Recording Studio FAQs
Everything You Might Want to Know Before Coming to The Source Studio Exeter
Thinking about recording your first song? Wondering how much studio time you need? Not sure whether your band should record live or one instrument at a time?
Here are answers to some of the questions we're most often asked about recording, rehearsing, mixing, mastering and making music at The Source Studio Exeter.
If your question isn't here, just get in touch. You don't need to know all the technical details before talking to us.
Q1. How much does it cost to record a song?
A. It depends on the song, the number of musicians involved and what you want to achieve.
Our full studio rate is up to £300 per day, but we work on a sliding scale depending on the project and available budget.
Recording a singer-songwriter is very different from recording a five-piece band with live drums, multiple guitars and layers of vocals, so we'd rather understand your project before telling you what it's going to cost.
Tell us what you're making and what you've got to spend, and we'll tell you what's realistically achievable.
Q2. How much does a recording studio cost per day?
A. Our full studio day rate is up to £300.
However, we don't believe great music should only be available to people with big budgets, so talk to us about your project.
The best way to understand the likely cost is to tell us what you're hoping to record, how far you've already got and what budget you're working with.
Q3. Can we record a whole song in one day?
A. Yes. We've had bands record complete songs in a single day.
How much you can achieve depends enormously on how well prepared you are, how complicated the arrangement is and how you want to record.
A well-rehearsed band that knows exactly what it's playing can accomplish a surprising amount in a day.
But we don't rush performances simply to get another song finished.
Getting the right performance matters more than getting the most performances.
Q4. How many songs can we record in a day?
A. There isn't a fixed answer.
A band recording live might capture several songs in a session, while a complex production involving individually recorded instruments, multiple guitar layers, harmonies and overdubs might spend an entire day on one song.
If you're planning an EP or album, talk to us beforehand and we'll help you work out the most efficient way to approach it.
Q5. Do we need to record every instrument separately?
A. No.
Some bands sound best when everyone is playing together. Others benefit from building the recording one instrument at a time.
We offer both live recording and multitrack studio recording.
We'll help you choose the approach that suits your music rather than automatically forcing every band through the same recording process.
Q6. Can you record a full band?
A. Absolutely.
The Source Studio is set up for recording bands as well as individual musicians, singers and songwriters.
We can record drums, bass, guitars, vocals, keyboards and other instruments individually, or capture the energy of the band performing together.
Q7. Can I record my first single with you?
A. Definitely.
You don't need previous studio experience.
We've worked with musicians recording their first ever release as well as more experienced artists and bands.
We'll explain what's happening as we go and keep the session relaxed. Recording your first song should be exciting, not intimidating.
Q8. Do I need to be an experienced musician to use a recording studio?
A. No.
A recording studio isn't reserved for professional musicians.
If you've written something you'd like to record, we'd much rather hear it and talk about what you're trying to achieve than worry about how much studio experience you've got.
Q9. Can I hear examples of artists you've recorded?
A. Yes. Check out this Spotify Playlist of Artists we've worked with
Or, have a look at our Artist Case Studies, where you can discover some of the bands and musicians we've worked with, what they came to the studio to make and how the sessions developed.