stratdancer wrote:

I just did another demo for the next record and dug into the mix and mastering a little bit more. I then put the disc into my 8 speaker Bose audio car system with a 12 inch sub and compared it to my favorite, high quality, surf cd. The mix and master was very close. I think I'll be sticking with the entire project being done in the home studio. I did very little EQ and only a moderate amount of mic placement adjustments. Just a pure and moderately hot mic signal on a D130, bass into a compressor straight in and a good drum mic array.

I don’t claim that any of my home recordings have approached commercial studio quality, but I have been pleasantly surprised by the results of my modest efforts.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Personally, I think it's worth paying a decent sound engineer to master a CD, if only to get a fairly consistent sound and all the coding information. Our last CD cost £80 to master and it sounded much improved.

A studio is necessary for drums - I think everything else can be don at home. Our next CD I'll record the song with a drum pattern, then take it into a studio and get our drummer to put actual drums down instead.

http://thewaterboarders.bandcamp.com/

stratdancer wrote:

I called two recording studios this week to get pricing. One is run by a local band leader that we have shared gigs with. They have a fantastic studio space and a very reasonable price structure. The problem is that all of the music they have posted on their website lacks punch and warmth. I'm not impressed at all. The other studio has produced some great music and all the sample songs were big and loaded with punch and warmth. The price I was quoted for mixing and mastering was 400.00 per song. That would be 2400.00 to 3000.00 for the next record just to mix and master.

I trust my own ears on mixing and have the free time to experiment. Mastering is nothing more than following a formula. If you can remain consistent with mic placement, clean and clear tracking, you should be able to work through a project and end up with punch and warmth.

I've got 15 years on my current studio console. I learn something new every time I use it. This next project will be completed at home.

Now your talking I like to hear your new song - I like the other stuff you have out,

If you got 15 years under your belt ….yeah DIY works

And $3000 would take a lot of sales just to break even - its hard now to squeak out some dimes to break even on recordings it looks like to me.

A lot of it depends on your end goals are. If you're just wanting a product to sell at shows of your stuff, go the home recording route. It's easier than ever to produce your own stuff at home at a very inexpensive rate and potentially get a bigger return.

If you're wanting more of a business card, like something to shop out to labels and higher end venues, spend your $$ on quality and not quantity. A two or three song EP that's well produced, looks professional in terms of packaging, etc, will get the suits to take more notice than a home baked CD with a band name written on a paper sleeve.

Either way, I highly recommend getting plenty of time in at home before you hit the studio. Bring someone with experience in to help you produce your home recordings and get you accustomed to the process. Doing that and being well rehearsed will help to maximize your time under the red light.

Forever known as the luckiest man alive.

https://www.facebook.com/zachcarpentermusic/

We are thinking of cutting our demo in a studio, or do it in our practice pad. Which would be easier and harbor good results. Im very confident in my mixing skills.

Studios usually have better sounding rooms for drums and for the room sound for guitar amps, etc. they should have a better mic locker than you to get that extra 20% you can't get at home.

That being said, I think learning to record yourselves at home, getting used to recording, and understanding basics (mic placement) will mean that when you go to a studio, you'll be spending less time learning how to record and will already know how you might like your guitar amps to sound. Doesn't mean to be close-minded about new ideas, but if you've never recorded, going to a studio for the first time can be a time suck.

Also with your gear, learn to record live shows as well, whether with a small hand-held recorder (we use a Zoom H2) or multitrack.

If you do go the studio route, negotiate to get get the individual tracks as well as the final recording, so that you can learn on Logic Pro how to mix, EQ, use compression, and effects.

'65 Fender Tremolux, '74 Princeton; 77 Vibrolux Reverb; '81 Princeton Reverb
'65-66 Hilgen Basso Grande
Dr. Z MAZ 18 Jr. + 1x12 Cab
Various Telecasters and noise-making pedals
Farfisa Compact Duo

Just did some home recording for an upcoming comp. Each of us recorded our part at our own places. I sent the tracks off to the fellow who recorded our last album to mix the tune. It was money well spent, as not only does he have much better gear than me, his skills are most excellent. Just another way to record home & studio.

Rev

The label releasing the comp is mastering.

Canadian Surf

http://www.urbansurfkings.com/

Last edited: Apr 30, 2020 19:25:23

Here's a tune we did without a studio. I recorded live and then replaced the guitar which I realised could benefit from being recorded at home. We were going for an old sound, like Duane in the garage.

Last edited: May 03, 2020 11:11:43

Although it's already been mentioned, I would vote for recording at home and then having the mixing and mastering done off site. I recorded an EP of original surf music on a home studio (Tascam studio in a box). I then had it professionally mastered by Bill Henderson at Azimuth. The cost for this was less than $200. For me, it was worth it because it made my recordings sound much more professional.
I had given alot of thought as to what I wanted to do with the EP. Mostly, I just wanted to have it to sell at any live gigs that I did. I have no aspirations (or probably talent!) to ever be signed by a label. I agree with what LHR said which is to keep it fun - when it stops being fun, what's the point? But I think it really depends on what you would want to do with the finished product.

Due to the the circumstances I’ve decided to go with guitar and bass recording at home plus drums from Garageband. Pretty happy with a result as for a demo, but surely not ready to release albums on these. But I think it’s a matter of skill and not equipment, I am sure you may do cool releases with this stuff, just need right hands, head and ears.

Waikiki Makaki surf-rock band from Ukraine

https://linktr.ee/waikikimakaki

Lost Diver

https://lostdiver.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/vitaly-yakushin