how do you realistically estimate how much time to book?

how many hours are there in a session day? I'd like to think that we'd be well rehearsed and able to lay down all the tracks for 5 or 7 songs in a day. We'd probalby want to play them live, but I'm open to ideas here. It's a three piece; bass, drums and guitar. Loud, abbrassive kind of EA stuff. What are the main advantages of taking studio A over B? What time is involved besides playing the songs?

How much time should we set aside for mixing? What other issues might take up time that I might not be considering? We want to do it efficiently, but we won't want to feel rushed or pressured.

how many minutes of music can realistically be recorded in a 2 day session?

hogrot wrote:What are the main advantages of taking studio A over B?

The difference between studios A and B, as described to me by John Novotny, is "like the difference between the black-and-white and colorized versions of The Wizard of Oz." I later learned that he felt good enough about this description to offer it to others.

John Novotny no longer works at Electrical Audio.

That description makes no sense.

hogrot wrote:how do you realistically estimate how much time to book?

how many hours are there in a session day? I'd like to think that we'd be well rehearsed and able to lay down all the tracks for 5 or 7 songs in a day. We'd probalby want to play them live, but I'm open to ideas here. It's a three piece; bass, drums and guitar. Loud, abbrassive kind of EA stuff. What are the main advantages of taking studio A over B? What time is involved besides playing the songs?

How much time should we set aside for mixing? What other issues might take up time that I might not be considering? We want to do it efficiently, but we won't want to feel rushed or pressured.

how many minutes of music can realistically be recorded in a 2 day session?

You are asking a lot of questions here. I am not sure you will get a real answer because so much depends on your band, your preferences, your ability to focus, accidents, unanticipated interruptions etc. But here is my 2 cents -

You will get a solid 10 hours of recording time per day. Set up will take a couple hours. Mixing takes longer than you think it will because you and the engineer have to take breathers. You have to pee and eat. So does your chosen engineer. Things happen while you are doing the live tracks that make you think of the songs a little differently...its a different setting than your rehearsal space, so plan on taking longer to actually play the songs to a final version that you are happy with.

You can get 5 songs done in two days if (1) you keep the time for playing the "live rock band" basic tracks down to an hour or so per song, (2) you start recording vocals by the evening/night of the first day and finish them before 3 or 4 pm the next day, (3) don't do any overdubs (or very very few), and (4) don't get all crazy with the mixing (let the engineer get levels up and just tweak; you won't have to do any "fixing" of anything in the mix). If you are going to make a good record in two days, EA is the place to do it. But you gotta keep it real in there. No bullshit.

If you try to do this, you think you will inevitably feel rushed. Your music may sound rushed too, so be careful. The engineer won't be able to tell you if your music is paced too quickly because he has not heard it before. This is a HUGE problem if you don't watch out.

Things you are not considering that take time - sequencing, a guitar pedal breaking, repairing a mistake in an otherwise excellent take. The engineers are great at repairing a flub, but it takes time because its the old fashioned way.

For 5 songs, set aside at least 5 hours for mixing. More like 2 in my opinion, but you are rushing so...

Studio A is incredible. No experience with B, but I understand it was meant for "loud EA stuff." Sorry to be a dick. I could not resist.

I don't recommend doing 5 songs in two days. But that is just me.

petercobber wrote:You are asking a lot of questions here. I am not sure you will get a real answer because so much depends on your band, your preferences, your ability to focus, accidents, unanticipated interruptions etc. But here is my 2 cents -

You will get a solid 10 hours of recording time per day. Set up will take a couple hours. Mixing takes longer than you think it will because you and the engineer have to take breathers. You have to pee and eat. So does your chosen engineer. Things happen while you are doing the live tracks that make you think of the songs a little differently...its a different setting than your rehearsal space, so plan on taking longer to actually play the songs to a final version that you are happy with.

You can get 5 songs done in two days if (1) you keep the time for playing the "live rock band" basic tracks down to an hour or so per song, (2) you start recording vocals by the evening/night of the first day and finish them before 3 or 4 pm the next day, (3) don't do any overdubs (or very very few), and (4) don't get all crazy with the mixing (let the engineer get levels up and just tweak; you won't have to do any "fixing" of anything in the mix). If you are going to make a good record in two days, EA is the place to do it. But you gotta keep it real in there. No bullshit.

If you try to do this, you think you will inevitably feel rushed. Your music may sound rushed too, so be careful. The engineer won't be able to tell you if your music is paced too quickly because he has not heard it before. This is a HUGE problem if you don't watch out.

Things you are not considering that take time - sequencing, a guitar pedal breaking, repairing a mistake in an otherwise excellent take. The engineers are great at repairing a flub, but it takes time because its the old fashioned way.

For 5 songs, set aside at least 5 hours for mixing. More like 2 in my opinion, but you are rushing so...

Studio A is incredible. No experience with B, but I understand it was meant for "loud EA stuff." Sorry to be a dick. I could not resist.

I don't recommend doing 5 songs in two days. But that is just me.

yeah, i realize i'm asking for alot of info and that the answers are different for every band... but thanks much for the input.

http://electrical.com/phpBB2/viewtopic. ... f5265f8009

you're fine in both rooms. if you're deciding based on $, i'd pick 3 days in B vs 2 in A on a similar budget. things always take longer than you think they're gonna. A's a little more comfy in the CR and has a little more options for bigger sessions - if going quick B is great. i've done more work in B than A myself - there's nothing shortcoming in either studio.