WHAT TO KNOW...
There are four general types of recording projects. By reading through the following page, it should help you to choose the one that best suits the needs of your project and give you an idea of what to expect.
1. Casual recording generally for fun with no emphasis on perfection or interest in retail or commercial purposes.
Usually these types of recording are for personal use or for the purpose of structuring a song that you might record for real later on down the road. These recordings typically include bringing in a beat or pre-recorded track and simply adding vocals to it for a quick and professional sounding result since the music is already recorded for you. You might give a few copies of the recording to friends and reletives but in general, are not meant for retail or commercial purposes. This type of recording project usually ranges from 1-2 hours per song in studio time.
2. Demo or short-run project for the purpose of getting concert bookings or showing off your songs to interested parties.
Typically, a short run or demo project is used to showcase your ability to other entities, that if interested, might desire to develop a working relationship with you. This could be you submitting your songs to a talent agent or other soliciting agency. It might also be recordings that you use in the promotional info you send to perspective clubs or venues that you want to perform at. In any event, typically, the level of engineering and "fine-tuning" required for these endeavors is far less than when you want to release a full-blown retail product. A studio may elect to do a simple two microphone ambient setup and let the whole band play to capture the energy, while keeping the bill to a minimum. Most demo and short run projects include 3-5 songs, which can generally be recorded and mixed to an acceptable level within 2-4 hours per song. This can be a very cost effective direction to choose if you are new to the studio environment, or if you’re keeping to a smaller budget. To achieve the quality and performance level of a full-blown retail release, on the other hand, requires anywhere from 8-16 hours per song.
3. Showcasing your songwriting skills to others with the interest of selling your songs for someone else to use.
If your desire is to sell your songs for others to perform, it is generally accepted that you should keep your recordings and production simple, yet effective. The people you are sending your songs to need to have an idea of the dynamics you envision for the song, but still leave a little room for their own imagination. Let them hear what a mandolin might sound like in a particular section, or what a screaming electric lead might do for the song. Remember, your song will most likely be completely re-recorded in another studio, by other musicians, with a flare that meets the market the buyer is trying to capitalize on. This type of recording project usually ranges from 2-4 hours per song in studio time.
4. Full production project with the intent of retail distribution and commercial visibility.
The truth is, making and distributing a successful recording is about 50% raw talent and 50% business smarts. If you have too much water in one bucket or the other, you’re gonna get all wet. Most artists have no problem with the raw talent part, it's the business side that gets them. But you don't need to have a business degree, you just need a realistic plan and an ability to stick to it.
Keep it simple, consider these five basics, and if you can't realistically answer "Yes" to these questions, then hold off and try again when you're sure you're ready.
A) Just what exactly is my budget? Do I even have a budget and am I overly optimistic and actually think I won't exceed my budget? Prepare for the worst which typically means the dreaded "T&M" (time and money).
B) Are my songs really ready to go? Nothing gets the billing machine rolling like someone that starts re-arranging or writing a composition while in the studio. Be sure to have your songs completed and ready to go. Know what you're going for as far as sound and what instruments you are going to use to get that sound. Also, have solos and other parts of the song rehearsed and memorized before you start recording.
Now, we do have talented producers and arrangers on staff who are experienced, and would more than willing to help you through this part of the process, or even completely handle the arrangement and production for you, so you can focus on what you do best! Just be sure to speak with a member of our staff, so they can help you price that into the budget and make sure there are no surprises during the process.
C) Am I well rehearsed? If the musicians that are slated to be recorded can't confidently make it through their parts in a single pass, then they need to practice the parts more. Of course, it's not mandatory, nor realistic to think that you won't need a few punch-ins or comp tracks, but the difference between a few and many is measured in significant hours and dollars.
D) Is there a good reason I'm recording this project? If your goal is to make a professional recording to distribute in the retail world, build your online presence, get concert bookings at venues, or to gain the interest of record labels, then proceed efficiently; don't exhaust your wallet by endlessly tweaking your project, that's typically not necessary. However, be prepared to spend the extra time to make sure that your recording shows off your talent and potential as an artist. Recordings at this level typically require anywhere from 8-16 hours per song in studio time.
E) Do you have a distribution plan? Do you already have a following of fans? Do you play regular weekly gigs that offer you an opportunity to promote your product? A good distribution and marketing plan goes a along way to making your experience an enjoyable one, and hopefully will lead to you coming back to visit us again one day. Good luck with your project. If we can help you with the planning of your project by answering any questions you might have, then please contact us or give us a call at (509) 845-2800. We'll help you in any way we can.