How to Choose a Recording Studios

When you first enter the music scene, you soon learn that not everyone who owns a recording facility knows what they are doing. By taking into account the following tips for locating a great music studio, you can avoid numerous mistakes and a loss of irrecoverable expenses. As with any consumer endeavor, be sure to do your homework and let your instincts guide you.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

How to Choose A Top Notch Recording Studio

1. 

   INTERNET RESEARCH—The Internet can be a priceless tool when it comes to finding out about a given studio's track record. This is because disgruntled individuals will post their experiences in music forums and other related social networking sites. A good Google will turn up either a ton of positive or negative information regarding the company, and if you take the time to wade through it all, somewhere in the middle will be the truth. When in doubt, ask around. Your musician friends may have heard of the studio in question. Word of mouth can make or break a business, and is usually quite accurate

2. 

   ASK FOR A DEMO—To ensure that you are dealing with a reputable company with a solid background, always ask to hear a demo reel. A demo reel will showcase what the studio has done and let you know if they are the right people for the job. I once dealt with a well intentioned gentleman who claimed to be able to produce a wide number of music styles. Upon listening to his work however, it was clear to that every song was heavily stamped with a country influence—even the R&B tracks sounded country. I knew that I would have to find someone who was more adept at creating the genre I was looking for.

3. 

   CHECK EQUIPMENT LISTS AND SERVICES— Many modern studios are completely digital, utilizing software like protools to lay down tracks. In my opinion, the best studios offer both digital and analogue. Some musicians are partial to analogue recording for its rich textures and uncompressed sound, but it is all a matter of preference. Make sure you inquire about their equipment as well, as this can determine how serious and experienced the facility is. One hapless musician even went into a "studio" that had a vocal booth that was little more than padded plywood haphazardly put together. The worst part? The microphone was a $59 dollar radio shack model that was strapped at the end of long, wooden stick with a piece of electrical tape. It is very important to ask about the production services the company offers as well. Some studios do everything from pre-to post production to mixing and mastering, while others simply deal with the engineering and recording aspects.

4. 

   Find people who specialize in your genre of music—When it comes to recording, chemistry is very important. If you are working with an engineer or in house producer who doesn't respect your music, or can't feel your vibe, then you are wasting your money. People who like your work will be more inclined to do a good job. This isn't to say that a person who doesn’t like country will do a bad job engineering or producing it, but it has been my experience that when you deal with people who have a certain passion for a genre, they tend to be up on the latest technology regarding it, and they put a bit more of themselves into the mix. Don't compromise in this regard, and you will end up with something great!

Tips & Warnings

• If you can, set up a small home studio for pre-production where you can lay down the basic cords of your song and save them to midi files. Using software like Cake Walk or Reason can help you create files that can be taken to the studio and uploaded into the computer database. The Engineer can then manipulate the midi cords to get the exact sounds you want. Even if you can't play an instrument, you can learn the basic computer sounds withing the programs to get as close as you can to what you hear in your head. This process will save you a lot of time and money in the studio.
• Producers or Engineers who do drugs while in a session are not only unprofessional, they may be too high to be truly effective. Some musicians may like to hang out and smoke pot as they work to unwind, thinking that it actually increases creativity. Nine times out of ten, it doesn't. If you notice that the person you are working with is doing recreational drugs before, during or after a session, find a new production house, especially if you are serious about producing an industry worthy product.