Studio Policy

Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the studio policy. A clear understanding of the policy will reduce confusion later on.

Booking

A 50% deposit is required to book your first session. The deposit will be applied to your session or refunded if you cancel more than 48 hours before your session time. If your deposit is not received within 48 hours of your session time, your time may be forfeited to another client.

Payment

Payment is required upon completion of each session. Payment may be made by cash, personal or company check, money order, VISA or MasterCard. There is a $35 fee for returned checks.

Masters

Your account must be paid in full prior to receiving your master. Masters are generally provided via Dropbox.

Billable Items

When the engineer is working on your project, that time is billable. This includes when you are present in the studio with the engineer. But it may also include other times when the engineer is working on your project, such as doing requested edits, mastering, “bouncing” a rough mix, or uploading your tracks. Transferring your session files to your hard drive ties up the studio and therefore is also billable time. Often your engineer can find ways to reduce the amount of billable time outside of your attended sessions, so it is a good idea to discuss this ahead of time.

Studio Time

When possible you may move in and start setting up prior to your start time. If the studio is available and the engineer is not present, there will be no charge until the engineer arrives. Please call the day before your session to determine if an early setup is possible. The clock begins when the engineer starts working with you setting up equipment, getting levels, debugging instrument problems (such as hum, buzz, etc.). When you indicate you are finished and the equipment is no longer in use the clock stops. (If a master is being burned, the clock continues to run until the master is finished.) Clean up is on us.

Breaks

If during long sessions you wish to take a meal break, you may do so off the clock. If you want to work through the meal break to listen to the session, do edits, overdubs, etc., the clock continues to run. If the engineer encounters a technical problem, the time it takes to solve the problem is off the clock.

Starting Time

When you schedule time, it is expected you will arrive on time and we adjust our work schedule accordingly. It should be understood that we will bill you from the beginning of your scheduled time regardless of what time you arrive. Studio time is billed in 1/4-hour increments.

Ending Time

We do our best to be flexible. Often another session is scheduled immediately following yours and in most cases we allow at least 1/2 hour leeway between sessions. If you should require a little more time, we will try to continue and ask the next scheduled appointment if they can wait. However, if this is not acceptable to them, we ask that you be considerate and stop your project and schedule another session. It is always a good idea to estimate the amount of time you will need and schedule accordingly.

Open-Ended Time

If no one is scheduled after you, such as at the end of the day or on weekends, you may continue until you reach your goal or wish to stop. Keep in mind performers and engineers may become fatigued during long sessions, which could affect the quality of your work.

Weekend Scheduling

To arrange to have an engineer present on weekends, a minimum of 4 hours must be scheduled.

Equipment Rental

If there is something you need that we do not have available, you may bring it yourself or request we rent it for you at prevailing rates. Any equipment damaged or broken by clients will be repaired or replaced at cost and billed accordingly.

Material Purchase

ProTools hard drives may be purchased or rented. All other materials must be purchased and will become your personal property.

Graphic Design and Duplication

We offer a full range of CD and DVD packages with or without full graphics design. It is a good idea to discuss graphic design concepts with the Art Director before your recording is finished, so as not to delay your release. Manufacturing requires a 50% deposit with the balance due upon completion. Quantities are +/- 10% on replication orders. Duplication orders provide exact quantities.

Food and Beverage

We have tea and other beverages and food in the kitchen if you would like. You may bring your own food and beverages and store them in the refrigerator or you may order food to be delivered. Food and drink may be brought into the studio but must be kept away from equipment racks, console and piano.

Restricted Recordings

As a professional recording studio we respect the intellectual property rights of all artists. We reserve the right to cancel your session, and return your deposit, if we believe you are infringing on the copyrighted material of others. Mechanical licenses are required prior to manufacturing. At your request we will explain how to obtain mechanical licenses from the appropriate sources.