-- I charge $35 and up an hour depending on length of time booked (see rates page). There is a one hour minimum. Each hour thereafter can be divided in half-hours if the session ends early.  I offer discounted rates depending on the length of the booking/project (see rates page). I also do pre-production on a limited basis. If you want to spend the time it takes to really create a great sounding product whether it be a demo or label album tracking, give me a call.

*I operate by appointment only! I answer my business line Monday through Friday from 10 am - 6 pm EST. If it goes to voicemail, usually that means a session is happening. Leave a detailed message and I'll return your call as soon as possible.*

*Anything I do work-wise on your project is counted as "billable hours".  If you want a mix tweaked, wav files exported, or any extra work done on your project after you have left the studio, I have to charge for that, as it takes studio time (just as if you were in here in person using it).  

Additionally, due to the fact that I have to set aside time for your booking, thus reserving a slot specifically for your project,*no* session is considered booked until a 25% deposit is placed on the time slot.

I've got home recording software. Why should I use your studio instead of my own home setup?

- Good question. Most "home studios" contain a computer, a set of moderately priced semi-accurate studio monitors and a 2 to 8 track interface (and some hodgepodge of prosumer mics). My setup is centered around the world-class pro audio standard Protools HD (with the brand new AVID HD I/O interface), and can handle up to 192 tracks at 48 kHz! A native home studio system simply does not have the power to provide the DSP for a large professional mix. For an unbiased review of the interface compared to other studio professional-level interfaces read about the NEW HD I/O HERE. 

I also have a very wide selection of top-grade plugins to choose from, not to mention true professional mics, outboard preamps, compression, A/D conversion and clocking that a stock $500 Guitar Center pro-sumer Protools, Cubase, Sonar, etc. interface/preamp simply cannot provide. I also have full range (Genelec) and nearfield (Yamaha) professional monitoring systems, to make sure your mix sounds accurate both in home theater systems or in factory car radios. Amazing records have been made in home studios with good engineers that use quality recording equipment.

Why are your rates so much lower than other studios? What's the catch?

-- In addition to having less overhead expense than larger format studios in the area, I don't believe you should have to pay an overly inflated fee to have access to the SAME audiophile grade professional gear (and sound) used in those "$85+ an hour" studios where you're sweating the clock more than concentrating on a good performance.  At D.O.I., you're not paying an inflated rate to pay for an assistant engineer who sits in the corner of the room 95% of the time, or any other plethora of hidden "costs" charged by other studios that overcharge for "name recognition". While my rates do vary due to the complexity and length of the project, I aim to keep them reasonable for both label projects and unsigned and non-major label musicians and am confident the quality of what I provide will keep your business coming back.

Do you do mass duplication?

No. I do cassette-to-CD (or DVD) transfers, but I'm not set up to do mass or short run duplication at present.

Can you master my album?

- Although I do have a multiband mastering limiter, and the ability to burn 100% Redbook CD's, mastering is a unique art which requires years of specialized experience and very esoteric (and expensive) equipment...Although I *can* master your project if budgetary needs are a concern, I usually suggest having a professional mastering engineer handle mastering of the final product depending on your budget.

Are you a record label? Can you sign me to a deal?

- No. D.O.I. is a residential recording studio, not a record label. I do not pay people to record or sign them to record contracts. I provide recording engineering services such as tracking, beat detective, editing, and mixing .

I have a CD of my favorite song. Can you take the vocals off of it so I can be recorded singing over it?

- No. No matter what you have heard, once something is in a 2 track CD format (what you listen to in your car), I cannot remove individual pieces of the recording.

What format am I recording to when I record with you?

- D.O.I. uses both internal SATA and external Glyph hard drives with the Oxford 924 bridging chip when recording in Protools. You will get your product in Protools session file format, Redbook CD audio (or MP3 if requested for internet usage). I *always* backup sessions and will keep your session in my files for up to 14 days after the project ends, at which time you will be given the option to copy the files to your own drive or pay for archiving.

No files or songs will be released until balance is paid up to date and no responsibility is claimed for any files left on my hard drives after the project is over unless you pay for archival.

What can you record?

-- From Synths, Guitars, Bass, Vocals, Drums, Voiceovers, and Narration, D.O.I. can capture your sound transparently, enhance it, and make it "radio ready" and easily transferable to any studio in the world for further mixing via my business class internet.

 

Do you rent out equipment?

- No way.