Estimates
Demos of 3 to 4 rock songs usually runs about 2-3 days, which includes:

1) Set-up. (That's usually 2 to 3 hours of getting instruments set up, mics set up, tones on instruments, tuning drums (if needed), headphone mix, etc.) You can use our drums/amps or yours or a mix of either.

2) Then we start basic (or scratch) tracking, which entails the whole band playing together. (Though sounds are isolated by using drum booths, separate rooms and an amp vault, as we call it, rest assured that you are all in the same room and can hear each other in your headphones.)

3) Once the basic tracks are done, we can keep the guitar, bass, keys and whatever, or you can redo them and just keep the drums. Then on to overdubs, in which you can retake any bad performance sections (if any).

4) Then we begin double ups, which are re-performances recorded on top of old takes to make one guitar into a wall of guitars. And usually we record the vocals last, lead vocals first and backup/harmonies after.

5) For rough mixing, I generally do it by myself and may split it up into several shorter days. This rough mixing is basically about getting rough levels, setting up compression, EQs, gates, panning, etc, just getting everything in place so that when you hear the songs next, everything is set to go. Mixing time varies but in general it takes about half to three quarters as long as tracking did. (So if you spent 10 hours tracking plan for about 5-7 hours of mixing).

6) Mastering songs: This is a hard step to quantify, but in simplest terms it's a little EQ, a little compression, and making songs as loud as they can be without starting to sound too squashed.

7) After the mixing (and often the mastering) is finished we'll get a disc for you to listen to on your own home/car stereos. Then you can tell us what you like and don't like, add any extra effects, reverbs, panning, etc. Also, you may decide at this point that you would like us to spend more time on the songs to get a higher quality radio ready sound. This might include polishing the mixes even more, tightening performances and/or adding some extra production ideas. At this point we can either make the changes over phone/email or we can schedule a time for a couple members of the band to come back in to finalize the mix.

8) Then we sequence the disc, which includes putting all the songs together so they have the same perceived volume and the spread between the songs is rhythmically right.

9) Burning to disc! We make one master copy of the disc for you to take home or to a duplication house to have mass-produced.

Grand total for a 3-4 song demo session is approximately $600-$1000.

Disclaimer: This is just a general outline and approximation of a recording session. Actual time and cost may vary depending on performances, size of group, quality of final product, etc. Please contact us and tell us about your band, project and songs for a more accurate quote.

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