FAQ
Here at Grace Recording Studio we want our clients to have a great, productive recording session. Based on our experience and feedback from our staff members, we are posting tips that we feel could help our artists. Our objective is to raise awareness of the things you need to be concerned about in preparation for your next recording session.
My buddy has ProTools at home. What’s the difference?
Most simply, experience. Lots of folks have “professional” software, but the difference is that the person running it usually isn’t. Put another way, you may have a Les Paul guitar, but that doesn’t mean you can play like Les Paul (or Jimmy Page, Peter Green, Robben Ford…you get the point).
I’ve seen cheaper studios, why should I come to Grace Recording Studio?
World-class gear, experienced professional engineers, a microphone closet to die for, analog tape, Radar V, super high end converters, ProTools HD, it’s all here–in rooms specifically designed for recording and mixing music, in a laid-back Hawaiian atmosphere. You may think by paying a lower rate somewhere else that it winds up being cheaper, but it’s not. We can get the job done faster and with better results!
I don’t have a band, can you provide one?
Yes, we’ve done many projects for singer/songwriters that needed accompaniment. The rates for individual musicians vary. Sometimes we can work out a day or project rate with the musicians. In the long run, paying top-notch players can be the most efficient way to make a great recording. It goes much quicker than getting a buddy that hasn’t played drums since high school.
How long will it take to record an album?
We don’t know. A well rehearsed band can lay down most of the basic tracks for an album in seven to ten days. Overdubs can take anywhere from two weeks to one month depending on the amount of work needed for the project. For mixing, budget three hours per song or so–at the very least. A musician who has their tunes down can track hours of live stuff in one day, mix it all in one or two days and have a decent live demo of a few songs. It really depends on what you are looking for. Some projects go faster. Always add time to your estimates! We’ve made albums from three weeks to two months. Just don’t try to make a Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” in an afternoon!
Can we get a tour of the studio?
Of course! Contact us by Email or call us at 808 874-0225. Sometimes we can do a tour right away and sometimes it can take a week or so. It depends on if we are busy in a recording session. The only thing we ask is that you are serious about recording here. Please know that we NEVER show the studio during someone else’s recording session. You wouldn’t want strangers walking through your recording session would you?
Cell Phone Etiquette
Besides the nuisance of phones ringing during takes or the distraction that texting and message checking can cause, there is another reason for requiring everybody involved in a recording session to actually turn off their cell phones. Switching cell phones to vibrate mode will not help in this case.
It is bad enough that studios have to contend with all sorts of RF in the air that show up on microphones and other recording gear. It certainly does not help matters if the RF sources are cell phones of the players in the session.
Every cell phone emits a “homing” signal to the nearest cell tower on a regular basis to let the tower know that it is still within range. When this happens, the cell phone will boost its RF output power up to 1W to make the connection. Normally, the output power is much lower at around 1mW.
If the cell phone is in close proximity to a microphone, it will result in noise. If the cell phone is left on top of or near the recording console, it might show up as noise on one of its channels. Cell phones have been known to interfere with outboard gear as well.
The last thing you need is somebody’s cell phone ruining a perfect take. We understand that people want to be accessible so they do not lose a gig, especially in this economy. You can always retrieve and reply to messages during breaks.
We cannot force people to turn off their cell phones. But we can recommend that they do so.
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