Common Services
Tracking
Recording or “tracking” is the step of putting ideas down to tape (I know, I know…I still like calling it all tape). This is arguably the most critical step in the record making process as it begins to solidify the sonics of the music.
Considerations before coming in for tracking:
Drum heads and guitar setups:
Come to session with new heads and spares for when they need to be more fresh. We can supply these to you at an additional cost if need be.
Guitar setups are easy and essential to do for the intonation of the whole band. If you don’t know how or aren’t comfortable doing it call Mark Quenzer at Lunar Music Supply and get a fresh setup. Oh, and tell Mark I said hello.
Bring two (2) fresh hard drives.
Cardinal Song isn’t an archive service. So it’s not our responsibility to maintain your files after you leave the studio. So have some drives just for the project and backup. I use these drives a lot, and have been happy with them.
Rehearsal
You will sound best when rehearsed.
Come by and spend a productive day tracking with us. Contact us for our rates!
Editing
Editing is the process of doing any timing, tuning or general fixing to the individual tracks before mix (ideally). Most in-experienced folks don’t fuss with this step (or go WAY too far into it) because it’s tedious, requires a certain proficiency in your DAW and often benefits from an outside opinion. Getting stuck in an editing hole isn’t fun, but with good tracking and great players most of this goes away with just the right people behind the microphones.
Call us if you need an outside editor or if you’re looking for the “right players” for a gig. We know lots of local folks that can get you sounding wonderful! We’ll be happy to help you out! $50/hr
Do you want to get your editing game together or just get a bit faster? Check out Michael’s tutorial on keyboard shortcuts and keyboard focus.
Other Services
I listed the most common services in music production that I could think of initially, but if you’re looking for something more specific, know that we can do just about anything you can dream up, so just hit us up and we can get you sorted out.
Mixing
Mixing is the process of taking lots of tracks and making a “two track” or stereo audio file from them. This is a labor intensive process, but is usually a wonderful labor of love and care. This is where the sounds get their final chance to be fussed with on an individual basis.
Considerations for mixing:
Be patient. Your engineer is working on it. Lots of things are going on, but your engineer is only working on one thing at a time (and it may not be the same thing you’re listening to). So be patient and bring your notes to the mixer at the appropriate time, and they will gladly sort your issues out.
Recall is the process of revisions on a mix. In the age of digital, people have a tendency to believe that changes are as simple and easy as opening the session file on the computer. In the hybrid world of analog and digital intermixing this process takes some time if there was analog outboard processing done outside the computer. Sometimes it’s best to keep a mix on the table and not move on until you’re ready to commit to it, or skip it and deal with the recall (which just costs time and patience).
Come get some mixes done with us! Depending on who is mixing will determine the rate. Give us a shout and we will sort you out or paired up with one of our wonderful engineers.
If you’re ready for Michael to mix your song please go download his mixing policy sheet.
Check out Michael’s video on prepping a Pro Tools session for mix:
Mastering
The final touch before manufacturing. A good mastering engineer is worth their weight in gold. There are lots of services and out there, and cutting through it all is a bit of a slog. The sad part is that I don’t really do mastering, I can fake it, but I prefer to not go down that route unless a gun is to my head.
Often times engineers work with “their mastering engineer”, I know that I certainly do. Here are a few local Mastering Engineers that can help you out. They’re wonderful people and will be more than happy to chat with you about your mastering needs.
General Studio Policies and Liability Info
Please read ALL of this information before booking so that you understand the underlined policies. If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact us.