Q. Can I come and visit you before I book a recording session?
A. Yes of course – in fact we encourage it. We set aside some time each month to enable us to meet you and chat about your project. This is a really important part of the process and we take this seriously so give us some notice, and we’ll make sure the kettle is on.
Q. I am studying Musical Theatre and need to create a vocal reel to send to West End shows – can you do this for me?
A. Absolutely – we’ve done lots of reels for clients and would suggest a short 2-3 hour session is usually enough to create a high quality reel for you. Get in touch for more information.
Q. What’s the difference between mixing & mastering?
A. Mixing is the process of gathering the recorded tracks together into a form that we can balance each of the channels and make everything sound coherent. There can be many channels of audio at the mixing stage. Once the mix is complete we can create a copy for you or we can proceed with mastering (which is likened to polishing) which brings the best out of what’s already there.
At the mastering stage we are only dealing with a stereo pair of channels of the mix (which should now sound 95% of the way there!)
Great care is taken in using surgical EQ, Compression, Limiters and other tools to produce a high quality master; but essentially mastering is a process of listening and analysis of what may be required to correct the mix. The goal is to achieve a track that is ready for commercial release; radio/CD or sending to streaming platforms.
Q. Do I need my songs mastered?
A. Its a good question! Not necessarily, but if your songs are heading for any form of streaming platform (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.) or CD/Vinyl then we strongly recommend it. Mastering is a fine art and we very much have a ‘hands on’ approach to this process, ensuring that the track is listened to and processed against other reference tracks in the same genre.
Mastering also enables us to produce a high resolution copy of your material with ISRC codes and other metadata that ensures you are identifiable as the author and owner of your work – very important for streaming platforms to recover royalty fees for you.
Q. Can you provide musicians for my songs?
A. We have a great range of of musicians on the team bolstered by a fantastic roster of session musicians usually able to turnaround projects within a week or two. Additional fees apply, but we will endeavour to work within your budget.
Q. What is Post-Production?
A. Post-Production (or simply referred to as ‘post’) is essentially the process of editing and mixing and/or mastering that occurs after your song/project has been recorded. Depending on the complexity of the piece, there will usually be a significant amount of time dedicated to editing and mixing to produce a quality recording.
Q. Are you able to record an audiobook for me?
A. We frequently have authors and narrators with us recording material often for Audible or other listening platforms – please enquire for further details.
Q. I have recorded a song at home but the vocals are rubbish – can I come and just record the vocals with you?
A. Yes certainly, we are very happy to help with your project in any way possible – we understand most home studios don’t have the quietness required to produce a decent vocal or have the range and quality of mics that a commercial studio provides, so get in touch if you’d like us to help.
Q. I am almost ready to record my EP but I’m stuck trying to finish some of the songs – can you help?
A. Whether you need help lyrically, musically or with overall arrangement we are happy to assist you in completing your work, sometimes another pair of ears and eyes can make the difference between the project getting completed or sitting on the shelf!
