My band is looking to record a demo in the near future, but unfortunately we do not have the economic resources to record with Electrical Audio (according to the Session Estimate Calculator, anyway); so I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to a B-rate studio where we might be able to record on a shoe-string budget. Thanks.

If you need a place that is less expensive, check out North Branch at www.northbranchstudio.net. It is a studio run by my friend Barry and is a great small studio with a good assortment of great mics (Coles, Neumanns, Altec, RCAs, etc.) and some really nice outboard gear (UA, TubeTech, Sytek, API, Ampex, Alan Smart, Orban, etc.). They are located on North Branch just off of Division near Elston in Chicago. Check out their website or call them at 312.649.9688 or email Barry at barry@northbranchstudio.net.

Dude, it's worth the cash to get Steve,Greg, or Russ. Save up . I would recommend calling them up and see if they can help you out. I know Greg Norman has been starting his own studio. ask him.
Unless you want to drive down to New Jersey........

where are you zen?? as for cheap studios my favorite studio for the money ANYWHERE is the Key Club in Benton Harbor, MI. Bill Skibbie is an Electrical Audio Alum, and built his own studio with Sly Stone's old Flickinger... The people that run it are two of my favorite people ever!! check it out:

http://www.keyclubrecording.com/

Electrical Audio is still the best studio I have ever been in... So many "world class" studios don't stack up to EA. If you have a nice budget, there is really no other place to go.

Jeremy
(ahem, my studio is pretty great for the money too!! so is Greg Normans!!)

Personally, I loved recording at Semaphore (ODUM) studios with the Bob--very quiet, nice neighborhood (Ukranian village--mmm Kasia's deli, Bella's pizza), some of the same gear Electrical has (plate reverb, too).

http://www.semaphorerecording.com

thanks for the kind words mattw!! say, what one of bob's bands would you happen to be in???

where are you zen?? as for cheap studios my favorite studio for the money ANYWHERE is the Key Club in Benton Harbor, MI.

I'm in the Chicago area, and I just took a look at Key Club, and it looks pretty bitchin'. My band just went on hiatus after our last gig (I need to save up for a new drum machine... stupid thieving punker morons....), but I'll make sure to recommend some of these studios to my friends' bands, who are currently opting to use DIGITAL CRAP as a means of "recording".

(Congratulations, this forum has successfully beaten me into the condition of "analog junkie".)

Jeremy-

Hi! I asked you shortly before my session if the piano needed tuning (probably doesn't ring a bell)--I like that piano a lot and it sounds great on the recording. I just did a solo thing there.

mw

JeremyLemos wrote:where are you zen?? as for cheap studios my favorite studio for the money ANYWHERE is the Key Club in Benton Harbor, MI. Bill Skibbie is an Electrical Audio Alum, and built his own studio with Sly Stone's old Flickinger... The people that run it are two of my favorite people ever!! check it out:

http://www.keyclubrecording.com/

Electrical Audio is still the best studio I have ever been in... So many "world class" studios don't stack up to EA. If you have a nice budget, there is really no other place to go.

I second Key Club. We recorded there this past spring and are extremely pleased with the results. Bill and Jessica are some of the nicest folks around and there is a utterly fantastic soul food restaurant a block away.

i don't know about that soul food restaurant... the last time i went there over 50% of the band had to "take care of some personal business" about 15 minutes after eating there... didn't agree with me at all... most people seem to like it... the place i really liked was the hand car wash / shoe shine / BBQ restaurant a few blocks away!!! really nothing for this vegetarian to eat there, but it was sure worth the walk!!