FAQs

Have you had a bad experience recording at another studio? Didn’t come out with what you hoped for? 

If so we may be able to fix it for you. Over the years we have remastered badly done jobs for many bands who have been let down by other studio's. If a different studio has left you feeling disappointed with your final tracks, just bring us the wav files. We know all the tricks.

We have a great team at The Lodge and all our engineers understand what is needed to make a track sound great. Pay us a visit, and bring any offending recordings with you. We will give you an honest opinion and suggest the best course of action.

A 10 hour day includes an engineer and starts at 10:00am, finishing at 8.00pm. It must include a break for the engineer equivalent to 5 minutes per hour.) This break is usually taken in one or two chunks.

It also includes the use of all the studio gear as listed on our main page.

It does not include any media. (CD's/DVD's)

Ideally, you should bring all the gear you normally use (except PA equipment). However we do have the following Guitar Amps available:

• Line6 Pod Pro + FloorBoard
• Slimline Marshall 4 x 12
• 400 watt Crown Power Amp
• 200 Watt Marshall Studio Combo
• 200 Watt Peavy Bass Stack

We also have a Pear Drum Kit in good condition. You need to bring your own cymbals and hi-hats. Most drummers who decide to use the studio kit also like to bring their own snare and bass-drum pedal.

Other things which people tend to forget are:

• Guitar Strings
• Guitar Tuner (if you need one)
• Drum Sticks
• Drum Key (If you are using your own kit)
• Spare Bass drum Skin
• Spare Snare Skin
• Paper and Pens

Above all you should try and come with plenty of ideas and well worked out parts - have a good think about your recording plans before you come in.

The role of a record producer is as follows:

• To take charge over, and responsibility for, the recording session as a whole. (Rather like a film director).
• Make decisions and suggestions about every aspect of the recording process.
• Help with and suggest various improvements and additional content. (Vocal arrangements, overdubs, sound fx, etc)
• Get the best out of the performers and writers involved. (Quality Control)
• To perform on the tracks if required.
• To mediate in the case of any disputes which may arise.

If you feel there are things on this list that you cannot or do not wish to do for yourself, you should consider having a producer. Please be aware that the above are not the responsibility of the engineer. 

Your engineer will give general help and advice with respect to the following:

• Setting up.
• Tuning of instruments.
• General performance advice.
• Quality control (Timing, Tuning and Sound Quality)
• Give his opinion when asked.

Your engineer will not generally get involved with the following:

• Taking on the responsibilities/role of a producer.
• Performing on the tracks.
• Arranging the music.
• Generating lyrics and/or music.
• Get involved with band politics and disputes.

A difficult question to answer. The things that take up a lot of time in this studio are:

• Complex requirements of production/arrangement.
• Technically difficult music.
• Getting a good drum sound from a badly maintained/tuned drum kit.
• Out of tune guitars. (These often need to be sorted out by restringing/adjusting the intonation).
• Repeated "re-takes" due to lack rehearsal/expertise.
• Arguments arising from a difference of opinion within the band with regard to content/production.
• Equipment failure.
• Too many drugs.
• Too much booze.
• Interference/distractions from friends, outsiders and hangers on.

So, sometimes it is possible to record and mix a whole album of songs in a single weekend. A very well rehearsed rock band with a good drum kit and only vocals and a few instrumental overdubs to record should have no trouble with this. We have done quite a few times in the past.

On the other hand, a band or solo artist with one or more of the things on the above list will take longer. Some bands spend several months recording an album. Some are quite happy if they can get three songs done to a high standard in a weekend. More experienced recording artists usually know how long things generally take them to do and make their plans accordingly.

Our advice is this: Put quality before quantity unless you have a good reason not to. Someone listening to your demo for the first time needs to be impressed within the first twenty seconds. Make sure that you are completely satisfied with everything you record, as you go along. It is time consuming and expensive to have to go back and redo things at a later stage. As a general rule, the more work you are prepared to put into a track, the better it will sound.

One thing you can be sure of is this. The lodge will always take full responsibility of any delays caused by the studio itself and will always make generous allowances in compensation.