Rates

(This is the cost for a day of recording at Shattered Glass Records. The studio is well-equipped (GEAR LINK) with professional recording equipment and microphones of all flavors. The space is designed for tighter, more intimate recording and does especially well when working with instruments smaller than a drum kit and with vocals; it is a great space for the modern overdubbing style of production, for electronic production, or for a record requiring a less spacious sound.)

(Remote recording (recording done at a non-studio location within reasonable driving distance of St. Louis) is a lot of fun and can get professional results, even in challenging spaces. It costs slightly more only because loading my car with gear and driving it to you is slightly less convenient than not doing that. Recording in a space familiar to you can give records the character and soul that sometimes takes a lot of hard work to conjure up in a more controlled studio environment, and the sonic results are always unique.)

(If we decide it is best to record in a third-party studio (either in St. Louis or around the world), this will be my fee for engineering. I maintain good relationships with many other recording studios in the area, so we have options. If the client is choosing the studio, it is expected that it will be a functional recording studio with a house engineer in place to at least get us up and running. The client is expected to cover the cost of the studio, along with any other major incidental costs in the case of actual travel (lodging, airfare, taxi cabs, gear shipping, etc.)

(Mixing at Shattered Glass Records is typically done hybrid, which is just a fancy word for using both the computer and old school analog equipment (GEAR LINK) to get the familiar sounds with modern conveniences. I don't believe in limiting the number of revisions, so my artists and I work together until we are both happy with the mix. Mixing can be done remotely, or in person. I am also happy to provide alternate mixes (TV, instrumental, a capella, etc.) at no additional charge, but they should be discussed before mixing begins.)

(It is much faster and easier to mix something I've recorded, plus you're already paying me to record the song, so this is as cheap as I can make it. If you recorded with me but you are having someone else mix your song, you will be provided with a rough mix at the end of our session, along with the digital multi-tracks as consolidated .wav files.)

(I also work as a producer, which can be a loaded word. I define a producer as the one who knows how to get from a song idea to a finished master record; when I work as a producer I am able to do anything needed to fill in the gaps to make the whole process go. Some of the things I commonly do for a production client include: helping sort through songs, helping with song structure/arrangement, booking musicians or third-party studio time, overseeing the recording process, coaching musicians in the studio to get the right feel, editing/tuning performances, and so on. We figure out your vision, and then I champion that vision tirelessly across the hundreds of decisions necessary to make sure that the record we make is the record you want to make. Because it is more involved and can mean a lot of different things depending on your needs, production is charged at one flat rate per song. Production of larger works (EP or LP, for example) is also common and uses reduced per-song rates. Production clients receive studio time, in-studio engineering and mixing at no additional charge. Outside expenses where necessary (such as hiring a musician or using a third-party studio) will be discussed thoroughly and covered by the client.

Because I am also a musician, I am able to play many instruments as needed to fill out the production, but it is never my goal to play on your songs. It feels somehow vulgar to me to insert myself into your music so thoroughly. I am happy play a part here or there to serve the song, but if I start becoming your beat-maker or your backing band, royalties will be required above and beyond my Producer fee.)