Frequently Asked Questions
Does the $50 studio rental rate include an engineer?
Yes, the engineer’s fee is included in the cost of the studio rental.
Does the $50 studio rental rate include a Producer?
No, if a producer is needed, AND IT IS, you must either bring in your producer, or hire one of our In-House Producers. The Producer’s fee is separate and not included in the cost of the studio rental.
Does the $50 studio rental rate include studio Musicians?
No, each studio musician has thier own rate to do work on your session.
What are the hidden costs?
There are no hidden costs. Our rates are clearly stated on our rate sheet. Our instruments and gear are freely available for your use during sessions.
How long will it take to record my album?
We don’t know. A well-rehearsed band can lay down most of the basic tracks for an album in two to three days. Overdubs can take anywhere from one to seven days depending on the amount of work and number of overdubs. For mixing, budget 2-8 hours per song, depending on number of tracks and special effects. A guitarist-singer who has their tunes down can track hours of live stuff in one day, mix it all the same day and have a decent live demo. It really depends what you are looking for. Many of our best songwriter/band projects have taken ten to fourteen full days, not including pre-production. Some projects go faster, some take longer. Always add time to your estimates! We’ve made albums in one day and one month.
Can we all play live in the studio?
We like to do basic tracks live with bands. We can isolate the drums, guitars and bass, and more in our 4 isolated rooms. Our rooms have great line-of-sight communication between them, so everyone can play together.
What’s pre-production?
Pre-production is the art of writing, assembling, and critiquing a song or music composition before entering into a recording studio to lay down tracks. Pre-production includes music selection, choosing a song format such as; verse – chorus – verse 2 – bridge – chorus – etc., lyric flow and wording, instrument sound and effect choices, vocal arranging/background vocal producing, and basically the over all sound and structure of a song or piece of music. When you get to the studio and know exactly what it is you are trying to achieve, your only job is the perfect performance of what you know you have to do. If on the other hand you skip pre-production and are trying to write and arrange in the studio, you have to concentrate on writing, arranging, and on the performance aspect of what you are trying to achieve. This eats up time on the clock, and the finished pieces can suffer in quality.
Can we get a discount or break up a day rate over two days?
You only get the discounted day rate if you book 2 or more consecutive days. Everything else will be at the standard rate.
Can we get a tour of the studio?
Of course. Scheduling via phone is easiest, 503-408-1441, or email info@portlandrecording.com. Sometimes we can do the tour that day, but we can typically schedule within a couple of days, depending on the studio schedule.
Do you work weekends?
Of course. In fact, weekends are busiest and usually booked up in advance.
Can we come in early or the night before to set up?
No. Sessions begin at the scheduled time. Much of the engineering work begins as you start setting up (setting up mics and, “Where do the drums go? Where should I put my amp? How do we want to mic the vocals?”) so we have to charge for this time. Proper pre-production cuts down on this time dramatically.
Do you do voice-overs, music for film, or radio spots?
Yes, all of the above.
Do you have beats?
We have a few for sale here and there. We have a large selections of drum tracks, samples, studio musicians, etc. but remember that building up tracks is going to take a lot of time and creativity. There are no “walk in and sing and walk out with CD” services available.
Are you currently hiring or accepting interns?
No. There are no plans to be taking on interns in the future. Please don’t email or call about being our intern or asking what other studios accept them. We don’t know!
What’s a producer?
In general terms: A producer is like a director, they have complete responsibility for the project, generally they attend rehearsals, work on arrangements, check out your equipment, recommend outside musicians, and decide what songs to record. They own the project and negotiate with the record label. They see the project through completion. A producer doesn’t have to be an engineer, and you may see sessions where a producer and engineer work together. One would hire a producer based on the quality of the previous work this producer has done, familiarity with their style and an understanding that they will be calling the shots and raising the quality of the recording project.
What’s a co-producer?
In general terms: A co-producer is generally someone who will engineer your album and make suggestions and subjective comments in order for you to make the best recording possible. They will be active in assessing takes and suggesting sounds, arrangements, etc. Usually they will jump into the session cold on the first day. Generally they will be the sole engineer as well. One would hire a co-producer based on work they’ve done before and their familiarity with the studio being used.
What’s an engineer?
In general terms: An engineer is someone that knows how to operate the recording equipment in the studio, get sounds and accommodate the requests of the artist or producer. One would hire an engineer based on a recommendation from the studio, work they’ve done before and their familiarity with the studio being used.