Frequently Asked Questions
About > FAQ

What are your rates?
$40/hour, $350 for a 10-hour day. For freelance engineer rates and longer blocks of prepaid time, please contact us.

How much does tape cost?
$25 for a 7" reel of 1/4" Quantegy 456 (15 minutes at 15ips)
$75 for a 10" reel of 1/4" Quantegy 456 or ATR(30 minutes at 15ips)
$120 for a 10" reel of 1/2" Quantegy 456 or ATR(30 minutes at 15ips)
$185 for a 10" reel of 1" Quantegy 456 or ATR(30 minutes at 15ips)
We can also "rent" tape or sell used reels at reduced rate if needed.

How much will it cost me to record an album?
Kindly reprinted from Tape Op Magazine:

"The only real answer is, 'All the money you're prepared to spend.' We have made albums in a day here, and do it often enough that it isn't rare. Records like that have an implied aesthetic of immediacy and conviction, and there are worse things to have to settle-for in life. More often, albums take four to ten days, but there is a wide range in what can be expected within that range. Less time means fewer - or no - experiments, less fine-tuning, fewer alternate takes, less total time in music recorded (10 songs rather than 12, for example) and ultimately an acceptance of results that may not have had time to settle-in as confident. That doesn't mean the record won't be good, just that you won't have the time to try out all the possibilities to convince yourself of it. Longer sessions than that have more time for second-guessing, reworking and experimenting, but they aren't necessarily 'better,' they just have more options available to reach the end point. It is backward planning to ask how long it will take for a fixed methodology, and then come up with that amount of money. If you guess wrong, you will be caught short, and end up spending all your money with nothing finished to show for it. It is much more realistic to decide how much money you have to spend, and then make the record that budget allows, accepting the limitations implied by that." Steve Albini

Will I be billed for "setup" time?
Yes, all billed time will accrue at the start of the booked session. You are encouraged to arrive 15 minutes prior to the session for load-in.

When is payment due?
Payment in form of cash, money order, certified check, or credit card (via paypal only) is due at the end of the session. No tapes or cd references will leave the studio until the account is paid in full.

Can you record on location?
Yes, we do offer live to 2-track true stereo recording. This type of recording is completely reliant on the acoustics of the venue, the artists' performance, and the possibilities for mic placement. We are also able to record anything, anywhere with our portable battery operated Nagra III. This unit is great for interviews, capturing nature sounds, ambient recording, and documenting performances. All location recording services are offered on a case by case basis, so please contact us.

Are you looking for artists to release on your label?
We're only interested in putting out records that are a good aesthetic match for the concept of the label. The range of artists on the Regime Change comp will give you an idea of what we're looking for. Any project we take on has to be of artistic and financial benefit to both the artist and the label. So I guess the short answer is, maybe.

Can you distribute our recording?
No, but we can offer some names of distributors that may be interested in carrying your record or cd.

How should we prepare for a session?
The single major influence in the sound of a recording is the quality of the source. This is artist's primary responsibility in the recording process. Although we offer the use of a variety instruments and amplifiers, it is assumed that the majority of clients will be using their own personal equipment. It's therefore imperative that all musicians make sure that their gear sounds as good as possible. Although it may not be a problem during practice or live performances, any unwanted ground hum, noisy tubes, fret buzz, or intonation problems will become painfully obvious on a recording. Although some engineers recommend new strings and drum heads prior to recording, I feel that is an aesthetic decision that should be left to the artist. For example, I personally prefer the sound of "dead" bass strings and think guitars sound best after the strings have been broken in for a week or so.

How can we save money on our recording?
Be prepared. Thorough pre-production is very important, as all arrangements should be worked out prior to the session. Don't use studio time to practice. Stick to a budget. Simplify the production. Don't waste time on a song or part that isn't working. Use a cheaper recording format like 1/4" 2-track or 1/2" 4-track to save on tape costs.

Do you offer lodging?
No.

Why do you only have 8 tracks?
8 tracks is more than enough for all but the most demanding productions. Everything recorded prior to the early 1970s was done with 8 tracks or less (Kind of Blue, Abbey Road, Pet Sounds, Blonde on Blonde, etc.). With the exception of Atlantic Records, most recordings prior to 1966 were made with 4 tracks or less. The majority of my favorite recordings were done on 2-, 3-, and 4-track machines. I believe that the 1" 8-track format offers our clients the best choice when high fidelity is the primary goal. While 2" 16 track is undeniably a great format, for most artists the extra tape costs do not justify the luxury of the extra tracks (which will most likely never be necessary). For other reasons why I prefer 2-, 4- and 8-track recording, check out our Philosophy.

Why don't you have Pro Tools?
We're not a digital studio and we don't specialize in the genres that benefit most from Pro Tools' editing capabilities (Hip-Hop, Dance/Techno, Contemporary Pop).

I find both the sound and the working methods of analog recording to be far superior to any digital platform.

Music is analog; our ears our analog. The perceived conveniences of digital recording, the "demands" of the marketplace, and industry trends should not be the motivation behind choosing a recording medium. We're not serving fast food.

We have no interest in "fixing" bad performances, upgrading software every six months, or buying hardware that will be obsolete in 2 years (and worthless after 5 years). Et cetera.

We are however, committed to putting the best sound, the best working environment, and the best recording experience within the reach of as many artists as possible. If you want to track with tape but need the editing capabilities of Pro Tools, it is possible to transfer your tracks to a digital format and take them to another studio for editing. If you must track with Pro Tools and wish to use our studio, we can help you make arrangements with a freelance engineer or studio to provide that service.

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