512-326-5490
tom@altavistarecording.com

Alta Vista Recording Studios in Austin, Texas

 

  HOME   GEAR    RECORDING VACATION    RATES    CLIENTS    LISTEN   FAQ    ABOUT US



How much will a recording project cost?
That's the question we're asked the most and, unfortunately, the one that we are least prepared to answer. There are so many variables that factor into the equation that it is almost impossible to give a pat answer, but what it mainly comes down to how fast a client can complete the recording process and how picky they are during the mixdown process. These are elements that are outside our control.
Studio XYZ says they can do the whole process for a fixed amount. Why can’t you?
Over the fifteen years that we have been one of the professional audio recording studios in Austin, TX, we have seen many studios try the fixed amount approach and, as far we know, none of them are still in business. There was either bad blood because the studio rushed the process at the end because they had made a bad deal for themselves and they started skimping during critical stages or they honored the deal but could not stay open because they weren’t bringing in enough to pay the bills. There are some producers that use the fixed amount approach successfully but they have control of the process and they are experienced enough to factor in and deal with any contingencies that may arise. There are occasions where the client is not happy in this scenario as well.
How can I pick the studio that is best for me?
Believe it or not, we are not going to say that Alta Vista Recording is the best choice for everything related to audio production in Austin, TX. We have decided not to have an acoustic piano in the studio, so we farm those sessions out. And like almost every other studio in Austin, we are not big enough to do orchestra or large choir sessions in the studio, although we have regular clients that have us record them on location. In nearly any other situation, we are confident that we can provide excellent work at an excellent price. A client tells a story about being in a $10/hr studio in the Northeast, where the engineer became overwhelmed and ran from the room yelling " There are too many buttons! There are too many buttons!" Although it's our guess that most engineers could empathize with the sentiment at some point in their careers, most would find a better way to deal with it and the best ones won't let the client know that they are frustrated at all. Obviously, not much work will get done if the engineer is too freaked out to stay in the same room as the client and that's not a good deal, even at $10 an hour. We recently worked with a client who had recorded at one of the most popular studios in town, and at the end of a very long, uncomfortable day, the only tangible things she left with were a large bill and a lot of frustration and anger. Fortunately, one of our clients told her about us and, after giving us a try, she left here feeling very happy about both quality and price and with some strong opinions on where she will be recording in the future. The next time you are tempted to book some time with whoever can offer the cheapest deal, you may want to ask yourself ' Can I really afford to go cheap?
Are there any hidden costs?
No, in fact we are one of the few studios in town that don’t require you to buy your own hard drive to record on. Go to our rates page for a full rundown of recording rates and CD and archiving prices.
Can I use an introductory offer more than once?
No, introductory offers can only be used one time per client. We have recently begun allowing upgrading to a different offer if it best suits your project. In other words, if you book a 2 hour introductory offer and you decide that a 3 or 4 hour offer is better for you, we will adjust. Once the introductory offer is used, we go to our regular price structure after that, which is still an amazing deal.
Can the regular 4 hour or eight hour blocks, or the introductory offers be spread out over different days?
No, they must be done in the same session.
Do you charge extra for using any of your equipment, such as the drum set or Hammond organ?
No, they are part of the deal.
Why do you require a deposit?
Our longtime clients understand that if they don’t show or cancel less than 48 hours before the session, we are likely to be unable to fill the slot and we will lose money. Newer clients may not understand that and the deposit is a deterrent. Our goal is to never have to enforce it and if illness or other emergencies pop up at the last minute, we try to be as understanding as possible.
I am new to the recording process and don’t know the first thing about it. Can I start recording with no experience?
Sure. We’ll shepherd you through project until you have a grasp of the situation. That will probably be sooner than you think.
Do your rates include an engineer to run the session?
Yes.
Could I bring my own engineer or producer?
Yes.
Can I just do part of project with Alta Vista Recording, and the rest elsewhere? Or could I record somewhere else and bring the tracks in for you to mix and/or master?
Sure, we are happy to be involved with any phase of music production in Austin, TX and beyond.
Can you help me find studio musicians?
Yes. We have access to many of the best musicians in town.
Do studio musicians cost extra?
Yes, they set their own fees.
How far ahead do I need to book a session?
It depends. We are one of the busiest studios in town but things ebb and flow. As a rule, the earlier the better.


Getting the most bang for your bucks.  
Let's take a look at some of the things that can impact workflow and maybe we can provide some insight into how much to budget and how to keep costs down.


Who's the producer?
Most people self-produce these days, but that can get expensive if you are unorganized or put time and energy in the wrong takes because you are too close to the song to realize that there are performance, pitch or tempo issues. At Alta Vista Recording, we will help with the production chores when asked, but we never start offering production advice without a clear invitation to help. Some studios use the guise of production to run the studio time up with unnecessary or redundant parts, takes etc., and we bend over backwards to distinguish ourselves from that scenario. The best thing to do is draw up a budget and then ask us to help you decide what is realistically affordable and what is not.

What is a producer?
Any person who participates in one or more of the following is acting as a producer, even if they aren’t officially called that:

1.  Deciding the type and purpose of the recording.
2.  Arranging financing and preparing and monitoring the budget.
3.  Choosing what songs will be on it.
 4.  Arranging- deciding what instruments will be used and what they will play.
 5.  Deciding what musicians will be used and rehearsing them.
 6.  Selecting a recording studio and/or engineer.
7.  Critiquing the performances.
 8.  Providing direction for the artist, musicians, and engineer..
 9.  Generally overseeing all phases of the project, including mixing and mastering.


Mistakes . . .
Very often clients will say something like ' I can get everything in one take, so it will only take an hour or two to do all the recording.' We've heard that hundreds of times and, in truth, it hardly ever happens. A famous producer once remarked that when you walk into a studio, you automatically become 20% dumber and 20% clumsier. Those of you who have recorded at Alta Vista Recording know that the engineers do their best to make the sessions comfortable and fun, but when a client expects to play everything perfectly, frustration is almost always the end result, and frustration is the enemy. The best approach is to come into the session with realistic expectations that mistakes can and will occur and just laugh them off and try it again. That attitude will not only make things a lot more fun, but it will also save you money.

Arrangements . . .
Get your arrangements down before you get to the studio because the studio is not the most cost-efficient place to do this. That's not to say that you can't make changes once you are in the session, but do as much as you can before you get there to get the most for your money.

Players . . .
Is it going to be a solo record or will there be other players, and if there are, will they be friends, band mates, etc., or will you use session players? The former usually saves you money on labor costs but the latter usually saves you money in studio time.

Making A CD . . .
There has never been a better time to make a CD. The influx of affordable high quality recording equipment and the trend towards recording in houses as opposed to store fronts has made it possible for studios such as Alta Vista Recording to provide top shelf recording quality for a small fraction of what it used to cost ten or fifteen years ago. Perhaps even more exciting, major label record companies are losing their stranglehold on music distribution, ceding more and more control to the artists.

If you haven't released anything in a while or this is your first time, give us a call or email and we can discuss what it might cost to get those great new songs out of your head and on the shelves of your favorite record store. It might be a lot more doable than you think.
 

Recording Day Preparation Tips

Come in with the attitude that you are going to have a great time.
That doesn’t mean that we aren’t going to tend to business in the most efficient manner possible but you will do your best work when you are relaxed and having fun!

1

 Rehearse, plan and arrange thoroughly before coming into the studio. Recording
studios are not the most cost-effective rehearsal halls.

2

 Pick your best keys. Many songs may seem natural on the guitar or keyboard may
not be optimal for the vocalist. Find a key that works for everybody.

3

 Pick a tempo on a metronome but remember a couple of things: a ) studio tempos
are commonly slower that live tempos and b) the tempo you pick in your practice
room often seem too slow in the studio once the adrenalin starts flowing.
4

Bring a tuner and use it.
5 Bring extra copies of any charts or lyric sheets, if that is the way you work.
6 Check your equipment out before you get to the studio. It always seems that things
break or start acting up at the worst possible times, but usually it’s just that once
you start exposing things to the close scrutiny that a recording requires, you
begin to notice things that can elude you on stage or in the practice room.
a Drummers should inspect their hardware and deal with any squeaks or creaks, particularly in pedals; have a variety of sticks and brushes and perhaps a 2nd snare, although we have several snares at Alta Vista Recording.
b Guitarists should change strings: check cables, bring spare strings, picks and batteries if your tuner or pick-up needs them.
c Bass players should not change strings (unless you are going for a very trebly sound) but should clean them with isopropyl alcohol. Having spare strings on hand couldn’t hurt.
d Other instruments should follow the above guidelines appropriate to their axe.
 
7 Be on time. That means not early and not late. Make sure that you are well-rested
and well-fed so you’re not nodding out from too many enchiladas or spacing out from low blood sugar. Water and coffee will be on hand but bring anything else that you might want to drink. Of course, it is a myth that musician’s play better when they are high.
8 Vocalists should avoid consuming dairy products before and during the session.

 




 

  HOME   GEAR    RECORDING VACATION    RATES    CLIENTS    LISTEN   FAQ    ABOUT US

Alta Vista Recording Studios in Austin, Texas