Current mood:
stoked
I'm Kevin. I record bands. I play in one too. Yippee!!! Next question...
Who all have you recorded?
A LOT of people! Since I started doing demo work a few years ago, I've recording several hundred bands and solo projects. Check out my main myspace page for a names you may or may not recognize.
Where is your studio located?
Springfield, MO. Ya know...one of those states in the middle.
Is it true that the studio is in your house?
Yes. Engaged Audio is a home-based digital studio, hence it is located in my home. The control room, live room, and staging area take up approximately 80% of the ground floor. I guess I just decided that a studio is more important than a living room or dining room!
Seriously...why a recording studio in your house??
I just didn't feel like commuting to work everyday. Jk.
There are couple reasons that I prefer having a home based studio. The relaxed atmosphere definitely lends a hand in reducing studio stress, distractions are fairly minimal, but most the most important factor is the lower overhead cost. By not having to lease/purchase another location, I am able to keep my rates relatively low!
How much does it cost to record with you?
All projects are done on a pre-negotiated FLAT rate. That means you don't have to feel rushed watching the total cost of your project climb every hour!
We're poor!! Just how cheap are your flat rates???
Flat project rates vary based on instrumentation, number of tracks, estimated project length, and a number of other factors. That said, I do whatever I can to give each band and artists the most that I possibly can within their budget.
Awesome! We REALLY wanna record with you! How do we set up a session?
Easy! You can email my manager, Brandon Goodman, at brandon@alliancebands.com. Brandon recently hopped on board to help me handle scheduling so that I can keep my primary focus on the recording and less on the business side of things. He's a sweet dude and very pleasant to talk to...I promise!
After your session is booked, I will often do pre-session meetings/phone conferences to help answer questions and get everybody on the same page. My goal, as cheesy as it sounds, is to make recording a painless, fun, and rewarding experience.
How far in advance do we need to schedule time with you?
At any given time, I'm usually booked at least 2-3 months in advance, so the sooner the better! Every now and then a few dates will fall through the cracks, making single track sessions a possibility. The best way to find out is to contact Brandon (see above) and find out what's available.
That said, 2-3 months is the norm.
Ok! We've booked our session! What do we need to do to get ready to record?
Ok...below I have laid out some select advice from myself and some of my favorite producers. Please take a moment to read through it and it'll make all of our lives that much easier
Everyone:
-Please be punctual!
-Stay positive!
Please resolve any & all
personal differences & disputes before you arrive or at least
promise to leave it outside of the session. I really don't like a
negative working environment & if I think someone is being
counterproductive to progress & creativity, they will be asked to
make a snack run or something.
-Be open minded!
Part of the joy of recording is refining your songs and making them as amazing as possible. During the recording process, we may collectively find it necessary to altar individual parts, structure, or tempo for the good of the song. Please be open minded to this possibility...in the end you may find these small changes breathing new life into your music.
-No entourages please!
That means do NOT invite
friends & guests to the studio. There is usually limited space at
the studio & most of the time your friends are just a distraction.
-Make sure to discuss gear options with me ahead of time!Whether you've got a multi-thousand dollar rig or are stuck playing on the bottom of the barrel, be sure to go over gear options with me before arriving for your session. Together, we can go over all our options to ensure that we have the best possible tools at our disposal to get just the right sound!
Drummers:
-New heads please!
Old beaten up heads are not cool & sound bad! Whether you plan on using my kit or yours, let's discuss heads before you purchase them.
-Sticks!
I know it seems like a no brainer, but just thought I'd throw it out there.
Guitarists/Bassists:
-Get setup!
Please have your instrument(s) "setup"
& checked out by a professional technician. It costs about $40 per
guitar & it will be worth every single penny. A poorly intonated
instrument is nearly impossible to make sound good, yes, even through
the BEST amp.
-New strings.
Your instrument should be restrung in the studio prior to tracking. Be sure to discuss tunings and string gauges with me ahead of time so we can choose the right strings for your sound! Please trust me on this!
-Rehearse!
Please practice all your parts, ideas,
solos, etc before you get to the studio. It's always the little thing
you think won't be a problem that becomes a huge problem. Practice
until you bleed! (not really)
Batteries. -Bring a few extra 9volt batteries. Or better yet, one-spots!
Vocalists:
-Rehearse.
Practice your parts, harmonies, ideas but please be open to suggetion & guidance.
-Breathe!
A good vocalist will have all of his or
her breathing figured out in advance of recording the song. If you
write your breathes INTO the song as if they were lyrics you will
notice an improvement in stamina, control & sustain. You are
probably a better singer than you think... just breathe! =)
-Vocal care. Starting at least a week before & during the session, please do the following:
Drink PLENTY of fluid (water). Hydration is key! You should be peeing alot!
Start getting a good nights sleep, every night & at the same time. Get on a routine!
Stop yelling for no reason. If you're on tour, don't sell your band's merch for a few nights.
Don't be stressed out. Eat right. Relax. Drink some more water.
I hope these tidbits help out. And as always, if you have ANY questions, please don't hesitate to contact me and we'll work it out. I'm here to help!
Wow you seem amazing. i wish I was back in a band again just so I can record haha. Maybe I'll record one acoustic song with you sometime or something! : p
United States are the best place for musicians, thanks to people like you ...
I should've been born here !
..well said my friend!
:)
Thats the best advice any engineer could possibly give !!....... Im actually starting up in audio engineering and going to college for it.... i deffinently advise anyone who reads this and wants to record with kevin to PLEASE do not bring any friends.......theres nothing i cant stand more when im trying to do a session than friends distracting me and the band/artist!!......Great blog kevin :P.....hopefully ill have a studio as nice as your someday lol