Frequently asked questions

How much time will I need?

This answer will depend on a lot of variables such as:

• How many songs you wish to record
• The length of the songs
• How well prepared and rehearsed the performers are
• The abilty of the performers (e.g. professional musician, beginner...)
• The arrangement of the song (A 'fuller' song with lots of instruments will obviously take considerably longer than two or three instruments)
• The kind of finished product you are after? (e.g. a quick demo for family and friends, or something 'bigger' with a lot more production)

Everything can be catered for, but please feel free to get in touch if you are interested. The more specific you are, the more accurately I can help

Can i take away the individual audio files?

Of course you can. You are welcome to take away the audio at any stage, whether it be freshly recorded, after editing has been done, post mix and get it mastered elsewhere etc. You are welcome to take away the stems or a Logic/ProTools session saved to a hard drive if you provide one.

is mixing included?

It depends on the amount of time booked and how quickly we get through the recording process. For example, if you book five days and we finish recording on day 4, then of course mixing will be started straight away and continue through to the end of the booked time. This is not to say all mixing will be finished then and it also largely depends on how well and detailed you would like your mixes to be. If it is not all finished then additional time will have to be booked for the mixing stage. Mastering is included for free if you choose to have your material mixed here.

do we need to be there for the mixing stage?

No, not at all. Generally speaking, I will probably work better, faster and more accurately with some space to give your project my full attention.

what's the difference between a 'studio' recording and a 'live' recording?

A 'live' recording is essentially everybody set up at the same time and playing together. A 'studio' recording is every part recorded individually and your song built up in layers. This is nearly always preferable because it allows each part (e.g. drums, guitar, vocals) to be recorded without any microphones picking up the other instruments. This also means, editing can be more precise and mixing not only a lot easier but also more accurate. You are far more likely to get a 'polished', 'professional' product with this approach which is why it is nearly always the preferred choice.

What's the recording process?

Without meaning to oversimplify, in short, it goes something like:

• Setting up instruments appropriately
• Record parts separately (e.g. drums first, then bass... Vocals (and overdubs) are nearly always last to be recorded)
• Editing (Usually done after one instrument/part has been recorded but before the next to help make sure you are playing 'together')
• Mixing
• Mastering

is there somewhere to stay nearby?

Yes, there are several hotels nearby including Holiday Inn Express and Premier Inn.