Frequently Asked Questions
Services
and Rates
How
much does the 'Recording Service' cost and what is included?
Will my recording at Limelight
Studio going to sound good?
Why shouldn't I record my
music in my own basement?
Why do you charge a low
hourly rate for tracking and a fixed rate for the mixing?
How do I pick the right
studio? Is Limelight Recording Studio for me?
Tracking
Session
What
is the usual time for the tracking sessions?
What
do I need to prepare before a recording session?
Any
tips during a recording session?
Post-Production:
Mixing and Mastering
What
about mixing session? Do I need to be there?
What
about mastering?
Services
and Rates
How much does
the 'Recording Service' cost and what is included?
The service covers the complete
production of a song. Set up and tracking time charge is on a per hour basis,
and we have a fixed rate for mixing (editing, mixing, light mastering and
finalizing) for up to 3 revisions of the mix and one for mastering. It also
include the final mix-down of all the songs of the project in two standard
audio CDs. The price includes the service of the recording engineer. The up-to-date
pricing can be found in the Services
section.
Unlike "live" off-the-floor recording, we record one instrument
at a time: we usually starts with drums and scratch guitar/vocal as the foundation.
Then we will overlay bass, rhythm guitar, solo, vocal, back vocal, effects
and so on. This way the artist/band can focus on each instrument and make
sure the best possible sound is recorded before going to the next one. It
also provides much better control during mixing which will result in better
quality.
Will
my recording at Limelight Studio going to sound good?
This is a very legitimate question. To make a good recording, it requires
all three things to be right: the performance by the musician, the right tools,
and the skills of the engineer.
First and foremost, the performance by the artist is of the greatest importance.
It represents the core and the fundamental of the sound. Although there are
many ways that mixing/editing can help to improve it, but if the performance
is not good, then the end result will likely not be satisfatory. If an unsatisfatory
performance is 'engineered' to sound like a better performance, then the result
will likely not represent the artist's original intent. Read the Tracking
Session for tips on how to be better prepared before getting into the studio
for a tracking session.
The right tools are more than equipment like microphones, mixer and software
plug-ins . The right environment and other supporting infrastructure are also
very important. At Limelight we have separate control room where engineer
can monitor exactly what is being recorded and not interfered by the sound
produced in the tracking room. Both the control and tracking rooms are acoustically
treated, which minimizes unwanted signals (e.g. external noise, multi-path
signals, standing waves) to be recorded during tracking, and allows clean
signals being monitored during mixing. Separate headphone mix and talk-back
microphone ensures an effective and flexible recording session. If you would
like to check out the studio, you are welcomed to contact me and arrange a
time for that.
As for the skills of the engineer - I have been recording for the past five
years. Few years ago, I also spent eight months on a recording arts program
in a local professional studio. Since then I've gained extensive hands-on
experiences and learned the theoretical and practical aspects of recording
in a professional environment. I've completed numerous projects since Limelight
was established couple years ago. I intend to give my very best to all my
clients and I want to make sure they walk out of my studio satisfied with
their recordings.
Why
shouldn't I record my music in my own basement?
Most musicians probably have attempted to record their own music, or at least
pondered such an idea. The availability of equipment and the use of a computer
as a recorder makes recording much more accessible than ever before. However,
even if you have access to all the necessary equipment, as for anybody who
has attempted recording at home (especially for a band with drums), one would
realize this is no walk-in-the-park. The challenges could be the lack of fundamental
knowledge of sound, technical skills, hands-on experiences or the proper environment.
And more specifically, it may be the room acoustics, critical listening/monitoring
skills, mic-ing techniques, gain staging, mixing/editing techniques...etc.
Musicians are much better off focusing their effort into making music, instead
of spending time in figuring out problems like Why does the mix sound so muddy?,
How can I get the mix to sound louder?, or Why does the mix sound good with
my monitors but not in the car stereo?.
Why
do you charge a low hourly rate for tracking and a fixed rate for the mixing?
The low hourly rate for tracking allows artists to focus on their music instead
of the clock. As for the fixed mixing rate, it helps artists to budget their
project with some cost certainty, but without compromising on product quality.
How
do I pick the right studio? Is Limelight Recording Studio for me?
You should talk to the studio about the scale of your project, the time and
cost estimate for the tracking and mixing, the results that you are aiming
for and what you can expect from the studio. This will give you a much better
idea on your budget, time requirement, and expectation of the outcome. Always
listen to their previous work, or even pay a visit to the studio if possible.
Most professional studios charge upwards of $60 to $80 per hour of work (tracking,
mixing or mastering). Currently I decide to only charge a nominal fee for
the service as I'm building up my client base.
Tracking
Session
What
is the usual time for the tracking sessions?
Usually it is Saturday, Sunday, or weekday evenings. A 3-4 songs demo project
usually starts on a Friday evening with the setup, and then tracking sessions
on Saturday and Sunday.
What do I need to prepare before a recording session?
Sit down with your entire band and figure out which songs to record, the sequence
of each instrument
during tracking, and if there is any difference comparing to your live play.
Then you should talk to the recording engineer to plan out the recording session
– number of tracks, tempo, drum kits components, type of guitar/bass
amps...etc. Send him a rough recording if you have one (e.g. practice or live
recording). This will allow the engineer to work ahead of time to prepare
the proper environment for your recording needs.
If possible, bring fresh strings, cords, drum sticks, batteries or anything
that may fail during the session. On the other hand, avoid using brand new
gears because it takes time to get use to them. Avoid bringing along anybody
non-essential to your recording session (e.g. friends that are not in your
band) because it will distract you from focusing on your music.
Remember to practice a lot, especially for the drummer because the drum tracks
lay the foundation of the entire recording. Also try to practice with a metronome.
Have plenty of rest ahead of time, and do not party or drink the night before.
Any
tips during a recording session?
To start
off any track, use an 8 beat count with last two beats silent; wait for the
last notes to die away completely before talking or moving around. Try to
relax during tracking – it is very easy to make mistakes during performance
if you are stressed or feel pressured.
You should not try to mix the song when you are recording - playback of the
recorded track is not the final product. Don't be overly picky but if the
mistake is apparent to you, track it again. Do not assume that can be cleaned/fixed
during mixing. Fixing a mistake during mixing/mastering phase is not only
ineffective, but it also affects the final product in a negative way because
it does not truly represent the actual performance.
Post-Production:
Mixing and Mastering
What about mixing session? Do I need to be there?
I usually prefer to work on my own as mixing sessions are meticulous, very
time-consuming and requires undivided attention. I will get the mix through
a set of procedures to a stage where the song finally 'comes alive'. By then
I will be providing the artist revisions to listen to in order to get feedback
and make necessary adjustments. If necessary I may request for the artist's
presence at the studio for fine-tuning.
What
about mastering?
Mastering is a process independent from mixing. It is intended to give the
song one final touch on its tonal quality and overall balance on all the songs
in a project. Therefore, mastering is applied only when mixing of all the
songs in the project are completed. In order to master a song properly, it
should not be carried out by the same person in the same studio where mixing
was done (related
article). Having said that, the cost of proper mastering at a third party
studio may still be relatively high comparing to my studio rate. Therefore,
I will take the final mix-down and go through a number of mastering steps
to tune them to proper levels and make it sounds a bit more polished. Moreover,
I can provide you with a pre-master copy of the songs that you can take them
for proper mastering.
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