Recording & Mixing Packages for Bands


A band can, of course, include any number of different members, playing an assortment of instruments. That's why I decided to outline just the most basic possible packages, consisting of the most common arrangement; Drums (or various percussion), Bass (of whatever description), Guitar (or similar rhythmic/chordal/melodic/lead instrument) and lead vocals. This setup can be applied to many kinds of bands or altered and adapted to fit your own, adding or removing elements as required.

Please get in touch to discuss your specific needs and I'll be happy to supply you with a tailored quote.




Band Packages:

Band Packages


Step Record and mix...

  1. Single (1 to 2 tracks)
    - Drums = 3hrs
    - Bass = 2hrs15mins
    - Guitar = 2hrs30mins
    - Lead Vocals = 1hr25mins
    Total = £230
  2. Demo (3 to 4 tracks)
    - Drums = 5hrs
    - Bass = 4hrs
    - Guitar = 4hrs30mins
    - Lead Vocals = 2hrs50mins
    Total = £355
  3. EP (5 to 7 tracks)
    - Drums = 7hrs
    - Bass = 6hrs
    - Guitar = 6hrs30mins
    - Lead Vocals = 4hrs20mins
    Total = £485

  1. Mini Album (8 to 10 tracks)
    - Drums = 9hrs
    - Bass = 7hrs30mins
    - Guitar = 8hrs15mins
    - Lead Vocals = 6hrs5mins
    Total = £605
  2. Album (11 to 13 tracks)
    - Drums = 10hrs45mins
    - Bass = 9hrs15mins
    - Guitar = 10hrs
    - Lead Vocals = 7hrs50mins
    Total = £725
  3. Extended Album (14 to 16 tracks)
    - Drums = 12hrs30mins
    - Bass = 11hrs
    - Guitar = 12hrs
    - Lead Vocals = 9hrs35mins
    Total = £850





Options for recording acoustic drums


All the above packages are based on everything being recorded in my studio. Yes, it's a bit of a squeeze getting a full drum kit set up inside that small space, but I've had plenty of experience doing so and it's been pretty successful so far. However, some kits simply won't fit and some drummers prefer a larger space in which to perform - both perfectly good reasons for using a larger studio to record the drums. But the most important reason is that drums invariably sound better when recorded in a larger room with decent acoustics, than in a small, yet acoustically deadened room. That's my own personal opinion, of course, but I'm confident that, if you research the issue, you'll find that is the general consensus.

In any case, a larger room's acoustics need to be taken advantage of and the extra space means there's more room for stands, so there are various new mic-ing possibilities, using ambient mics and more close mics, too. All this adds up to more material to work with and more options in the mix, resulting in (IMO) a significantly improved overall sound, not just for the drums alone, but for the track as a whole.

In order for you to hear the difference, please listen to the following drum recordings. The first (Make You Try, by Third Dart) was recorded in my little studio, using 8 mics, while the second (Millionaire by March Fleet) was recorded using 16 mics in an average/medium-sized practice room at Strictly Studios, 15 minutes' drive away.

However, please do bear in mind that these are two completely different drummers, playing two completely different drum kits, so it's not exactly a 'fair test', as it were, but the two tracks should give you an idea of the difference in character between the rooms.





Obviously, the different location also means more costs, for various reasons, and the extra channels used by all those mics in both set-up and mixing time will also cost a bit more, but I believe it's worth the extra outlay for the gain in quality. It is, of course, entirely up to you (and your budget) - I just want you to be aware of all the options - so I have here a list of costs, which can be added to the above packages to give you an idea of how much extra you're looking at:

  • Location Recording #1 (using recording equipment already set up and ready to use at the venue) = £50

  • Location Recording #2 (using my own recording equipment, which will require packing and transporting both ways, setting up and taking down again) = £100

  • Setting up to record the drums on up to 16 channels adds another £10)

  • Expenses for travel, food and drink, etc. = ? (depends on distance and session duration)

The hire cost of the space to be recorded in, however, is not included in the following packages; I leave the choice of venue up to you - you might know of a wonderful-sounding church or hall, which you can hire for peanuts or you might want to emulate Led Zeppelin by recording in the grand entrance hall of some old manor house to add a unique character to your sound - if you've got the cash to pay for such an expense, that's fine by me. I'll happily record the whole lot there, if you wish, but do bear in mind that not all rooms sound great; you need to be quite aware of their unique acoustics and choose carefully.