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FAQ
The following is a list of the most common
questions we receive via email. By all means, if you have a question that
is not on this list, phone us at .
How much does the studio cost per hour?
The "clock-rate" for the studio is $50/hr, MINIMUM 4 HOUR BLOCK.
This includes use of the studio, 1 production engineer, and free use of
any musical instruments on site (be advised: you break it, you buy it).
The Mobile recording facility goes out for a flat rate based on a minimum
of $600.00 per 8 hour day, plus $75 for each additional hour, plus mileage
(if outside GTA).
NOTE: These prices do not include media (such as blank CDs, DATs,
cassettes etc.) We do include 1 finished master on CD with each finished
project, and we also keep a backup master CD on file.
Are there any costs other than the clock rate?
Usually, but they're small. Backing up your project from the hard-disc
recorders will require 2 DAT tapes per song. Through us these tapes will
cost approximately $10/each. If you have a cheaper source than that, by
all means provide your own. * (DAT storage is one of the cheapest options
going- 3 songs at 5-minutes each will require a total of 6 DAT tapes =
$60. If you compare that to 2" analog tape at $320.00 / 15 minutes
recording time, you save $260.00 or about $85.00 per song! On a full-length
album project, this will usually represent a saving of well over $1000.00)
Other expenses may include rental of specific pieces of equipment or
instruments, not owned by Goblin-Cross Records or Ross Goodfellow, as
well as any additional CDs, DATs, cassettes etc. if requested.
*(Neither Goblin-Cross Records nor Ross Goodfellow assume
any liability for lost data, music, or studio time resulting from loss,
damage, or manufacturers defect of storage media not purchased from Goblin-Cross
Records or Ross Goodfellow).
How much would it cost to do a 3-song demo?
That's really up to you, not us. The more prepared you are coming in
and the more complete your musical arrangements are, the less the project
will cost overall. An artist striving for perfection will always spend
more time and money in the studio. (Pro's know it's worth it). -Some things
can be "fixed-in-the-mix", some things can be fixed during the
mastering process. But be advised: the better a performance is going in
to the recorder, the better it will be coming out. Also remember that
once you decide a project is finished, it's finished. I frequently tell
clients who can't decide if they should do another take, that if they're
making a compromise strictly for financial reasons, to remember that "forever
is a long time to hate it".
Also, the simpler a musical arrangement is, the less time you'll require
capturing it. A solo guitar and a vocal is much easier/faster to record
than a 12-person band with lots of ambitious production ideas being backed
up by the London Symphony Orchestra!
I will offer this guideline though, based on the last 50 or so projects
I've been involved in.
- A 4-person rock band doing a 3-song demo will usually require 16-24
hours of studio time total.
- The shortest time ever required to do a 3 song demo was 8 hours (be
advised these were professional jazz musicians wanting a "live"
sound, with no overdubs)
- The record for longest time wasted by a client trying to get a "perfect"
vocal was 3 DAYS. I'm not kidding!
How much to do an album (CD)?
The approach taken when doing an album project is somewhat different
than recording a demo. The purpose of a demo is to give the listener some
idea of how the song goes, what the writing style is like, and perhaps
to show off some performance abilities. Demo projects are usually "quick-and-dirty"
to save money. On an album project "the bar" is raised to the
limit of an individuals (or record company's) budget. Meaning- the quality
of the performance must be as good as possible, as must be the mix, production,
arranging, mastering and even the track order. You are trying to sell
CDs to a VERY fussy public. Your offering must seem to be perfect in both
performance, as well as technologically excellent.
For a 10-12 song album, the average amount of time required by a professional
band for production is: 200 hours for recording, plus 40 hours for mixing,
plus 16 hours for mastering. Total = (200 + 40 + 16) x The clock-rate.
In our case, the total cost would be in the neighborhood of $8960.00
(studio time) + $ for media. If you think that's excessive,
realize that the average commercial album on the radio right now cost
over $250,000.00 to make. (top studios in New York or LA cost over $1500.00
USD per day, and production could take several months!)
Obviously, most of our projects are not that expensive. Album projects
at Goblin-Cross Records tend to cost between $3000-9000, depending on
how complicated the project is. The least expensive album project we've
ever done came in at @$1400.00 CDN for a 1 day mobile recording followed
by 3 days in the studio to mix and master a 1 hour live theatre performance.
The most expensive project was over $12,000.00 CDN for a complex "New
Age" project.
These figures do NOT include manufacturing, printing, packaging,
photography, graphic design, logo development, UPC bar-code registry,
distribution, or any of the other expenses relating to the physical duplication
of CDs.
Are the rates cheaper after hours?
No. Simply put, we don't operate "after hours". When the time
comes that the studio has to operate 24hrs a day, we'll consider it. But
for now, business hours are 10am-10pm. (even production fanatics have
to sleep eventually)
Can you make me sound like Nirvana? (or Korn, Oasis, Nelly Furtado etc?)
That depends. Do you sound like these people already? Studio effects
can make your tracks sound like something from a familiar album, but they
can't turn a garage-band into U2. Besides, unless you're recording a tribute
band, or recording songs to pitch publishing deals to established artists,
it's probably best that you sound like yourself. The most successful music
acts in history were all mavericks at the outset. In 1962 who sounded
like the Beatles? Nobody.
How far in advance do I have to book?
As much as possible. We usually require at least 48 hours. (Although
we do try to accommodate even the most bizarre requests/emergencies) All
booking is subject to availability. Frequently, the closer the date is,
the more likely it will already be booked (every service business is like
that). While professionals often book 3-6 months in advance, 2-4 weeks
is the most common time frame for an advanced booking.
Is a deposit required?
Yes. To confirm a booking, a non-refundable deposit of 25% of the total
booking is required. Deposits become non-refundable 72 hours prior to
the booked time.
Are instruments provided?
Some instruments are available, but musicians will almost always prefer
to use their own stuff. For more information, contact us.
Will you manage/promote my band?
Sorry. I get asked this all the time, and although flattered, I just
don't have the time. I can, however, refer such services to other professionals.
What does a producer do?
The best description of the producer's job I ever heard was this: "To
capture magic on tape". The producer is usually a top rank
audio-engineer who understands technology, music, the psychology of musicians,
and can readily help an artist realize the scope of their own vision,
and then develop it into something far beyond anyone's expectations.
They are to a recording studio what the director is to a movie set.
What is a "click-track"?
A click track is a metronome played through the musicians' headphones
while recording. It helps everyone stay perfectly in time, and also makes
it easier to add tracks by overdubbing at a later time. Many musicians
will practice with a metronome to get use to this method. Note- Projects
recorded using click tracks always sound "tighter" (more together)
and far more professional overall.
How many copies of my project are included?
Two. One you take with you, one stays here. This has helped musicians
time and time again. This way, if there is ever a problem (i.e. Loss,
damage, theft, fire, etc.) you can rest assured that your project has
not been lost forever.
What is "mastering"?
"Mastering" is any process that finalizes audio tracks for
use on CDs (or other media). During the mastering process, a finished
mix is transferred into a DAW (digital audio workstation) and given a
final polish. This may include removing noises from the background, some
final EQ-ing, trimming length, trimming starts, controlling exact fade
in/out parameters, normalizing, adjusting dynamics, applying acoustic
effects to the overall mix, or introducing special effects to the end
result. The finished song is then saved to a computer hard drive as an
audio file (either .wav, aiff, .mp3 etc.).
The final stage is to decide what order to put the songs in, and "burn"
a CD. (This disc is called the "finished master")
What kind of music do you specialize in?
What kind of music do you play? At one time or another, we've done projects
in every style of music, with equal enthusiasm! (Just check out the music
samples section!) From funk to punk, from folk to baroque, (We've even
been known to record a little pop and rock too!)
Do I have to make backups?
No, but we still recommend it strongly. Do you believe that accidents
never happen to anyone? It's only smart to back up your work. Your musical
project will probably be one of the largest investments you've ever made,
and certainly the most emotionally charged. Can you imagine driving away
with the only finished master of your project on the roof of your car?
Ever have an ex lover steal your CDs? Ever lost something in a locker
at the gym? These things have all happened to people just a smart as you.
It can happen to anybody. You don't have to make backups, but it's the
best move. Sometimes "paranoid" is just "good-thinking".
Can I make a rough copy on a cassette while we're working?
Yes, but with one condition. No music leaves the studio IN ANY FORM until
all financial matters are paid up to date. The album may not be finished
yet, but if the bill is completely up to date, then you own any recordings
made. If the bill has not been paid, all recorded material still belongs
to the studio.
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