How long will we need to record a 3 song demo?

If you are well rehearsed and well prepared, then you should get a pro sounding result in 2 days. Many bands that want a cd to get gigs can do it in a day, and if its your 1st time in the studios I would only book a day as you will learn a lot in that day!

Things which eat up time are, long guitar solos, lots of backing vocals, or not being sure about parts. Its a great help if you do a rough recording on , say a ghetto blaster, of the songs before you come in to record properly. This helps iron out any possible problems before your session. Also, bear in mind that the mix is very important, and as a rough guideline, allow 2 hours mix time for the 1st song, and an hour for each song after this, i.e. 3 tracks need 4 hours mix time.

I have had many bands get an excellent result in a day, but it can be very rushed which means you have to let things go. It depends what you are going for. If its your 1st proper demo, to get gigs say, then a day may do it. If you want a serious recording that is “release” quality then you will need more time. If you send me your rough demo, I can give you a better idea of how much time you will need.

The last recording we did was really quiet on CD, can we have our CD as loud as possible?

I know how important this is to a rock band, my old bands songs were released on good old vinyl and I was really jarred off, when the cuts were quieter than a normal release

When I mix your tracks, I keep an eye on the max levels so your CD will not be a quiet mix. Despite this, you can end up with what appears to be a quieter CD, even though the levels are up there. This is often down to the source sounds not being big enough in the first place. For example, a direct injected “Pod” guitar sound will not sound as loud as a Marshall stack, even when they are played back at the same volume. A snare drum that’s not “rimshotted” will not sound as loud as a “rimshotted” snare. (Rim shot is when a drummer hits the rim of the snare drum and the drum skin- this doubles the attack and volume of the snare drum and will always sound more powerful.) So the secret is to get the source sounds as good as possible in the first place.

Will we play together, or will we do the drums first?

Iain, Generally, I like to have all the band playing together in the same room as though it were a gig or practice. The only exception to this would be if you want more of the” room” on the drum sound, in which case, guides can be played whilst the drummer gets his tracks down. This takes longer but will generally get a better result, again it depends on what you are after. Bands often play me CDs of sounds that they like, this gives me an idea of what they are after.

What are the costs?

Iain, As an example, 2 x 8 hour midweek days + DAT + Red Book Master CD + 3 extra CD copies, would be £438.

Some bands buy the 1″ Master Reel (£90), but if you don’t buy it, I will still hang on to it for at least a week after the tracks are mixed, so if there was a problem, then as long as you contact me within that week, I will keep it till its sorted. Many of the bands I record are from all over the country and on a tight budget, so they will stay over in the studio for a cost of £24 per night. I have a small kitchen with fridge, microwave, toaster, kettle, (no cooker). Computer games are available to ward off cabin fever! If your budget will stretch to it, the Raven Hotel is 2 min’s from the studio which is about £35/night for a double room.

Should we bring all our kit?

Yes, if possible. If you are struggling to get all your kit to the studio due to transport problems, then I have got a selection of drums and back line that will get a result. Ring me for exact info.

We really like the sound of (insert band name here). Can you get us to sound like them?

There are a lot of factors here. Do you use the same guitars/bass? Same strings? Same amps? Same drums? etc Even with exactly the same kit, you will not sound exactly like them because you are playing the instruments, but if your kit is similar then we can usually get pretty close. Realize that if you play me a CD of what you are after it helps me because it is difficult to describe music. We all want a “fat” “big” sound, but what might be big and fat to one person might not work for you. Referring to other sounds can help, but remember you ultimately want it to sound like you.

How many songs can we record?

As a general rule, I would always recommend recording fewer songs at a better standard, than lots of songs which are not quite there. The fact is that people will pass judgment on your band within the first 30 seconds of your first song, and you only get one chance at making a first impression.

Give me a call/text if you have any other queries. 07590 067120, or email me iain@premier-studios.co.uk please leave your telephone number as I would much rather talk than type, its quicker!