Frequently Asked Questions

How do I book studio time?
Please book studio time in advance.  Call 706-534-1328 (and leave a message, if necessary) or email Chris Riser (chris@illuminatiaudio.om) as far in advance as you can.   Our normal hours are from 2PM to 2 AM. If you want to record outside those hours, please let us know in advance.

We may be booked several weeks in advance.  Call or email ahead of time, let us know the dates and times you want.  We'll check the schedule and let you know if they're available.   Let us know what you'll be recording (full band, singer/songwriter stuff, guitar overdubs, keyboard parts, transfers, etc.), so we can know how to set up and prepare for your session.

In order to confirm your booking, we require a deposit of 50% of the fee for the time booked. You can pay this deposit by cash, check, PayPal, or credit card (via PayPal).  Our PayPal payment address is chris@illuminatiaudio.com.  If you haven't paid a deposit, then you're not booked.  So, please make that a priority.

Have a plan.  Know what you will be recording, so that you make the best use of your time booked.  And let us know what your plan is!

Do you take credit cards?
Yes. You can pay by credit card through PayPal (even if you don’t have a PayPal account).

How long does it take to record and how much will it cost?
Making a CD requires recording, mixing and mastering.   Recording and mixing take the most time.  Mastering usually can be done in about a day for a normal-length album.  A 4-song demo might require only a day of recording, and a half-day of mixing and mastering. A 12-song album might require several days of recording, a few days for mixing, and a day for mastering.

In the end, the amount of time it will take to record will depend on the artists. If someone doesn't know his parts or is writing a part in the studio, the costs will be higher than if the parts were nailed on the first or second take.  We can take parts from several takes to make a composite take (a "comp"), and this will save time compared to the time that it might take to get the "perfect" take that may never happen. However, failing to have parts ready or writing major parts in the studio is the main reason why projects go over budget. We'll work with you to help you save time and money before you get started.

What should I bring with me when I come to record?
Bring whatever you normally would bring to play a live show – all of your instruments that you want to use, instrument cables, effects pedals, tuners, extra strings, extra drumsticks, etc. Put new heads on your drums if you can afford it. Put new strings on your guitar and be sure it is properly intonated (not just tuned, but intonated – make sure it plays in tune all the way up the neck).

What does an engineer do?  What does a producer do?
The engineer is the person who handles the technical aspects of recording, mixing and mastering the songs. The engineer’s basic job is to capture sounds. A producer decides how things will sound. If the engineer hasn’t been asked to take on a production role, you’re the producer.

A producer might make suggestions about sounds, arrangements, instrumentation, vocal parts, lyric changes, phrasing, etc. Using an outside producer or asking the engineer to take on a production role often is useful in adding new and different perspectives. Even small changes can make big differences.

I have a digital recorder at home – why can’t I just do this at home?
There is no doubt that home recordings can sound great, if you’ve got the skills to get the most out of your gear. There’s also no doubt that most studio recordings will sound better than most home recordings. So, why not get the best of the both worlds? Track some material here and some at home. Ideally, a band at least will record basic tracks (guitar, bass, drums, and lead vocals) here and work on overdubs at home. Even if you just work out parts at home, record scratch tracks on your home recording setup, and record final overdubs here, you will save a lot of time and end up with a better recording. We also can help your home-tracked recordings sound better. We’re especially good at beefing up drum tracks. If you’ve got drum tracks that have a great feel, but not a great sound, bring them to us and we likely can fix that to a great extent.

Also, we’ve got a great collection of gear here. While lower-quality microphones and preamps can be adequate or even useful in some cases, high-quality microphones and preamps just sound better, especially in the hands of an engineer who knows how and where to use them. We’ve got great old RCA ribbon mics that can smooth out a vocal sound when nothing else seems to do the trick. We’ve got Neumann mics that can give vocals or guitar tracks that extra sparkle that they’re otherwise missing. We’ve got lots of instruments to expand your musical palette beyond what you can do at home.

But you don't need to record anything at home. You can do it all here, and we're happy to help with that.

Do you specialize in recording any particular kinds of music?
We have experience recording and playing a wide variety of music and instruments. We don’t discriminate. But, if we don’t think we can do a good job for you, we’ll tell you and suggest another studio. If you need musicians to play on your project, we can arrange for session players or we can help you by playing on your project ourselves.

Can I check out the studio before I decide to record there?

Yes, just email or call to set up a date and time.

I’m a freelance engineer. Can I use your studio?
Qualified freelance engineers can work in our studio at the studio-only rates quoted on our rates page.