Rates and Terms for Digital Audio Recording

Rates and Terms

When considering the total cost of your recording project, be sure to include the cost of the performers, the cost of the venue, the cost of tuning the piano, the cost of the actual recording time, the cost of post-recording editing and mastering, the cost of label and case design, the cost of CD production, the cost of distribution and the cost of gaining permission to record the repertoire. Please read the information on the Legal page for more information on how to stay out of jail. To keep costs down, make sure you are well prepared before you begin recording. Paying me to listen to you practice is not very efficient.

Our fees are flexible and depend on the type and intricacies of your project. Obviously, a voice and piano demo recording that requires only two microphones and a handheld digital recorder (not a minidisk!) with virtually no post-recording editing will cost much less than a 5.1 surround sound recording session involving many people and requiring extra time in both recording and post-recording editing/mastering. Your final cost will be determined by what you want and need. However, you will never be surprised; I am a firm believer in full and total disclosure. While I cannot give you a firm total price in advance, you will know your cost range before we start the process.

I like happy, repeat clients who feel they have received good value and gladly pass my name to friends and colleagues.

I charge $60.00 per hour for recording and post-recording processing. What you witness in the recording session is usually but a small component of the time required in the process of making a finished CD. Most of my time and expertise goes into post-recording editing and mastering. That is where your raw recording is transformed into a listenable -- and saleable -- product. A couple of very, VERY rough rules of thumb may be to assume the mixing, editing and mastering process will take twice to three times the time it took to record. If you spend 2 hours "laying tracks," assume there will be an additional 4 - 6 hours of charged processing time. Another way to estimate is that for every 2 minutes of finished music time, estimate an hour of post-recording processing. This is not a promise; it could take more or less time. Just be aware that what you experience in the recording session is not all there is to it. I will not "nickel and dime" you and I appreciate you not trying to "negotiate" away my compensation. We are both interested in the same end, producing the best finished product possible. As noted in the side bar to the right, if you do not like the end result of our collaboration because of what I do, you do not have to pay me a cent. If you do, you do.

Typical cost ranges may be:

Voice or instrument and piano audition / archival recording: 2 microphones, handheld digital recorder, up to 2 hours recording, 1 to 5 hours post-recording editing / mastering, one hand labeled Stereo CD
Option 1 $90.00 - $420.00
Church / Concert basic archival: 2 microphones, handheld digital recorder, up to 2 hours recording, 2 to 6 hours post-recording editing / mastering, one hand labeled Stereo CD
Option 2 $120.00 - $480.00
Church / Concert commercial quality: 2 - 8 microphones, DAW recorder, up to 2hours recording, 4 to 8 hours post-recording editing / mastering, one hand labeled Stereo CD
Option 3 $150.00 - $600.00
Church / Concert commercial release 5.1 Surround Sound and Stereo: 5 - 10 microphones, DAW recorder, 2+ hours recording, 4 to 10+ hours post- recording editing / mastering, one hand labeled DTS Surround Sound CD, one hand labeled Stereo CD
Option 4 $300.00 - $900.00

All recording, mixing, editing, mastering and other post-recording production time is charged at $60.00 per hour.
Special projects; dubbing and cleaning old or distorted tapes to CD, cleaning and transcribing LPs to CD, or any other special audio project is charged at $60.00 per hour. The time it takes to play your information in real time into the computer is not charged. The time to prepare and process is.
Travel outside South Hampton Roads is charged at $0.75 per mile round trip.
Label and case design can be arranged. While I do have some artistic taste, I am not a graphic artist. If you want an attractive but utilitarian label, I can do that. If you want state-of-the-cover-art, we'll put you in touch with some terrific artists.
CDs can be ordered in any quantity from 1 to 100,000 or more. Prices vary and are all very reasonable.

For those who need to produce demonstration recordings or for those small groups that want a live recording without the audience, I have access to venues with good acoustics and pianos. Some charge rent, some do not.
Contact me for details.

We prefer you contact us at least 4 - 6 weeks before your performance or preferred recording date but if you are in a time crunch, call anyway. Maybe we can help.

If you need to record a demo for an audition or submission deadline, please remember, the process takes about three weeks from the date of the recording until you receive your CDs. Please plan accordingly.

Contact us today to schedule your recording session.

Terms

Cash, check or PayPal;

Deposit as described below in advance of the recording session with the balance of the agreed upon fee in advance of taking receipt of your finished CD.

Before you take receipt of your CD, we will listen to the CD together. If we agree that changes are warranted, I will make them and we will listen again until we are both satisfied with the result.

In the rare case where a recording is just plain unacceptable, I will refund your deposit or credit it towards a future session. You do not have to accept a finished CD of a lousy recording. However, if you think your performance is not acceptable and there is no fault with the recording process, the recording, mixing, editing and mastering charges are still due.

Upon acceptance and receipt of your finished CD, all transactions are final; no refunds can be issued.

Recording Fee Balance

Mike's Mobile Mics

On-Site Audio Recording

Rates and Terms

Typical cost ranges may be:

Terms