Book the room and the engineer together
Most studio time gets wasted in the first hour. Levels, headphone mix, a laptop that will not talk to the interface. That hour is on the clock and it is not making a record.
Where the sessions happen
Tracking is at Flagler Studios, 9 SW 69th Ave on the second floor, in Flagami. The room is set up before you arrive. Chain is patched, levels are set to your reference, headphone mix is built while you are still parking.
The room is not the point though. The point is that the same person who records you is the person who mixes you. Nothing gets handed to a stranger who was not there when you found the take.
How a session runs
Warm up, then a full pass for feel, then punches. Comping happens live so you hear the composite while the energy is still in the room. If a line is not working you find out in the session instead of three weeks later.
You leave with a rough mix the same night. Not a placeholder. Something you can play in the car on the drive home and live with while the real mix gets built.
What to bring
Your beat as a WAV, not an MP3 pulled off a link, and not an untagged lease you have not cleared. Lyrics on a phone are fine. A hard drive is smart if you want the session files.
Come with the song mostly written. Studio time is the worst place to write a second verse and it is the most expensive place to discover you do not have one.
Questions about recording
Is the studio time included in the hourly rate?
Yes. The rate covers the room and the engineer together, with a two hour minimum.
Can I bring people?
A few. Bring the ones who make you sing better and leave the ones who talk through takes.
Do you record instruments or only vocals?
Vocals are the bulk of it. Guitar, bass, and keys can be recorded direct. A full live band needs a conversation first.
What if I only need one hour?
The minimum is two. One hour realistically gets you set up and warm and then the clock stops right when it starts working.
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