You put your heart and soul into your music.
Let’s make you sound your best.
You have worked hard on your music
You want it to be heard and appreciated by both current and future fans.
The last thing you want is to hate the sound of your own songs for the next decade. I’ve been there myself, and it’s a terrible feeling.
The recording process is vital to the sound of your record. Don’t let your music down.
“A great sound starts with the right recording…”
Let’s create something that makes you proud.
You’ve written songs you believe in. You have a vision for the sound.
Now it’s time to get your ideas out of your head and make a record for the world to hear.
That’s where I come in.
Blueleaf Studio will work with you; turning your vision into a finished, polished recording that you feel proud of and that you and your fans can enjoy for the rest of your lives.
So, What do you get?
(Spoiler alert – You get a damn good recording for one thing!)
Let’s start with the obvious, shall we?
The Recording Sessions
During your recording sessions we will hone and perfect your sonic signature and performance.
I will work continuously during your session to make sure your music sounds it’s best, whatever it takes.
I will make sure you’re comfortable, relaxed and inspired so that we capture the best performance you can muster.
Expert Recording Techniques
I’ll use all my knowledge and experience to make sure that the sounds captured are what you need.
WIth years of experience recording different instruments with a verity of microphones in different locations, I know how to select the right mic and the right location to achieve the desired result in a recording.
Better recordings at the beginning will always result in a better sounding end product.
Hi-res Multitrack files
Either at the end of the session or the following day, I’ll provide you with all of the separate files of what you have recorded.
Files can be provided on a USB storage device or via Dropbox, Google Drive or We Transfer
The files will be provided in 24bit WAV format at 48 kHz. If you require a different sample rate then you’ll need to let me know before we start recording!
A Tracking Mix
I’ll also provide a normalised stereo mix of what we have at the end of the session.
This is intended as a reference only, and not as a final mix, master or release-ready version of your track. For this you can hire me for mixing and mastering services, just let me know and we can discuss what you need.
Drum Tuning
The sound of the drums is integral to most modern music styles. The drums are loud and play one of the most important roles in most productions after the lead vocals or instrument. For these reasons it pays to get a good drum recording.
The sound of the drums is i to most modern music styles. The drums are loud and play one of the most important roles in most productions after the lead vocals or instrument. For these reasons it pays to get a good drum recording.
The sound of the drums is i to most modern music styles. The drums are loud and play one of the most important roles in most productions after the lead vocals or instrument. For these reasons it pays to get a good drum recording.
The sound of the drums is i to most modern music styles. The drums are loud and play one of the most important roles in most productions after the lead vocals or instrument. For these reasons it pays to get a good drum recording.
Drum Set-up
I will get drums the day before the session and set them up in advance if this is possible.
This give the drums time to warm up to the room and settle and can add hours to your recording time in the studio.
Now for the not-so-obvious…
Getting in the zone
Giving a good performance is at the root of a great recording.
But as a musician myself, I know the feeling of everything falling apart as soon as that red record light is on!
Blueleaf studio will help you to relax and get tin the zone for that magic take and I’ll use my experience as a musician to help get the best performance out of you.
D.I. Recordings for Re-Amping
If you are using a guitar or bass, you may well have spent a great deal of time coming up with your own tones.
As a guitar player, I respect that 100%. But I also understand it.
But there’s just one problem: those sounds were created in a “vacuum”.
This means that whilst your tones may sound AMAZING by themselves (or in a rough mix), they were created without any context of the other elements that might be in the final mix (including drum and bass tones).
This is where my experience and re-amping services come into play.
I will always create dry direct recordings of your guitar or bass while also recording the amp tone and giving you what you need to hear to give a great performance.
This way you will always be able to adjust the tone later in the mix, or stick with the original tone from the session. As we won’t have to tweak each tone to perfection before we press record we will also save valuable recording time (and the rest of the bands sanity!).
Pro Tip: Old strings can have a massive negative impact on your final tone ( on bass just as much as guitar). New strings will help your music shine. for the sake of a little extra cash you can easily double the quality of your guitar recordings by using new, properly tuned, strings.
Synthesis and Programming
Sometimes productions need just a little help to achieve the goals of the mix.
If your production is lacking in an area and needs some extra re-enforcment by way of synthesis or sampling and programming then we’ve got you covered.
With access to ton’s of hardware and software synths, we will find any tones needed to support your sound, from subtle sub-bass reinforcement to ambient textures and pads.
These additional sounds don’t necessarily change your production in obvious ways but can be introduced to support or enhance existing elements.
Feedback
I can give you input and feedback on both technical and creative questions about preparation, instrument tuning, performance technique, composition, best practices for engineering and editing your songs, instrument choices, string choices, microphone/preamp choices, or anything else that can impact the result of the final product.
The better the source audio, the better the final product will be.
I’ll be here to help wherever I can to make sure everything is the highest quality possible.
This is the definition of a win/win outcome.
I want to do whatever I can to make sure the final product is excellent.
Production Advice
As you are self-producing, having someone to bounce ideas off and give a second opinion on production decisions is critical. As an artist and musician myself, I am well-placed to give you helpful advice and instruction when needed or asked for.
My goal is to help you get the message of your music across in the recording.
Here’s what’s NOT included
A few things not included in the standard fee
But don’t worry, these services can be provided for an additional cost
Editing
This includes timing and pitch correction as well as comping, guitar editing, bass editing, drum editing, vocal editing, etc.
If there is extra time during the booked time-slot for recording, we can carry out edits as time allows.
Additional Production
This includes post-production, beat-making/drum programming, FX, synth, atmospheric soundscapes, extensive instrumental effects (delays, reverbs, etc.), heavy arrangement/compositional changes, additional recording work/overdubs.
Mixing and Mastering
You will receive a rough mix of your song at the end of the recording session or the next day via dropbox, google drive or we transfer. However, this is NOT a finished, releasable track, it won’t have had any carful treatment, effects or post processing applied. I can mix and master your recordings for you into a release-ready tracks. Request a quote for this if you haven’t already as it’s vital to making your release work.
The Process and Timescale
What does the process look like and how long will this all take?
Every step of the process explained
STEP 1 | PROPOSAL
This is where you are now.
We’ve sent you this lovely proposal, and now you’re reading it with your own eyes. It’s a beautiful thing.
This gives you a detailed overview of what is included, what is not included, what to expect, the timeline, the investment, the next steps and the terms & conditions.
If no next steps have been taken after a reasonable amount of time, the proposal will expire and will no longer be valid.
STEP 2 | DEPOSIT
Once you’ve looked over everything, spoken to your bandmates and agreed that Blueleaf is your best option, we will send you an invoice for the 20% deposit.
STEP 3 | SCHEDULE
Once the deposit has been paid, we’ll discuss dates that work for both of our schedules.
STEP 4 | PREPARATION
Between sending us your deposit and your first scheduled day of recording, you’ll want to practice and prepare all your instruments as well as you can for the recording day.
We can help you to restring and set up guitars and basses, replace drum heads and tune your kit.
STEP 5 | THE RECORDING
All being well, the recording sessions will go ahead as planned.
Should there be any unforeseen circumstances we will need to know a reasonable amount of time in advance to re-schedule. Re-scheduling may induce additional charges depending on the circumstances and advance notice.
If you simply don’t show up, you will still be charged for the session.
STEP 6 | PAYMENT
I’ll need payment for the session before I release any of the recordings. This can be made in cash or by bank transfer either on the day or any time in advance.
STEP 7 | GET THE FILES
Once I’ve received full payment I’ll provide you with 24bit, 48kHz wav files of all your recorded tracks via a medium of your choice; USB stick, Dropbox or Google Drive are the preferred methods. I’ll also provide an mp3 and/or wav file of the rough mix down from the tracking session.
If you’ve chosen Blueleaf studio to mix and master your songs we’ll discuss and arrange the next steps to polish your recordings into a professional release.
