I set up a London recording studio business almost 10 years ago and have worked with thousands of musicians in that time, something I consider to be a real privilege. Recently I have been looking at opening a recording studio in Birmingham, it makes sense from a business point of view because Birmingham has a very vibrant music community.
The introduction of a Birmingham recording studio to our company is exciting but I am very keen to get the right producer on board. After years of producing I think I know what musicians want from a recording studio but I see a great opportunity in asking you guys what you consider important.
I feel that the producer has a real responsibility to bring some form of energy to the session. It’s too easy for a producer to sit back and just press record. The energy in the room can die very quickly if the producer who is recording your music doesn’t offer support and enthusiasm.
The cost of recording is of course another important point. We charge £35/hour in London, which is not cheap but is also not a rip off. When you factor in how efficient we are at working you’ll find that our overall “completion” price is extremely competitive. We’ve had bands come to us saying that they’ve wasted thousands on expensive recording studios who have a fancy reception and 100 different mic’s but deliver a poor product. I posted a Blog about some of the horror stories we get.
Expensive recording studios do not necessarily mean great recordings. It is the skill of the producers and his/her experience that makes the difference, not the studio. In London, we have awesome gear, but we never shout about it. We do shout about our production and song writing skills because that is the most important thing.
Another key aspect that we’ll be looking to get right in our Birmingham recording studio is location. I know that a lot of musicians appreciate a studio with parking and being close to shops and café’s.
So, what is important to you?
If you were to record at our Birmingham recording studio, what would you expect from the producer, the studio environment and the service?
I appreciate your thoughts on this!