodate your needs and get you the recording that you desire. If you wish to terminate your project early and take your files to another studio you may do so as long as the project is paid in full for the time/services that were rendered. If you refuse to pay for time/services rendered, your deposit will not be refunded and you will not receive any portion of your project. Here again, every attempt to collect what is owed to the studio will be made.

I want to do "X" with my project. Are you able to do that?
If you have something maybe out-of-the-ordinary with your project or are unsure if we are capable of handling your recording needs, contact us and describe your project and we will determine if we can assist you with that or refer you to a studio that can handle your needs.

We're from out of town and we're dumping every penny into this recording. Do you have a place we can crash while we record?
When our schedule has permitted, we have offered our clients a place to sleep while recording. We have a separate shower and restroom available, WiFi, & a microwave. Our guests are asked to remain courteous and clean up after themselves. No illegal substances are permitted on our property. If this presents a problem, we can recommend some nearby lodging options.

I have this rash that won't go away. What should I do?
Do you have any trouble breathing, dizziness, tinnitus (ringing in your ears), nausea, vomiting, sweating, chest pain, rapid pulse and/or palpitations associated with this rash? If so, call 911. Otherwise, see your primary care physician or dermatologist.

If I melt dry ice, can I swim without getting wet?
Yes, we are fans of Steven Wright, too.

What is your favorite color?
Blue. No, yellow!

What is a recording studio?
It is a room or several rooms where magic fairies sprinkle recording dust onto instruments. The instruments then play themselves and the fairies turn into demons that like to eat jelly beans. We are fully stocked with jelly beans until they show up. Once the demons eat the jelly beans, they instruct us to record the sounds that the fairy dust instruments are playing or else the speaker monster will come to life and chew holes in our socks (this has happened before and I have the socks to prove it). So long as we comply with the demons, we end up with a recording. The recordings are then packaged with chocolate and shipped into outer space where Martians review the recordings. If they approve of them, they then send the recordings to the President of the United States. He listens to them and puts his official seal of approval on them and instructs his secret service to hand deliver the recordings to the artist. The artist has no idea that any of this has ever occurred and denies any knowledge of this process. The secret service then take the artist to an abandoned dock down by the river and threaten to dance to show tunes until the artist remembers recording the songs. After several hours of torture, the artist finally remembers going into the studio and recording music. I think that's what it is. Why do you ask such a question?

Do you like amusing yourself by asking yourself questions and then answering them, all the while typing them into this browser for all to read and get the impression that you've lost your mind long ago?
I'm sorry, what was the question?