At Live Oak Studio, a premier Bay Area recording studio in Berkeley, we have a minimum four-hour booking time, so we want our clients get the most out of their sessions. Our chief engineer, James Ward, has a few guidelines.
1. Be on time. The clock starts ticking at your scheduled time—not the time you arrive. It’s your time, and we want to make sure you get the most out of it.
2. Come prepared for your recording session. Whether groups or an individual, music or audio, the more familiar you are with your material, the more smoothly the recording session will go and the greater your chance of capturing a high-quality, professional recording.
3. Manage your expectations. A common mistake for many recording artists, whether audio or music recording, is trying to accomplish too much in the allocated time, with quality suffering as a result. If you have a large quantity of material to record, talk to James, who has been with us for more than 15 years, and he can help determine how much recording studio time you will need.
4. The greater the number of people, the greater the complexity and amount of studio time you will need to book. For example, if you are a band with drums, preparing those drums for a recording session means setting up nine microphones—and you still have to set up the rest of the band!
5. Identify your goals when talking with Owner Priscilla Rice when you book your session. There’s a big difference between recording a few songs that you’ll pass out to your friends and relatives and a recording that you’ll distribute to local radio stations and music distributors, hoping for your big break. Talking with Priscilla about your goals and budget when you book your recording studio time will go a long way toward maximizing your investment.
Contact Live Oak Studio, the premier Bay Area Recording Studio, to schedule your next recording session: 510.540.0177