How long does it take to set up? It takes us a minimum of a couple of hours to set up mics, routing, session templates, headphone mixes etc, but it can  take half of the first day for more complicated set ups. We usually suggest that you bring in your instruments and set  them up the night before. We don’t charge extra for this so you get to set up for free rather than while the clock is  running!  How long does it take to record a song?  This is one of the questions we are asked most often. How long is a piece of string! It depends on the complexity of the  arrangement, how well rehearsed you are, how many overdubs you wish to do, whether you want it to sound ‘live’ or a  polished ‘studio’ sound. For a ‘demo’ we would suggest allowing half a day per song for all the recording, editing, mixing  and mastering etc. For commercial release we would suggest 5 days for 4 songs for tracking, this allows a day per song  and an extra day for safety. It is best to allow at least half a day per song for mixing.  Do we all play together?  Again this is a frequently asked question. We usually record the main rhythm parts together, drums, bass and rhythm guitars and then overdub everything else. ‘Scratch’ vocals are usually recorded too to make the song easier to follow. Of course we can cater for pretty much any situation if you wish to do everything live. Can we visit the studio before we record?  Yes, in fact we encourage artists to come in first, have a look around and get a feel for the place.  Do we need to pay a deposit?  Yes this is essential, we have been stung in the past by bands booking and then not showing up. A 25% deposit needs  to be paid before a booking is confirmed. This is non-refundable as we may have to turn away clients if they request the  same dates as you. Do we need to bring our own instruments, amps etc?  We have various instruments here, drums, bass, electric and acoustic guitars you can use but you will probably feel  more comfortable playing your own instruments. We have a comprehensive collection of valve and solid state amps as  well as amp modellers available.  Do we all play in the same room?  For best separation and options later on the drums, bass and guitar amps are usually separated. However we have  strategically placed windows so all musicians can see each other directly. As above you can if you want to!  Can we do some of the recording at home and then record specific things at the studio such as drums, vocals etc?  This is fine by us, we can open or save Pro Tools and Logic files directly. We can also easily import or export standard  wav files compatible with all DAW’s (Digital Audio Workstations)  What can we do to get the most from our money?  Check out the ‘Top 10 Tips’ link to make sure things go smoothly and quickly. How long does it take between recording and getting the final CD?  The mixing, editing and mastering can be done immediately after the recording. However we prefer to do the editing  and rough mixes without the artist and then get them to come back for the polishing of the mix. It is easier for us and  means that you won’t loose your focus when we are doing the boring bits of editing and setting up routing, outboard etc.  It is always good to have a few days between recording and mixing to allow the brain to clear and become more  subjective.