studio cost

[mercy]

Im just not into recording, but Id like to record my playing for my grandkids. How much should it cost in a very small town in a very small studio, including the engineer, that is in a music store?

[Mr. Jelly]

The other day a musician friend mentioned $45 an hour ..... I think.

[jim1960]

The cost can vary widely. It's going to depend on a number of factors like location, gear on hand, how much that studio is in demand, how many employees they have, etc. You might find home studios charging as little as $25 and hour and you'll find studios that charge hundreds an hour. Call around, talk to some people, ask prices, and listen to what they can do for you.

A few things to keep in mind...

• Studios often have a minimum booking time... I think two hours is the most common.
• A three minute song does not take three minutes to record. You're going to want to hear yourself on more than one vocal mic and choose which you think you sound best on,you're going to want to listen back after you record to see if you like your performance, there will be mistakes you make that have to be corrected, there will be discussions between you and whoever you're working with, etc. All of that adds up.
• If you want your recording to sound it's best, you don't want the raw tracks. You'll want the track mixed and mastered. That's more time but it will elevate your performance for anyone who listens to it.
• Practice a lot before you head into the studio. That will make the experience more enjoyable for you and cut down on the frustration.
• Bring a good quality tuner and check your tuning often. Make sure it has a fresh battery. It would be a shame to do a great take and have to toss it because you realize when listening back that your instrument is out of tune.
• The first time is both exciting and nerve racking. Let the person you're working with know it's your first time.
• Trust the person you're working with. He has more experience than you at recording and getting great results is not simply a matter of plugging in some mics and hitting record.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by mercy

Im just not into recording, but Id like to record my playing for my grand kids. How much should it cost in a very small town in a very small studio, including the engineer, that is in a music store?

Polished production & great sound. If you want both you either have to invest your own time and money or purchase someone else's.

If you want to pass your playing, songwriting, and personality on for your grand kids to enjoy then the easiest thing to do is probably smartphone videos uploaded to Youtube. It's probably the best you can do to create a lasting memory. CDs and recorded medium passed on to family members can be misplaced or lost, while Youtube videos will be a quick search away. (Be sure to make them "public".)

If you really want to do the recording route but don't want to invest heavily in studio time you might find someone locally that will do it very reasonably as a semi-professional recording. It depends on what you want, but there are a LOT of folks doing modest recording work now that the technology is so cheap and easy to use. Posting your needs at a local music shop or asking around might turn up someone who can do exactly what you wish to do, especially if you're willing to put the time into having the ability to do your material in 3 or 4 takes of each tune.

I've done entire CD projects of small bands (as shown here) using minimal equipment and the results were quite good.

[DupleMeter]

Costs vary depending on many factors. There is no standard rate. The better the studio & engineer, the higher the cost.

My advice, if you’re going to pay for Studio time, don’t go with the cheapest option. Find a reputable studio with a track record & ask if they have an indie rate, or a lower rate for less desirable time slots.

This is going to be an area where you definitely get what you pay for.

[rockabilly69]

For what you want to do, I would say between thirty and fifty dollars and hour.

Many times the higher costs will reflect the quality of the equipment they have. Are they using low end microphones, is the room really suited to what they record? Lately I see a lot of people with home type studios popping up that really have no business calling themselves a studio. They have little to no experience recording people, and many times they are learning on other peoples dimes.

Some one with a good room, and good mics, and lots of experience, might cost more per hour, but you could possibly save money because their experience will help them get the job done faster and with a better overall result.

I would find someone who specializes in the kind of music you want to record (for example my studio is a great studio for recording acoustic instruments in a solo, duet, and trio, format, and I love recording singer songwriters).

Listen to samples that they've recorded and see if they appeal to you.

When you decide on somebody, things to consider...

Most times the clock starts as soon as you walk in the door, so, keep the small talk to a minimum, and don't dawdle getting your stuff setup. If the engineer sees you ready to get down to business most likely he will too!

As mentioned above, rehearse your songs so you have them down cold. Bring a quality tuner with you. And if your strings need changing, get that done before you get there. If they are overly bright, give them a day or two to settle in.

[DanR]

I just found this from a small local recording studio:

Studio Rate: $65 / hour

Whether tracking, editing, mixing, providing production services, archiving, sending files, etc., everything is charged at the studio's hourly rate. There are no additional fees.

Two hour minimum for scheduled sessions.

http://www.theaudiocafe.com/home.html

Here's another local studio with rates varying by time of day:

http://www.thedisc.com/

Both studios have been around for quite a while.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by DanR

I just found this from a small local recording studio:

Studio Rate: $65 / hour

Whether tracking, editing, mixing, providing production services, archiving, sending files, etc., everything is charged at the studio's hourly rate. There are no additional fees.

Two hour minimum for scheduled sessions.

http://www.theaudiocafe.com/home.html

Here's another local studio with rates varying by time of day:

http://www.thedisc.com/

Both studios have been around for quite a while.

I don't think you'd be going wrong with either of those studios. They both have quality gear and the recording spaces look fine as well. I'm guessing most people with facilities that impressive are going to know what they're doing unless they've only been in business for a short time and that doesn't appear to be the case for either.

All things appearing to be equal, I'd suggest giving them both a call, telling them what you want to do, ask how much time they think you'll need to accomplish your goals, and just go with your gut when choosing.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by jim1960

I don't think you'd be going wrong with either of those studios. They both have quality gear and the recording spaces look fine as well. I'm guessing most people with facilities that impressive are going to know what they're doing unless they've only been in business for a short time and that doesn't appear to be the case for either.

All things appearing to be equal, I'd suggest giving them both a call, telling them what you want to do, ask how much time they think you'll need to accomplish your goals, and just go with your gut when choosing.

Going to be a bit of commute for the OP from SoCal to Michigan

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Going to be a bit of commute for the OP from SoCal to Michigan

Oof... I thought the OP posted those studio links.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by jim1960

Oof... I thought the OP posted those studio links.

I know just teasin' you,,,, took me a minute also ,had to look at the OP again . But I agree and the websites of those studio's can perhaps give the OP a general idea what a pro studio might look like .

I have only hired out or used commercial type studio's 4 times and frankly it was kinda 50/50 on the results IMO. Three were very pro looking, and with what I know now were very well equipped. One was more or less a basement Project Studio and marginally equipped at best IMO

Of those studio's the three dedicated pro studios two were great results, and one was adequate if not thrilling.

The Project Studio well lets just say it had a great mic ---(a vintage Neumann M 49) but it was plugged directly into a first generation Digi Designs 001 rack unit,, and the results were pretty flat , two dimensional and lackluster ....

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by KevWind

...but it was plugged directly into a first generation Digi Designs 001 rack unit

That was my first interface back around 2001. The sound wasn't great but there weren't many options back then.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by jim1960

That was my first interface back around 2001. The sound wasn't great but there weren't many options back then.

Well (in 2003 ) I got a Digi 002 console and what I eventually did was get an Apogee Rosetta 200 to run into the 002 for two channels with better pre's and conversion.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Well (in 2003 ) I got a Digi 002 console and what I eventually did was get an Apogee Rosetta 200 to run into the 002 for two channels with better pre's and conversion.

I did the same when I upgraded to a Digi 003 sometime around 2007-8.
This photo was my rack back then...

[Chipotle]

More price data points. I looked up several nearby recording studios in our not-so-big (~250K people) area (tho one is actually a world-renowned studio for punk/alternative). Rates run $40-75 per hour, and you can generally book a full day of 8-10 hours at a discount on the hourly rate.

The time may or may not include an engineer (many include it, but you might be required to pay extra), and some studios will offer a producer or session musicians at additional cost as well.