So what should you expect when you show up for your first session?  The following tips will help you get the most out of your time at Afterburn Recording Studios.

1.  Come prepared.

You want your songs to be tight and sound well rehearsed, so make sure they are!  Know the arrangement you're going to play and stick to it.  We can experiment with tones all day to get the best sound on your recording, but the studio is not the place to rewrite your third verse or add the brand new bass solo. Hangovers don't help either, so avoid partying the night before and get a good night's sleep.

2.  Keep those instruments maintained.

Replacing the strings on your guitars and the heads on your drums makes a big difference in sound quality.  Be sure to do this at least a day or two before your session though.  Strings that haven't been properly stretched will wreak havoc with your tuning all day in the studio.  Tuning your drums is definitely encouraged. If you haven't done it before, it's a skill worth learning.  Also, make sure to bring extra sticks and strings.

3. Be on time. "Fashionably late" isn't fashionable, and it can result in your sessions being rescheduled or even cancelled.   Drummers should show up at least an hour before the session is scheduled to begin.  When possible, it's even better to setup drums the night before.  Everyone else, including vocalists should plan on arriving within fifteen minutes of the planned start time.  If one of your band members can't make it to the start of the session, call ahead so the engineer can determine if they are really required during the first hour or two.  Lead guitars, backup vocalists, etc. generally don't play on the initial scratch track recordings.

4. Limit the entourage.  I'm sure that your friends, family, and significant others are really cool people, but unless they're playing on your record, they should probably stay home.

5.  Come to work

We don't charge by the hour, but there is life outside of the recording studio.  Once you hit the door, plan on moving with a purpose.  There's a well-defined process for getting your results to you quickly and cost-effectively, so be ready to follow it.  The environment here is pretty laid back...as long as productive work is getting done.

6.  Don't panic

The studio is a new environment for most people and we want the experience to be a positive one.  Everyone drops a note here and there.  No one gets to keep their first vocal track (Really...no one does!).  You'll have a great time if you just relax and play! 

7.  Keep that steady beat

If you haven't played with a click track before, set up the metronome at your next rehearsal and practice with it.  Unless your material is extremely free form, nearly every song will use a click track as a cue until the drums tracks are completed.

8. Recording process

For standard studio sessions, drums are always recorded first.  Where possible, we'll try to capture bass and drums at the same time.  Rhythm guitars and keyboards are next.  Lead guitars and any other instrument solos fill in around the rhythm section.  Finally, lead vocals are recorded after all of the instrumentation, followed by any backup vocals.  Expect to spend at least two full days in the studio for tracking three-to-four songs. 

"Live tracking" sessions are also available at a reduced cost.  In these sessions the engineer will capture the full band playing together, usually with final vocals and instrument solos recorded as overdubs.  A well-rehearsed band can comfortably knock out four songs in a one-day recording session.

9. Mixdown

Your artistic input is vital to producing a recording that meets your expectations and represents your music.  To maintain consistently high quality in the recordings produced by the studio, additional technical aspects of the mix and mastering process may occur after the band settles on the basic mix.  You'll always get final approval for any final mix produced in the studio.

10.  Terms and conditions (PDF format)

These rules are here to keep this studio fun and affordable for musicians on a budget.  Read them, live them, love them.  It will help ensure you get the final results you're looking for and enjoy the experience.