Services & Rates

The studio with engineer is $60 per hour.

If you’d like me to produce your project, I charge a flat $200 per song on top of the hourly rate for the studio.

Mixing $60/hr up to $300/song.

If you’d like me to play on any tracks, it’s $100 per instrument per song.

For more details, read on.

RECORDING – You’ll get the best take possible. There’s no reason for anything to sound less than great.

This is one of my favorite parts of making records. Being in the room helping create music is about as good as it gets.

WHAT IS INCLUDED

  • FULL USE of the studio and all the instruments, amps, and noisemakers that come with it, plus someone to get the best sounds out of them.
  • GREAT SOUNDING TRACKS using quality gear, proper mic placement and optimum gain staging, up to 16 inputs at one time.
  • SEAMLESS EDITING – Comping of multiple takes, Pitch correction and Drum editing and tightening if necessary.
  • A TRAINED EAR – My years of experience, education and attention to detail are at your service.
  • AN ALLY – I’m on your side, and I’ll help you get the most out of what you can do.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED

  • MUSICIANS – But I can arrange for any players you like. You’ll pay them directly a previously agreed to rate at the end of the session.
  • PRODUCTION – You run the show. I’ll make be sure we get great sounds to tape.
  • OTHER STUDIOS – But if you want to use a studio other than mine, I can get great rates on other rooms. My cost stays the same, and you cover the studio cost.

RECORDING RATES
$60 per hour

PRODUCTION – Make the music you want to make the way you want to make it.

From before the first note until the final mix, you only have to deal with me. I’ll take care of everything else. You just make music.

WHAT IS INCLUDED

  • A DISCUSSION of how you’d like to approach the album.
  • SONG SELECTION – I’ll help you choose your best songs that work best together.
  • CHARTS – I’ll learn and chart the songs to save time once we get to tracking.
  • PLAYING, SINGING and PROGRAMMING – I’ll do whatever the song needs that’s within my skill set. For anything outside it…
  • FINDING MUSICIANS – If you need session players, I know or will help you find the right ones.
  • IDEAS – And lots of them, but this is your record. I’m here to help.
  • HARMONY ASSISTANCE – I’ll help you write interesting, supportive vocal harmonies.
  • SCHEDULING – I’ll coordinate all sessions with all the players, so you don’t have to.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED

  • SONGWRITING – I love co-writing, but I don’t consider writing chord changes or lyrics part of production. If you’re interested in co-writing, let me know.
  • STRING ARRANGING – Though I’m happy to write string arrangements for an extra $150 per song.

PRODUCTION RATES
$200 per song + studio time.

MIXING – Make the song what it’s meant to be.

A great mix is so important in conveying the emotion of the song. It can make all the difference.

Here are some recent mixes I’ve done.

WHAT IS INCLUDED

  • A FOCUSED LISTENING SESSION to assess the song, identify the most important elements and create a plan for the mix.
  • OPTIMUM GAIN STAGING for maximum headroom and minimum noise.
  • EQ to give each element warmth, clarity and its own place in the mix.
  • MUSICAL COMPRESSION to bring out the energy and glue the tracks together.
  • Tasteful use of EFFECTS (reverb, delay, etc…) to give the song the right character.
  • AUTOMATION and SWEETENING so the mix is compelling from start to finish.
  • A RADIO-READY MIX

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED

  • EDITING
  • PITCH CORRECTION
  • COMPING OF MULTIPLE TAKES
  • DRUM EDITING and TIGHTENING

EDITING RATES
I do offer all of these services at $60 per hour.

REVISIONS

  • The first mix I send you may be just right, and often it will be. If it’s not, I’m happy to do up to 3 revisions so you get exactly what you want.

HOW TO TRANSFER TRACKS TO ME

  • I prefer Dropbox, but WeTransfer.com and YouSendIt.com work as well. If you’re in Portland, you can also bring your tracks in on a hard drive.
  • Please send me all the songs to be mixed at the same time. I work in batches so you get your tracks faster.
  • Label all the tracks clearly and put all of the tracks for any one song in an individual folder. Name the song folder “Artist Name: Song Name: Song Meter: BPM.”
  • Make sure that all the files for each song begin at the same point so I can drag all of them to the beginning of the session and have everything lined up correctly.

MIXING RATES
$60/hr up to $300/song ($150 deposit)

PLAYING & ONLINE RECORDING – Send me your tracks online or on a hard drive. I’ll add instrumental parts to them and send them to you via Dropbox.

You let me know what you hear for the song, and I’ll create a part I think suits it and moves it forward.

Here are some examples of my playing.

WHAT IS INCLUDED

  • ONE GREAT TAKE of each instruments you’d like me to play; Acoustic or Electric Guitar, Bass, Mandolin, Ukelele, Tin Whistle or Low Whistle.
  • ONE ALTERNATIVE VERSION with different fills and licks. Most of this version will be the same as the first.
  • ONE REVISION. I’ll do one set of changes so you get the take you want.
  • Correctly formatted WAV FILES

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED

  • EMULATION – I am fairly versatile, but I am not a chameleon. I sound like me. If that’s what you want, perfect. If not, I may not be your guy. Don’t worry though, I won’t take on anything I can’t do.

OTHER INSTRUMENTATION

  • I can arrange for musicians to record almost any instruments you like. Let me know what you need, and I can most likely I can make it happen. You’ll pay the musicians directly plus my rate of $50/hr.

REMOTE RECORDING RATES
$100 per instrument per song