My band was just offered an indie deal. We have 90 days to complete our CD after signing. Do we need to go into a pro studio or is it possible to buy our own equipment and do all except the mastering ourselves...if so..any suggestion on what recorders will do the job? Other equipmnent needed to help? Any other suggestions? You can check out our current recording at myspace.com/seal7music
I wouldn't take anything the label says at face value.
You have to see exactly what it is your record contract states about recording costs and advances and how the label will recoupe those costs later on.
You have to see what terms they stated out on how the recording can be made, and how they want it turned in. There's commercially acceptable mixes, which are mixes that are up to standard with all other mixes on the radio and technically acceptable mixes, mixes that technically sound acceptable, but not meaning a good mix. If I was you, I'd work on getting a mix that competes with other radio mixes. Radio is roughly 70% of your business, so logically, you want your mix to sound pretty good just in case you get that airplay. Compact Disks these days seems to be more of a transfer/storage medium than a playback medium.
Yes, people still buy CDs, but the market is very broad and a good mix should be able to stand up well throughout different mediums. Audio streaming, file sharing, radio, internet radio, television audio/video...you've gotta think of all those before recording.
Are you working with any kind of manager or A&R on this? What's the term of the contract? What type of recording does the contract specify? Any details?
More than likely, that advance is going to be paid back by royalties off the album you make.
So not to rain on your parade, but if you make a shitty album and it sells badly, you're in for a very tough ride at the label. Not only for this album, but all subsequent albums.
Labels usually cross collaterlize albums to recoup thier expenses. That means that if you don't make enough to pay back the label on the first album, they will suck your royalties off all subsequent albums until you have paid the debt in full. So it can be a few years before you see any money in your pocket.
In other words, yeah you can take the money and risk recording it yourself. Or you can be smart about it and take the time to understand the contract and do serious research on studios in the area that give quality for price. You might have it in your budget to find a good producer. Anything you can do to make your music more marketable is the way to go. You may end up saving and making more money in the long run because of it.
Remember, any money you spend is money you have to pay back.
Any money you can pocket from that advance will help you stabilize yourself until you get off the ground at the label. So there's a balance. Believe me, it's not called music business for nothing. I'm young, but I've been around the block. This is a very general reply, too. I could literally go on for hundreds of pages...it's what I went to school for.
Regardless if we go into a studio or do it ourself I understand that we still have to be well rehearsed on a professional level. The label has not asked for any money that I know of, they are offerering a developement deal. They are going to provide a tour bus,food and lodging, medical/dental insurance...and put us on tour for 13 dates with a very large established band (Third Day) that is signed to a major deal, and then 12 more with another after that. They are going to pay us royalties out of CD sells and downloads, let us do our own merchandising. We get a portion of the ticket sells on tour, and we have the freedom to book shows in between the dates they book us for. Although we will only have 90 days after we sign, we are fairly tight and could pull it off in a studio or on our own. The recordings we have posted were done on a 16 track digital Korg, and also need mastering, however, I know that particular recording is not good enough. The label has asked us to re-record them, as well as more songs and only give them the raw tracks, and let them do the final mastering. They are going to distrubute the songs all over internet and get us all kinds of exposure as well as radio play. We also have our lawyers involved in which the record label had no problem with. So, my question now is, is it possible to buy something like a 24 track recorder, record the raw tracks, with the band being totally tight...and send them? If so, whick kind of recorder do you suggest, and other additional equipment or tips for getting that professional sound at home? We have a huge warehouse that our drummer owns, so we have plenty of room to make a studio also...comments?
Ok, so from the sound of this, they are going long term with you..potentially. The fact that you tour with a major act dosn't guarantee anything. There are always loop holes in contracts that inevitably cannot be avoided. But that is business between you and your lawyer. You have publishing and distribution issues that can easily shelf your album indefinitely. The main difference between indies and majors is in the distribution. Majors own worldwide distribution.
The fact that the label skims a percentage of tour costs is unfortunate, but it's common. Essentially thats a 360 deal. Considering that tours are 100% recoupable by the label, it's money your ultimately going to pay back.
More than likely, depending on your clout and the label's clout: whats going to happen is that this indie label is going to spend their resources to develop you as an artist (grow your fan base, endorsements, publicity, building your presskit, etc) hence a development deal. Depending on how you do, a major label(s) may scout you out for a time for the possibility of signing.
However, majors do not spend time or money developing new artists, they take mid-level artists with enough clout and build them from there. They let the indie labels spend the money and time to develop the artists for them.
So unless you turn into an Alicia Keys just before getting discovered by Clive Owen, you're waiting in a long line.
I'm only saying to keep your eyes peeled on this. Labels invest money to make money. So if you think your music is worth all that expense (tour bus, insurance, bookings), then stick with the deal. You could grow within this label and move on to a major, you could stay happy at a decent pay within this label, or you could bomb and get stuck with a bad deal within your current contract. This of course has little to do with the recording your asking for. But it's relevant.
Aim to impress your audience and your label. Get a gifted engineer to worry about the recording, you worry about your music.
My advice, find a good reputable studio, get the price knocked down as much as possible and pocket the leftovers. You'll need it.
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