Buying Studio Time Questions

gmiller1122

gmiller1122

Addled but happy
I know this may be out of place here, since this is HOME recording, but I'm considering buying some studio time at a local studio for the following reasons:

1. Experience. Never done it, curious about the process. I see it as an adventure.
2. Impatience. I've been recording on my own for about a while now, and the learning curve is so immense. I'm itching to get a different/better sound. Plus, all the compression/EQ/panning/mastering lingo is making my head spin. I'm not a techie at all.
3. Time. As has been said in other posts, "Time spent recording/mixing is time you don't spend writing and practicing." I like to be able to home record, because it's convenient and somewhat interesting to me, but I'm not getting any younger and want to spend as much time getting better at writing, singing, and playing guitar, and not so much on mixing, recording, etc.
4. Money. It is no longer an issue. We are very fortunate to be able to afford fun things now. I am even paying a friend to shoot a video for one of my songs, just for fun. A few years ago, this was impossible. I could spend several grand on studio equipment, but I'm a songwriter first, musician second, and home recordist is down the list. So, I have the cash, and figure, why not try this? I could spend it on a lot of other stupider things, right?!?

All this being said, I'm wondering where to begin, what to expect, etc. Some questions (and I realize every studio will be different and I need to talk to them at length)...

- Do studios charge by the hour or per song? Depends? Is each different?

- Will they bring in musicians if I ask? Do they have studio musicians usually? What if they do, and I play with them, and I hate their style? I don't gig now, and don't really know many people who play that I could bring into a studio with me.

- What if I get started, then feel that the people/person is taking too much liberty with my music? Is it too late then to back out? When do I pay?

- Is it okay to ask for references -- others they've worked with? This seems logical, but I'm not familiar with the unwritten 'rules' if there are any.

- I'm not a great player or singer -- I'm kind of sloppy at times, but I like that, and I like bands that allow for nuances and grittiness in their music. I don't want to be overproduced or ultra-polished, just better than what I can do at home. So, should I feel self-conscious about my limited talents, or do the engineers and other professionals deal with this all the time? I mean, if my grandma had $1000 to spend, but was awful, wouldn't they record her anyway?

- Finally, I live about an hour outside of Syracuse, NY. I teach, so the summers are pretty much free. Is anyone familiar with the studios around the area, even state-wide? Any ones to avoid? I've looked up some in the yellow pages, but I figured I'd ask if anyone here had insights before I just start cold-calling.

So many questions! I'm excited about the possibilities, and am eager to get your experiences/advice/thoughts. Oh, my influences include Joe Henry, Wilco, Lucinda Williams, BoDeans, Jayhawks, The Silos...roots rock I guess, if I had to give it a label.

Also, here is my site with a few songs I recorded on my own.
http://www.geocities.com/gmiller1122/

Thanks!
G
 
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- Do studios charge by the hour or per song? Depends? Is each different?-
Most studios will charge you by the hour. Some studios will charge by the song if they’re versital and aren’t overbooked. Depends on how many songs you’re wanting to do, how many musicans your going to use, and how many tracks your going to record. But beware, they might charge you more per song than it would take to record and mix by the hour.

- Will they bring in musicians if I ask? Do they have studio musicians usually? What if they do, and I play with them, and I hate their style? I don't gig now, and don't really know many people who play that I could bring into a studio with me.

Depends on the studio, who owns it and what they record there. If a studio is owned by a band or they do commercial jingles then they can probably hook you up. Problem is beggars can’t be choosers. Better to go out, find people who work with you well and bring them in then someone who doesn’t know your style and is just working for the check. (and they will charge you)

- What if I get started, then feel that the people/person is taking too much liberty with my music? Is it too late then to back out? When do I pay?

Most studios are businesses and they’ll want your repeat business. Which means they’re going to do things (within reason) to get your tracks the way you want them.

As far as payment, it depends. They will give you an estimate. Some will ask for most upfront, some only half. But all will ask for some kind of payment before you start recording.

- Is it okay to ask for references -- others they've worked with? This seems logical, but I'm not familiar with the unwritten 'rules' if there are any.

Most decent studios will be more than happy to list their clients. Maybe you won’t get a direct reference but if band XYZ recorded their demo at their place you can always track them down at a gig, or look for the contact information in the CD.

- I'm not a great player or singer -- I'm kind of sloppy at times, but I like that, and I like bands that allow for nuances and grittiness in their music. I don't want to be overproduced or ultra-polished, just better than what I can do at home. So, should I feel self-conscious about my limited talents, or do the engineers and other professionals deal with this all the time? I mean, if my grandma had $1000 to spend, but was awful, wouldn't they record her anyway?

I’m sure the guys who post here that run or own studios can fill hours with horror stories about bands who weren’t ready to record, couldn’t tune their guitars to each other, drummers that couldn’t find the definition of tempo if there was an open dictionary on their snare. But that is part of the business. I’m sure there are some who wouldn’t record just out of conscience or reputation if a band really wasn’t prepared, but if they got the songs and the check clears they’ll be ready to record you.

If you don’t want to be over produced and polished just tell the guy running your sessions so. As I said before, most of them are business owners and they want you the consumer to be happy. I’m sure that will be a welcome change from those guys who want Dark Side of the Moon 2.


- Finally, I live about an hour outside of Syracuse, NY. I teach, so the summers are pretty much free. Is anyone familiar with the studios around the area, even state-wide? Any ones to avoid? I've looked up some in the yellow pages, but I figured I'd ask if anyone here had insights before I just start cold-calling.

I would go around, find local acts who have CDs and either ask the band about their recording experience or listen to the CD and if you think its good look at the liner jacket to see where it was recorded.
 
I'm still a long way off from even having anything resembling a home recording studio...computer based (what I'm planning) or otherwise. Even when I do get going with home recording, I already know that I'll have a need to book studio time for vocal tracks. Too great a chance where I live, and in where my bedroom's located, for an emergency vehicle or the train across the street to ruin a vocal session. At least in the way I plan to setup, I can do everything else within the bitstream...to include recording my guitars (through a Guitar POD/Bass POD, or similar modeller). I just don't want to spend days on vocals that might've only taken an hour or so, just because it was a busy emergency day, the train across the street, or too many truckers using their Jake-brake when approaching the 4-way stop to the south of me.

Matt
 
Go for the studio time. It seems that you are more concerned with the "making music" part rather than the production end of the biz. Going into someone elses studio takes a lot of pressure off you as a musician. Let them worry about all the technical stuff but dont be affraid to ask questions. Let them know that you are interested in the "why" they do things and how it will affect the final product. Like you, I am a singer/guitarist/writer and while I am fairly good at recording others, I find it is a pain to record myself. It's just hard to man the console when I have both hands on the guitar.
 
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