stARTled Salmon

CONTACT AT 907-247-2787 or jsn0jsn AT aol.com (the 0 in jsn0jsn is a zero)

 

Services, Rates, and FAQs

 

the stARTled Salmon:  A PROFESSIONAL RECORDING STUDIO!

 

The stARTled Salmon serves as a professional recording studio, and employs an audio engineer capable of helping you make finished, gorgeous recordings that will most likely exceed your high expectations for professional-sounding music.  After recording with us, you and your friends will hear, appreciate, and think about your music in a totally different way!

 

Thanks to 21st century technological developments, we’re able to fit an amazing amount of high quality recording and processing tools in a small, intimate, friendly environment.  We use many of the best, natural, “old school” and vintage recording techniques, relying upon digital technology for its speed and convenience in editing.  (If you’ve recorded on analogue tape before, you know what a time-consuming pain it can be... rewinding, editing, etc...). 

 

Our audio engineer has recorded 200-some albums, is familiar with pretty much every variety of music out there, and is great at matching the sound quality/characteristics of other recordings.  So if you really want to sound like second side of the original vinyl edition of Rod Stewart’s “Every Picture Tells a Story” -- or whatever -- bring in the recording you love, and we’ll get the sound of your music as close as possible!

 

ALSO -- artists who record with us are invited to appear on our compilation CDs!  Woo hoo!

 

GEAR:  

-- Logic 9 -- the newest version of the most sophisticated recording software available for Mac.  

-- Waveburner mastering software, with Waves L1 (the professional mastering tool used by the biggest and best studios out there).  

-- Mackie Mixer with Onyx preamps (although in the digital age, this operates as little more than an interface)

-- Tube pre-amps, including a refurbished 1950s Gates all-tube mixer

-- Mic selection includes a versatile array of high quality gear, including Neumann and Rode large diaphragm condensers, and various small diaphragm condensers and ribbon mics.

 

RATES:

 

Rates are pretty standard.  $100/hour.  

 

We’ve been giving Ketchikan (and yes, Saxman, Metlakatla, and POW) residents a substantial price break, with LOCAL RATES at $50/hour M-F 9am-5pm, and $75/hour during weekends, evenings (and late mornings!).  

 

 

 

We plan to keep the local rates thing happening, except during times when retail traffic and non-resident recording sessions balloon... in which case, we’ll to switch to $100/hour for everyone. 

 

Payment goes like this.  When the session is done, you pay the full balance for the time you were here.  With no exceptions.  Please come with cash, check, or credit card, prepared to pay for the session when it is over.  Sorry -- no “house accounts” or “I’ll just pay you tomorrow.”

 

CANCELLATIONS:

 

If you book studio time and then cancel with less than 24 hours notice, or don’t show up, we reserve the right to charge you a $20 cancellation fee.  This reflects the time spent waiting for you, and/or the inconvenient fact that we could have scheduled someone/something else for the period of time we set aside for you.  In the past year, we’ve wasted a good deal of time, energy, and money because of irregular cancellation etiquette, so unfortunately, no matter how good your excuse is, how busy you imagine we are or aren’t, or who you are... you will probably have to pay the fee, which is a small courtesy for our inconvenience.  And yes, you can pay it from your gift certificate, if you have one.

 

 

 

 

 

FAQs:

 

Q:  Why should I pay to record when I have Garageband?  Or a four-track?

 

A:  Maybe you shouldn’t.  However, if you decide to give us a whirl, we expect you will notice the incredible difference in sound quality that comes from recording using high-end microphones, top quality recording software, plug-ins, and processors, and an audio engineer with a great deal of experience.  Recording with us will bring much better-sounding results, much faster.  Garageband and four-tracks definitely have their place in the world of home recording... and garageband can be an interesting platform when coupled with high quality AU plug-ins and well-tempered experience... but there are reasons that big studios use Logic and/or Protools, and record labels pay uber-bucks to have CDs mastered with the Waves Ultramaximizer (the same stuff we use) -- sound quality is light years better, and the final product sounds way more awesome.  If you are aiming for a lo-fi sound like old-school Ween, Beck’s first recordings, or Lycia, home recording will maybe make more sense than recording here.  All of those professional artists, however, took their home studio tracks to a “real studio” for enhancement and mastering of their home recordings... nothing gets released directly from the four-track or garage band.

 

On another note... if you are into home recording, I think that is seriously awesome.  Working here will hopefully give you a lot of ideas about how to make things sound better at home.  If you have any questions, I’ll be glad to try to answer them, and give you ideas during your session.  I learned to record by hanging out at studios all the time as a youngster, watching professional audio engineers, and asking lots of questions -- so I’m glad to help give back!

 

Also, you’ll be amazed at what can result from you recording your music at home, then bringing the finished material here for “improvement” -- this may be a great way to save time and money, while getting a significantly better product!  (See below!)

 

 

Q:  Can you take my old four-track tapes / Garage Band recordings and make them sound better?

 

A:  Ohhhhhh yes.  And usually, billions upon billions (as Carl Sagan would say) of times better.  We can reduce noise, enhance the tonal qualities of your recording, and make it sound more “in your face” awesome... 

 

 

Q:  How long does it take to record?  Can you predict how long it will take to record my album?

 

A:  It depends.  It’s pretty much impossible for me to give you any sort of accurate prediction -- so I won’t.  If you’re well-prepared, play one instrument and sing, and do four songs, it shouldn’t take you very long.  (Took Jarad Fudge 1.5 hours, including mixing and burning CDs).  If you have more people in your band, it will probably take longer.  The more people, the longer it will take.  The more songs, the longer it will take.  It isn’t too hard to record a few different people playing non-electric instruments together in a room all at once... however, with big loud bands with electric instruments, it won’t sound that great unless we go one or two instruments at a time.  In these situations, things go pretty fast providing we can minimalize set-up time by doing drums on all 10 songs (or whatever), then bass and guitar on all 10 songs, then vocals on all 10 songs... etc.  

 

In any case, I will do my best to expedite the process.  I’m full of tricks, and I’m told I work crazily fast!  People have finished a full karaoke-style (vocals + instrumental backing track) album in an hour, a full length “live” album of songs (70 minutes of useable material) in 3 hours, and more complicated albums in a day. 

 

Some people have also labored for weeks on a single song, struggling and struggling to get things "just so."  This isn’t typical -- but it happens, especially if you expect more of yourself than you’re capable of delivering, or if you’re deadset on micromanaging every aspect of what I’m doing as an audio engineer.  Be prepared, and let me do my job, and help you along.  The better prepared you are, the less time it will take.  The more you relax and let me do my job, and help you along, the easier/faster it will go.  

 

But again, I really can’t accurately predict or guarantee how much time it will take.

 

 

Q:  Do I have to pay for set-up time?

 

A:  Yes.  This is not only work, but some of the most important work I do during the recording session.

 

 

Q:  And take down time?

 

A:  Yes, because I am still working.  Although, this doesn’t usually take much time at all.  Rarely over 5 minutes.   Especially if you don’t delay in packing up your equipment.

 

 

Q:  Do I have to pay for mixing?

 

A:  Yes.  Again, this is work -- and very important work.  Although, this doesn’t have to take much time at all.  I’m experienced enough, and have enough tools instantly at my disposal in Logic 9, that this can be accomplished well rather quickly.   We can get more intense about mixing/processing -- as intense as you’d like to be.  The rate is the same as with any other type of studio work.  

 

 

Q:  Do we have to mix the album?

 

A:  Unless you want to come to my studio every time you want to hear it... yes.  And for my sake, please do!!!

 

 

Q:  I started this project at XY studios, and want to add tracks at your studio.  Can you do that?

 

A:  Absolutely -- I do it all the time.  Let’s talk about the formats you have available, so I can determine what we need to make this happen...

 

Q:  Can you guarantee that I’ll finish an album that I will love in a week, or for $1,000?

A:  No.  I can’t guarantee any of your subjective opinions of your own music.  And I also can’t guarantee how long it will take you to finish something.  Or if you’ll ever even finish it.  (You know how people are... some people start things they can never finish.)  Only you can guarantee yourself these things.  What I can guarantee is that I will do my best to figure out how meet your requirements within the parameters you’ve suggested.

 

 

Q:  Do I have to credit you for recording this stuff?  How do I do that?  Do I have to give you a percent, or anything like that, from my sales?

 

A:  You do not pay us any sort of "percentage" on your music -- or any other money beyond the money you paid to record at the studio. If you want to release music on stARTled Salmon Records, we will discuss that separately from your recording session, when you are finished.  This isn’t LA, and we don’t do things on spec for percentages.  You can credit me / not credit me however you want.   “Recorded by Jason C. at the stARTled Salmon in Ketchikan, Alaska” does the trick well enough.  Or don’t just worry about it -- we’re not Kanye West, and don’t need tons of credit for everything.  Just happy customers.

 

 

Q:  Can I send you an album I recorded in Timbuktu, Oregon for you to master?

 

A:  YES!  We really enjoy mastering, and are always excited to help master material, even (and especially) if it was recorded elsewhere.

 

 

Q:  What is mastering?  Should I do it?

 

A:  Mastering is the final step in the recording process, when you make final adjustments to the tonal quality of the recording, raise and balance your tracks to an appropriate volume level, and get everything ready for replication.  This can be as simple as some volume changes... or more complicated, involving tonal enhancements/adjustments that make the sound quality go from great to WHOA!  

 

Should you do it?  ABSOLUTELY.

 

Think about selling a used car.  Sure, you can take it to the lot with the exterior covered with dirt, and needing an oil change... but if you make a small investment... new fluids, washing the dirt off... you will have a product that appears WAY better and is more enjoyable to drive.  As a result, people will be much more likely to want and buy the darn thing.  You didn’t physically change the product, however -- you just enhanced what was already there -- cleaned-up some junk, and realized the car’s maximum potential!  Until you do mastering, people are test-driving a dirty car.  Someone may buy it, but it’s sometimes the little things that make all the difference... and seriously, kid... washer fluid isn’t very expensive at all.

 

It’s kinda the same with mastering.  You’re taking a car (album), and putting it through the car wash (mastering process).  You don’t want to totally change the color (tone)... just make the color that’s there shine, the way it was meant to.  

 

Other metaphors including putting icing on the cake, putting varnish on a painting, trimming a poodle’s hair, etc.

 

 

Q:  Can you make me sound like T-Pain?  Nile’s new album?  Like a 1930s WPA recording of a hillbilly fiddle player?

 

A:  I have actually done all of the things mentioned above.  Just bring a recording of what you want to sound like, so I can figure out how to get your recording to sound like what you’re interested in.

 

 

Q:  Do you make beats?  Can I buy beats from you?  I’m a rapper, but I need beats.

 

A:  Yes, we can make beats here.  You can either choose something from our library of already available beats, or I can make something new and creative for you.  If I am making new beats specifically for you, be prepared to pay for the time of beat-making (regular studio rate), as well as a small, one-time fee that allows you to use the original, creative product I made for you for time eternal... on recordings, or live.  This fee will probably be like $25/beat.  

 

 

Q:  I need a studio drummer.  And other studio musicians.  Can you help?

 

A:  I am not a drummer.... but we have a drum library of “beats” being performed by some truly excellent drummers, including a professional from Philly who kicks major tuckus.   You can use any of that material free of cost.  Or, I can help you find a local drummer -- however, because of the nature of our capitalist society, musicians usually want you to pay them something for their time and creativity.  Be aware of this.  While you’re here, I’m glad to help play other instruments... including guitar, bass, back-up vocals... etc.  And I will do this for no additional fee.  And... unlike with “beats” -- you do not have to pay any sort additional fee for the use of this material.  If you don’t even want to credit me, and just pretend it’s you... that is totally fine, too.

 

 

Q:  Wait... why do beats cost extra money?  Like, why do I have to pay an extra $25 to use a beat you made, while it doesn’t cost any extra money for you to play bass?

 

A:  Quite simply, because making beats is annoying, takes a lot of my creative energy, and is not worth doing any other way.  $25 is insanely cheap for all the rights to an original, creative beat you can use forever.  

 

 

Q:  What is a “beat” ?  What if I don’t want a “beat,” but just a drum machine track, with some bass.  That’s not really a beat, because...

 

A:  I will be the one to define what a “beat” is.  Sorry.  If I think something is a “beat,” or is “beat enough” for me to require the $25 beat-fee, I will let you know. 

 

 

Q:  Can I pay you later?  Like tomorrow?  You’ve got my songs... you can keep them until I pay...

 

A:  Sorry -- rules are you pay at the end of the studio session.  There’s no “credit” or “house account” kinda thing.  We’ve tried, but obviously, people abuse that every which way possible.  Pay when you’re done your session.  Your recording may be worth $200 to you because you spent four hours recording it... but to us, it is not suitable collateral, because we cannot take it to a pawn shop and get $200 for it.  We have to do stuff like pay rent, insurance, etc. -- so we need to be paid promptly for the services you receive.