I charge $20/hr or $150 day rate. I've done the per song thing too for I think $30/song.
I tailor it to fit the needs of the "artists". Like right now I'm doing basically an album - 9 songs - for a band some of whom are my friends, so I gave them a killer deal initially and they keep throwing some cash my way as th eproject advances. They're my friends and I enjoy it and learn a lot, so I'm ok with that. If I was recording punk bands or rappers I'd be way more cutthroat.
studio rates/project rates
there were a fair lot of good studios competing for music/RTV business in my city.
until the mid-late 80s, that is, and then the bottom fell out of the economy and most of them evaporated.
Sumet Sound, for instance, is now a stretch of the DART light rail system...their studio A was a pretty nice sounding room and could (and DID) comfortably seat a full orchestra.
by the mid 90s the rates charged by the few remaining studios were out of sight and most local musicians had thrown in with the ADAT+Mackie thing.
now there's maybe 5 good studios left around here, the rest of them seem to be home studio guys with Mac Minis and Protools LE who think they are the unholy lovechild of Bob Ezrin and Walter Sear and as much as say so on their MySpace page.
okay, i think my spleen is empty now.
*slumps off to own DAW-based home studio and slides door shut*
until the mid-late 80s, that is, and then the bottom fell out of the economy and most of them evaporated.
Sumet Sound, for instance, is now a stretch of the DART light rail system...their studio A was a pretty nice sounding room and could (and DID) comfortably seat a full orchestra.
by the mid 90s the rates charged by the few remaining studios were out of sight and most local musicians had thrown in with the ADAT+Mackie thing.
now there's maybe 5 good studios left around here, the rest of them seem to be home studio guys with Mac Minis and Protools LE who think they are the unholy lovechild of Bob Ezrin and Walter Sear and as much as say so on their MySpace page.
okay, i think my spleen is empty now.
*slumps off to own DAW-based home studio and slides door shut*
?What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.? -- Seneca
This is a great discussion! Myself and studio partner work out of a very well equipted studio. Truly our dream come true. However, we only track there and mix at either one of our home studios. Also very well equipted. We started out charging $25 an hour for tracking which is what the studio costs the band so we made no money on tracking. We figured we'd make it up in mixing. Just to get bands in the door and get our names out there. After putting up with a lot of bullshit and being taken advantage of, we decided to increase our price. I/we would like to do a per day price but that is not available just yet. Maybe once we discuss this with the studio owner. We have been booking a lot of sessions, way more than what the studio has seen in a long tiime. Maybe we can agree on something.
The market in Milwaukee seems to be around $55 an hour for most of the better studios. There are a few who are around $85 an hour. If we get to the point where we are booked enough to justify raising our price, we will do it. Both of us have regular jobs so it's not about money. We are both musicians too and always said, "We want to provide top notch recording services to the locals at a fair price." Now having put up with the crap that comes with bands who are not prepaired for recording, sound shitty, are hard to work with, and just in general dicks, we have to weed thru some of our potential projects first before committing to them. As much as we both love recording and working with different bands, there comes a point in which you have to say, "Is this project worth me getting some grey hair?"
The market in Milwaukee seems to be around $55 an hour for most of the better studios. There are a few who are around $85 an hour. If we get to the point where we are booked enough to justify raising our price, we will do it. Both of us have regular jobs so it's not about money. We are both musicians too and always said, "We want to provide top notch recording services to the locals at a fair price." Now having put up with the crap that comes with bands who are not prepaired for recording, sound shitty, are hard to work with, and just in general dicks, we have to weed thru some of our potential projects first before committing to them. As much as we both love recording and working with different bands, there comes a point in which you have to say, "Is this project worth me getting some grey hair?"
White Oak Guitars - Fine boutique handmade guitar & bass pickups
I charge by the tune, but I'm pretty much producing/mixing and sometimes playing on the tune.
the way I do it, when first working with an artist / band, is to essentially put a cap on the first tune... "all in". that's usually about 1500.00. this covers everything, muso's, studio...my fee.
I keep painfully careful records of who's paid what, and how the time is used, with a nifty little program called "ibiz".
at the end of the first tune, i check my records, and usually... i'll come in within about 500 bucks of the estimate...sometimes more, sometimes a bit less ( this has worked well to suss out how much it's going to cost to do a full length, as I've redefined this over the years)
if it turns out that it's gonna cost more to get them what they need, I split the difference, and work harder/smarter/cheaper/faster.
I never charge by the hour, unless it's straight up edits, recalls on a mix that was already "done". ( the ones that come back over and over)
to work this way requires the client to trust you, so that's why the first tune is capped, and if they don't dig it by the time I'm done, I don't charge...anything. I eat it.
works for me.
as a session player ( drummmer/programmer /perc) I charge 750 a day, 10hrs with a nice couple breaks.. plus cartage if needed OR, 100 an hour, 3 hour minimum. That has worked out to be one tune, or a full album.. depends on the client and material.
craig.
http://www.thehybridroom.com/
http://www.myspace.com/cajonezzz
the way I do it, when first working with an artist / band, is to essentially put a cap on the first tune... "all in". that's usually about 1500.00. this covers everything, muso's, studio...my fee.
I keep painfully careful records of who's paid what, and how the time is used, with a nifty little program called "ibiz".
at the end of the first tune, i check my records, and usually... i'll come in within about 500 bucks of the estimate...sometimes more, sometimes a bit less ( this has worked well to suss out how much it's going to cost to do a full length, as I've redefined this over the years)
if it turns out that it's gonna cost more to get them what they need, I split the difference, and work harder/smarter/cheaper/faster.
I never charge by the hour, unless it's straight up edits, recalls on a mix that was already "done". ( the ones that come back over and over)
to work this way requires the client to trust you, so that's why the first tune is capped, and if they don't dig it by the time I'm done, I don't charge...anything. I eat it.
works for me.
as a session player ( drummmer/programmer /perc) I charge 750 a day, 10hrs with a nice couple breaks.. plus cartage if needed OR, 100 an hour, 3 hour minimum. That has worked out to be one tune, or a full album.. depends on the client and material.
craig.
http://www.thehybridroom.com/
http://www.myspace.com/cajonezzz
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micyourbrain
- takin' a dinner break
- Posts: 165
- Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2007 5:58 pm
- Contact:
I started out at 10 and now I'm charging $15. I'm not getting a shit ton of bands in, but that isn't because my price is too high. It might be because it's too low. To everyone out there who has a studio in an area where there aren't that many other options, charge as much as you can get away with. Like maybe I should be charging $20. I'm not convinced that less people would come in. I wanted to be moral but musicians don't understand gear and the recording process so if you charge $24 they might really like that it's the same number of hours in a day or they like that show or it's their mom's lucky number or it's the number of months in 2 years... who knows.
I just started doing sound as a supplement and I'm realizing just how retarded musicians are. 9 out of 10 times I ask a random member of the band how many mics they need and they tell me the wrong amount. "Just two" when they need three vocal mics. Or "4 vocal mics, a kick and 4 DIs" when actually they needed 3 vocal mics, the room was small and therefore the kick didn't need a mic, and they had 6 keyboards going through a mixer so it was just 2 direct. Retards...
So don't go on thinking like "I have a mackie 800r, a shure drum package, an AT4050 and a SM81 and I can't charge more because the bands will know what I have and laugh at me." Probably NOT the case. Seriously if you have 10 grand worth of stuff like most people recording bands, you deserve 25 at least
I just started doing sound as a supplement and I'm realizing just how retarded musicians are. 9 out of 10 times I ask a random member of the band how many mics they need and they tell me the wrong amount. "Just two" when they need three vocal mics. Or "4 vocal mics, a kick and 4 DIs" when actually they needed 3 vocal mics, the room was small and therefore the kick didn't need a mic, and they had 6 keyboards going through a mixer so it was just 2 direct. Retards...
So don't go on thinking like "I have a mackie 800r, a shure drum package, an AT4050 and a SM81 and I can't charge more because the bands will know what I have and laugh at me." Probably NOT the case. Seriously if you have 10 grand worth of stuff like most people recording bands, you deserve 25 at least
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@?,*???&?
- on a wing and a prayer
- Posts: 5804
- Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 4:36 pm
- Location: Just left on the FM dial
- Contact:
What do you live on? Raman? This would be impossible.Jeff Robbing-some wrote:I charge $20/hr or $150 day rate. I've done the per song thing too for I think $30/song.
First engineer wages are in the $15 to $25 per hour category- and that's separate from studio expenses. In New York, L.A. or Nashville you would be making $300 to $500 per day on label projects, but you'd also be an incredible engineer.
All very interesting! Like I assumed most people who are on this board (myself included) are on the lower end of the price spectrum... certainly most of the people who would reply anyway.
I'm doing per day, $250-300 before tax or including tax, its been moving around but I'm trying to settle on $300 including tax for now. Thats for me recording a band at the studio, which is in my sig.. i have good instruments/amps and 'decent' gear (peluso,audio-technica,beyerdynamic,hamptone,gyraf,tl audio,etc) but not many pieces that cost over $1000, and a tracking room that can comfortably accomodate a 4 or 5 piece band for live-off-the-floor 16 trk.
i'd like to charge less and work more, so i'll often cut deals for multi-day bookings, throw in some extra mix time, do a good project rate for unattended mix sessions, etc. i'd definately do location/freelance work for $100-200 a day depending but that hasn't come up too much yet.
-mike
I'm doing per day, $250-300 before tax or including tax, its been moving around but I'm trying to settle on $300 including tax for now. Thats for me recording a band at the studio, which is in my sig.. i have good instruments/amps and 'decent' gear (peluso,audio-technica,beyerdynamic,hamptone,gyraf,tl audio,etc) but not many pieces that cost over $1000, and a tracking room that can comfortably accomodate a 4 or 5 piece band for live-off-the-floor 16 trk.
i'd like to charge less and work more, so i'll often cut deals for multi-day bookings, throw in some extra mix time, do a good project rate for unattended mix sessions, etc. i'd definately do location/freelance work for $100-200 a day depending but that hasn't come up too much yet.
-mike
Making Efforts and Forging Ahead Courageously! Keeping Honest and Making Innovations Perpetually!
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fossiltooth
- carpal tunnel
- Posts: 1734
- Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2007 3:03 pm
- Location: Brooklyn, NY
- Contact:
As a freelancer, my average rate for studio work is $25-$30/hr, plus studio costs. Me + my project studio = $40/hr.
I do live sound as well, and the going rate at my level in a decent NYC venue seems to be $20-$25/hr, but the work is more plentiful.
If I'm doing a project rate instead of an hourly for mixing, it's $300 a song, which is pretty damn cheap.
Having said that, I often work for far less as a "bro-rate", and I've definitely gotten more as well... but never for engineering indie music; Only for commercials and post work.
I plan on making more than this someday... even if it's just because it would enable me to take on projects I love for next to nothing. In an idea world, a skilled person's time would be worth more than a well-equipped studio's studio's time. These days, this only seems to be the case at the far upper-echelons of the industry.
I do live sound as well, and the going rate at my level in a decent NYC venue seems to be $20-$25/hr, but the work is more plentiful.
If I'm doing a project rate instead of an hourly for mixing, it's $300 a song, which is pretty damn cheap.
Having said that, I often work for far less as a "bro-rate", and I've definitely gotten more as well... but never for engineering indie music; Only for commercials and post work.
I plan on making more than this someday... even if it's just because it would enable me to take on projects I love for next to nothing. In an idea world, a skilled person's time would be worth more than a well-equipped studio's studio's time. These days, this only seems to be the case at the far upper-echelons of the industry.
Last edited by fossiltooth on Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:31 am, edited 2 times in total.
I engineer at a studio I don't own, which can be a nice thing not to worry about. I personally charge $25/hour. What the studio charges depends on how much time you buy. A day is 10 hours.
Tracking room (Studer 2", HD|3, Amek w/ 24 neve pres, 20' drum vault)
$400/day
$1800/5 day block
$80/hour (including engineer's fees)
Mixing room (SSL 6000 G series, HD|3)
$200/day
$800/5 day block
$40/hour (including engineer)
You can also rent the whole building for a month which includes two apartments for $8500. We also have a demo deal. One day, start to finish, live tracking, mixed and 50 CD-r copies for $500. We also have night rates.
So that means I hand the band a $650 invoice for one day in the tracking room.
Tracking room (Studer 2", HD|3, Amek w/ 24 neve pres, 20' drum vault)
$400/day
$1800/5 day block
$80/hour (including engineer's fees)
Mixing room (SSL 6000 G series, HD|3)
$200/day
$800/5 day block
$40/hour (including engineer)
You can also rent the whole building for a month which includes two apartments for $8500. We also have a demo deal. One day, start to finish, live tracking, mixed and 50 CD-r copies for $500. We also have night rates.
So that means I hand the band a $650 invoice for one day in the tracking room.
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SoulOfJonas
- pushin' record
- Posts: 277
- Joined: Sun Aug 06, 2006 5:56 pm
- Location: New York, NY & Lodi, NJ
- Contact:
My AV/live sound rate is around $30-$35 an hour
My editing rate is around $40-50 an hour.
My tracking/mixing engineer rate is anywhere between free to $30 an hour
All freelance and all negotiable.
Knock on wood, my AV and editing work has been steady enough lately to let me do the engineering work for free or next to nothing and not feel too bad about it. Tracking and Mixing is where my heart is so i hope it'll pay off someday. I'm EXTREMELY fortunate to have a good friend who owns an amazing studio in Midtown Manhattan where I've assisted/still assist. He gives me and my friends/clients a healthy discount for bumpable days, so I actually get to use a highend studio on a semiregular basis and that's a pretty great feeling.
My bread and butter is really the AV work which is also the most annoying but I'm always giving out my card and advertising myself as a jack-of-all-trades. In the past 2 months, I think I've done AV, live sound, tracking, mixing, editing, "mastering", and install work.
-JV
My editing rate is around $40-50 an hour.
My tracking/mixing engineer rate is anywhere between free to $30 an hour
All freelance and all negotiable.
Knock on wood, my AV and editing work has been steady enough lately to let me do the engineering work for free or next to nothing and not feel too bad about it. Tracking and Mixing is where my heart is so i hope it'll pay off someday. I'm EXTREMELY fortunate to have a good friend who owns an amazing studio in Midtown Manhattan where I've assisted/still assist. He gives me and my friends/clients a healthy discount for bumpable days, so I actually get to use a highend studio on a semiregular basis and that's a pretty great feeling.
My bread and butter is really the AV work which is also the most annoying but I'm always giving out my card and advertising myself as a jack-of-all-trades. In the past 2 months, I think I've done AV, live sound, tracking, mixing, editing, "mastering", and install work.
-JV
John Valencia - Freelance audio-recorder-mixer guy
-One East Recording (Matt Wells)
-Melody Lanes (Jay Braun)
-One East Recording (Matt Wells)
-Melody Lanes (Jay Braun)
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AustinStudioGuy
- audio school
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:31 am
- Location: Austin, TX
Studio Rates Discussion
A studio normally reserved for private use in an amazing location just east of downtown Austin, close to everything. Curious about what to charge to rent out for day sessions and freelance engineer use.
Engineers, name your fair daily rate for 12--14 hr. access to the following tracking situation:
*1000' square foot live room with 18' ceiling and amazing, amazing vibe
*Otari MTR-90 2"
*Soundcraft TS-24 mixing desk
*Telefunken, Neve, API and Ampex mic pres
*Separate control room
*Very little outboard dynamic processors (UA 1176, DBX)
*Standard utility mics (AKG, Shure, Senn, Oktava, etc.)
*Several vintage and modern amplifiers (incl. 1963 blonde Fender bassman, Twin, Vibrosonic, Sunn, SVT, etc.)
*Several vintage guitars (incl. 1964 Epiphone Casino, Gibson Hummingbird, P bass, Rickenbacker)
*Arguably best selection of vintage keyboards in town (incl. Wurlitzer 140, Wurlitzer 200A, Wurlitzer 206, low-serial number Minimoog Model D, Optigan, Vox Jaguar, Farfisa, etc.)
*Yamaha upright piano (great-sounding)
*Vintage Rogers and Ludwig drum sets
*Vintage echo boxes of every stripe (incl. Echoplex, Space Echo, Soundimension, etc.)
*Random DI boxes (incl. REAMP, Jensen), percussion, other standard effects boxes
*No in-house digital recording capability whatsoever. We have a CD burner.
What might a 4 or 5 member band reasonably be expected to pay for this on a daily or hourly rate with an engineer? Would the above be enough to generate interest from today's working bands?
Engineers, name your fair daily rate for 12--14 hr. access to the following tracking situation:
*1000' square foot live room with 18' ceiling and amazing, amazing vibe
*Otari MTR-90 2"
*Soundcraft TS-24 mixing desk
*Telefunken, Neve, API and Ampex mic pres
*Separate control room
*Very little outboard dynamic processors (UA 1176, DBX)
*Standard utility mics (AKG, Shure, Senn, Oktava, etc.)
*Several vintage and modern amplifiers (incl. 1963 blonde Fender bassman, Twin, Vibrosonic, Sunn, SVT, etc.)
*Several vintage guitars (incl. 1964 Epiphone Casino, Gibson Hummingbird, P bass, Rickenbacker)
*Arguably best selection of vintage keyboards in town (incl. Wurlitzer 140, Wurlitzer 200A, Wurlitzer 206, low-serial number Minimoog Model D, Optigan, Vox Jaguar, Farfisa, etc.)
*Yamaha upright piano (great-sounding)
*Vintage Rogers and Ludwig drum sets
*Vintage echo boxes of every stripe (incl. Echoplex, Space Echo, Soundimension, etc.)
*Random DI boxes (incl. REAMP, Jensen), percussion, other standard effects boxes
*No in-house digital recording capability whatsoever. We have a CD burner.
What might a 4 or 5 member band reasonably be expected to pay for this on a daily or hourly rate with an engineer? Would the above be enough to generate interest from today's working bands?
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fossiltooth
- carpal tunnel
- Posts: 1734
- Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2007 3:03 pm
- Location: Brooklyn, NY
- Contact:
Re: Studio Rates Discussion
Well, it all depends on a several factors:someguy wrote: What might a 4 or 5 member band reasonably be expected to pay for this on a daily or hourly rate with an engineer? Would the above be enough to generate interest from today's working bands?
What bands have recorded there?
Does it look good?
Are you friendly and are people talking about your studio?
What other studios are in the area?
It's hard to say without at least seeing photos, but here's my very rough estimate:
In Brooklyn NY, a similar gearlist for a new studio would put you anywhere from $30-$40/hr without an engineer, or anywhere from $30-$80/hr with a house engineer.... depending on who it is. In Manhattan, add $10-$20/hr to the ranges above. We're one of the most expensive places to live in the country, so I don't know what that means in your market.
There are other things to factor in, but that seems like a fair range, for an unestablished, small-but-well-equipped studio. I don't think your lack of digital should force you into lower rates. It will just attract different clientele.
Take a long, hard look at other studios in your area, take an honest assessment of how you fit in, and price accordingly. I don't recommend trying to undercut the competition and making yourself significantly cheaper than comparably equipped studios. Too many people are doing this, and it makes them seem desperate and worthless. In addition to making you work too much for too little compensation, below-market prices only attract shitty new bands who know nothing about the process, and won't be able help you establish your business.
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Signalflow
- audio school graduate
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2007 7:50 am
- Location: Saint Paul, MN
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