A big question is, How much does a recording studio cost? The value and relevance of recording studios even in today’s technologically advanced times is an established fact. So is its cost. For many budding singers, vocalists and artists, the cost is an influencing factor when deciding whether or not to book a session to record an album in a recording studio.

Factors Influencing The Cost Of Recording At A Studio

Different studios charge different hourly rates for a session at their place. Numerous factors influence this decision. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Quality of Equipment

Studios typically have all the necessary equipment and gear required for recording. Equipment can include reference studio monitors, virtual instruments, digital audio workstations, mic stands, etc.  The quality of this equipment directly impacts the quality of sound and rate a studio charges its customers for the recording process. The more high-quality the equipment, the more the hourly cost. You can find small home-based studios charging as little as $25/hour and high-end studios, with top-of-the-line equipment and pro tools, charging as much as $200/hour.

Space

The size of the studio room plays a key role in the cost of booking a session. Large studio rooms will tend to have more instruments and equipment, will house more musicians at one time, and offer better acoustics. Accordingly, they will have higher rates than small studio rooms. Large studios can have multiple rooms of varying sizes and they too tend to offer their smaller studio rooms at a lower cost when compared with their larger studio rooms.  No matter the size, a professional studio will far expand the quality of any recording you could make in a home studio.

Reputation

Studios with a famous clientele or with known producers associated with big hits will always charge higher rates compared with lesser-known recording studios. The world-famous Abbey Road Studios, for example, can charge in the thousands for a session of a couple of hours.  Look at the reputation of the music producer, sound engineers, audio engineers the studio offers.  Look also at the Labels they support.  You can do this by visiting their website or social media platforms.  That will give you good indication of what a professional recording studio can offer.

Studio Membership

Many studios offer memberships, which gives members better rates for recording sessions. So, membership can be instrumental in helping secure cheaper sessions for those planning to use studio services regularly to record music or make an audio recording or vocal recording.

Minimum Time

Many studios have a minimum studio time requirement with an hour minimum fixed cost for it. This obviously affects the overall cost incurred when booking a session, benefiting those who need to book long hours and hurting those whose need for the studio is for less than the minimum required time.

Cost-Saving Strategies For Recording At A Studio

While it is not possible to avoid all costs when recording at a studio, there are certain steps you can take to minimize the cost incurred when booking with a studio. We list some of the most effective cost-saving strategies here.

Do Your Research

When looking for a recording studio, don’t book with the first one you come across. Shop around. Look up customer reviews, equipment available, and the rates. Some studios will be charging a premium simply because their studio is in a prime location where the rents are high. You might find equally good studios at better rates a short commute away. Find out which ones offer good off-peak rates and how you can benefit from them. See if the ones you like but are booked, have a call-list, which is having your name on a list of people they call when they have a sudden cancellation. Many studios offer much more economical rates to those on the call list.

Do Your Homework

Remember that you want to use your precious studio time well. For this to happen, you have to make sure that you go to the studio setup and well-prepared on every front so you can exclusively work your desired project.  If you are going for recording, make sure to have memorized your words, practiced your vocals, and decided on the sound component so the bulk of the time is spent on the actual recording and fine-tuning. Additionally, it would be cost-effective to make sure you don’t include any service with the record studio, which you can competently do by yourself. So, for example, if you know the art of mixing a song, you might want to avoid having a mixing engineer in your package, which will help cut down on the overall cost of your session.

Know Your Requirements And Look For The Appropriate Solution

You need to be clear on what you need a recording studio for, the number of hours of studio time required, and how often you will need it. If your project is a one-off big project, then you might be interested in making sure to book the bulk of the hours upfront as many studios will offer discounted rates, which you can benefit. On the other hand, if your need is longer-term and frequent, then perhaps shopping around for the best studio membership might be a good idea. Find the one that offers the best discount on its rates to recording artists and numerous other member benefits and invest in it. 

At the end of the day, to make sure that the commercial studio proves to be a value-for-money choice, you have to strike the right balance between the cost and the quality of service provided, all the while employing every cost-saving strategy available to you.

Track Garden Studio strives to be your professional, yet economical New Jersey recording studio.