Are Recording Studio Prices Breaking Your Bank? You are definitely not the only one. Once you factor in the cost of the engineer, the musicians, and many other factors, the prices of recording studios can go up quite a bit. So how exactly do you buffer the damage while still getting the most out of your sessions? Easy, you do things differently. Having had my home studio running for quite some time, I have learned that when it comes to professional studios, there are some tips I can give to reduce costs that we will discuss below:
Tip 1: Practical practical practice
I cannot stress this enough. If your goal is to spend the least amount of money on high-quality recordings, you should be aware that most studios charge by the hour. If you walk into that studio and spend 2 hours trying to figure out where to start, you’ll see a pretty heavy bill once all is said and done. Before you even consider booking a session, learn your material until you can say it in your sleep. This will make a big difference to your recording studio prices because the less time you spend in the studio, the less you have to pay. Many studios tend to have a minimum amount of time that you need to reserve the session for, but what I see is that if you spend 2 hours on a song, it is much better than 3 or 4 hours. If you are really good, you can complete 2 songs within the given time frame, which is beneficial to everyone.
Tip 2: Negotiate a flat rate
As I just mentioned, many recording studio prices are based on time and not necessarily per project. If possible, try to negotiate a one-time fee for services. For example, let’s say Studio A charges $ 5 an hour for a studio session and you have to spend a minimum of 3 hours in the studio. You have an album you would like to put together that contains 12 tracks. With your policy, you will spend at least $ 15, so if you spend 2 hours on a track, you will end up spending $ 120 for the entire project. The key is to let him know that you plan to record a certain number of tracks and negotiate from there. So if you guarantee to do 12 tracks in the studio, you could get a deal of maybe $ 80- $ 100 for the project instead. Many times this is possible if you are a professional and the studio doesn’t feel like it will take you long to complete each track. You get your album recorded at a reasonable price and they are happy with your business.
Tip 3: Find an investor
Recording studio prices are sometimes unavoidable. So what do big dogs do? They find investors. Let’s say Lil Wayne needed to record an album and recording it all would cost him $ 100,000. His label would be the investors because they will put the money, because they believe that he will contribute more than that amount. Lil Wayne concentrates on his craft and they worry about money. This strategy usually works if you are making money from your music. People like to know that they will get their money back from recording studio prices, so having a good plan on how to pay back the money is important.
Tip 4: Record your own voices
Many times, a recording studio will charge for tracking, mixing, and possibly mastering the recording. They include everything in the cost of the session, and sometimes this can be greatly reduced by learning a little. Let’s say the studio charges $ 5 an hour for the session, $ 20 for mixing, and $ 20 for mastering. If the session is 4 hours long, you are looking for $ 60, while if you just need your music to be mixed and mastered, you could save $ 20, which could be used to mix or master another project. Learning how to record your own voices takes practice, but it is very possible with a quality microphone and a little knowledge of the recording process. A simple Google search will put you on the right track and this tip really leads me to my final tip.
Tip 5: Build your own studio
There is no better way to lower your recording studio prices than to have your own studio. You can write a song, record, mix, and master your song right from home. Over time, the cost of purchasing the equipment has dropped significantly. You could build a respectable studio for less than $ 1,000. It takes time to learn how to set up a home recording studio and learn how to use the equipment. I suggest, again, that you do a search on the subject and prepare to take lots of notes. The time and money invested in the beginning will save you a lot of money in the long run.
I hope these tips help you reduce the prices of the recording studios that you are currently paying. As a fellow freelance artist, I can relate to how difficult it gets sometimes and every hundred really counts. With proper planning, I am confident that you will be successful. Good luck.