|
Can we get a tour of the studio?
Of course, simply call and leave a message (805-588-9479). Sometimes we can do the tour that day, sometimes a week or so away. It depends on the sessions that are active.
Do you have a drum kit?
Yes. When you book time please let us know if you will be tracking with the drum kit so we can make sure the heads are in good shape for your session.
Do you have a piano?
No. Not at this time. We do have lots of weird and cool keyboards, but for a piano / vocal duet, nothing beats the real thing, so we are looking to move a piano into the studio very soon.
Do you have guitars?
Yes, we have bass, acoustic, and electric guitars available for your use. We also have a mandolin and many other interesting instruments available for your use.
Do you have amps?
Yes. We have a Sovtek Midget 50H tube amp, and a Fender Deville w/ 4x10's (also tube). For bass we have an Ampeg B5R and an Ampeg cab.
Do you work weekends?
Yes, of course. In fact, weekends are usually booked about a month in advance.
Can we come in early or the night before to set up?
No. Sessions begin at the time you schedule them. Much of the engineering work begins as you start setting up so we have to charge for this time.
What's an engineer?
In general terms; an engineer is someone that knows how to operate the recording equipment in the studio. The engineer knows how to get sounds and accommodate the requests of the artist or producer.
What is mixing?
The answer is here.
What is mastering?
The answer is here.
Do you have beats?
We have drum machines, samplers, etc. but remember that building up tracks is going to take time and creativity. What we can easily do is take a stereo mix of a beat that was made by you or a friend and overdub vocals to it using a great condenser mic and a nice tube mic pre-amp.
Can you transfer my old vinyl/cassette/etc. to CD-R?
Yes, at the regular per hour rate. To estimate transfer time, add about an hour to the length of each album, or cassette to facilitate processing.
Is it OK to bring some friends to the session?
For space and security reasons we ask that you please do not bring any visitors to your session. My attention should be and will be focused on setting up and engineering your session. Please check with me before bringing anyone who is not going to be part of the days recording. Uninvited guests may be asked to leave.
Is Certain Sparks non-smoking?
Yes. Smoke cigarettes outside only. Smoking "other stuff" is not allowed due to liability/impoundment issues and a misguided government.
Is it OK to bring a few beers?
No. I've found that the people who ask this question tend to have a blurred concept of "a few beers". No, it is not OK to bring a few beers.
Is it OK to drink/drug/etc. outside, in my car, or before my session?
No. Please don't show up on under the influence of drugs or drunk. If you really want to test this one, be aware that your session will be canceled and your deposit forfeited, if it appears you are under the influence of a controlled substance. I'm not a babysitter or a counselor. You'd be surprised what I've seen!
Can we all play live in the studio?
Yes. We can isolate the drums, guitars and bass or run them live in the same room.
Setting up for a live session requires more time at the beginning of the session and comes with its own pros and cons. This technique works well for bands that play live regularly because it requires everyone to be pretty "ON" at the same time. On the other hand, it sometimes leads to a more energetic performance. Great for punk bands, without a doubt!
So what will one day of recording cost me?
At the rate of $30 per hour, a ten hour day would be $300. One CD-R copy of your work is included, so just add $3 for every additional CD-R copy you would like.
What are the hidden costs?
The only additional costs are your recording media (CD-R). There are no instruments or gear that you will be charged extra to use at Certain Sparks.
How can I prepare for my session?
General
Expect to work hard. If you have recorded before, you already know how much hard work is involved. Recording is very rewarding and fun, but is also an incredible amount of work.
Know which songs you want to record (and preferably the order you want to record them in as well).
Have the arrangement of each song figured out. The cliché of "less is more" and "more is less" is very true in music. Listen carefully to your favorite recordings and take note of how uncluttered their arrangements are.
Do not forget that it takes time to set up for a recording session. Recording your songs will take a lot longer than it takes you to play them in your garage.
Show up to your session on time - make sure you get every minute you pay for.
Show up to the session well rested. Celebrate after your album is done.
Keep people away from the studio that may distract from the task at hand.
Drummers
Practice with a click track (metronome). Sometimes you will have to use
a click track in recording and if you have never practiced with one,
there could be difficulties. Click tracks can help keep a steady beat,
but can also be essential in recording some songs.
Get hold of a quality kit and if you can - put new heads on it! If you have a bad kit or worn heads the best we can do is achieve a great recording of a bad sound. In mix-down we can improve a poor drum sound, but the end result will never be as good as a good drum sound to start with. You can always use our set.
Bring extra sticks!
Guitars
Put on new strings and break them in.
Figure out leads / solos before coming into the studio!
Bring extra picks if you're picky about your licks!
Keyboards
Save all settings you will be using so you can recall them easily.
Bass
Make sure your strings are in good shape.
Vocalists
Have lyric sheets unless you know the music extremely well.
If you play an instrument while you sing, try to become able to play or sing independently. We will be able to get a better recording tracking the instrument and voice separately.
Complete all lyrics and most importantly melodies before your scheduled vocal session
Recording Suggestion : Setting up all the drums, all the microphones for the drum set, the levels for those microphones, and a good headphone mix for the drummer can take a substantial amount of time. If your band has other songs ready to record, but were planning on recording them at a later date, you may want to consider laying the drum tracks for those songs on your first session. To track a few more songs may not take much time at all (especially with a good drummer). The Pro Tools sessions with the extra songs can then be put in storage and forgotten until your next recording session. On the next session your band can go straight into overdubs and save a lot of time.
How long will it take to record my album?
We don't know exactly. A well-rehearsed band can lay down most of the basic tracks for a full length album in two days. Overdubs can take anywhere from one to seven days depending on the amount of work and pickiness. For mixing, budget three hours per song or so at least. A guitarist-singer who has their tunes down can track hours of live stuff in one day, mix it all the same day and have a decent live demo. A popular local punk band recorded and mixed their entire 10 song album here in about 4 hours!! They loved it!
It really depends what you are looking for. Some projects go faster. Always add time to your estimates! We've made albums in one day and one month. Just don't try to make Dark Side of the Moon in three days!
|
