Live band recording in Amsterdam

Which bands this suits

Recording live works well for bands who know their songs inside out and want the feel of a gig on record: rock and indie bands, jazz combos, soul and funk groups, folk ensembles and singer-songwriters with a regular backing band. It is also a natural choice for a demo aimed at bookers or a live session filmed for video.

Still arranging, or building a song from layers you want to stack one at a time? A session per instrument is often easier then, see vocal and instrument recording. Combining both is common too: rhythm section live, vocals and extras afterwards in the booth.

The live room and the layout

The live room is 48 m² and holds up to 6 musicians with their gear. The drum kit gets a fixed spot where the room adds character, amps go partly behind gobos or into a corner, and whoever sings during the take can stand in the booth with a line of sight to the others.

We have 34 microphones to work with. A drum kit on its own often takes eight to twelve: kick, snare top and bottom, toms, overheads and one or two room mics. Guitar and bass amps get a mic on the speaker, and bass usually also runs through a DI so you can choose in the mix.

Preparing as a band

In the studio the clock runs for everyone at once, so a solid rehearsal beforehand saves you money straight away. Our suggestions:

• Rehearse the songs in the order you plan to record them and agree on tempos, with or without a click.
• Fit new drum heads and strings a few days ahead so they have time to settle.
• Check cables, pedals and batteries; a humming amp eats a lot of time on the day.
• Write a list per song with the line-up and any overdubs you already know about.

How many songs are realistic in a half day or full day, and how to split your money between recording, mixing and mastering, is covered in our guide on budgeting a band recording.

A recording day in practice

Setting up and soundchecking a full band usually takes around ninety minutes to two hours. That sounds like a lot, but every minute spent here is saved later in the mix. Then you play a few full takes of each song. After each one we listen back briefly in the 26 m² control room so everyone hears how it sounds.

A tight band often records four to six songs in a day, and two or three in a half day. That depends heavily on song length, how well the material sits and how many overdubs you want. Book two days in a row and the setup can stay in place, so day two starts with playing.

Click or no click

Playing to a click makes editing and adding parts later easier. But not every band is comfortable with it, and some music breathes precisely through small shifts in tempo. We talk this through beforehand. Without a click we are more likely to retake a whole song than stitch sections together.

There is a middle ground as well: only the drummer hears the click and the rest follow the drums. The feel of playing together stays intact while you still get a fixed grid for the mix.

How the tracks are delivered

You receive every track as a separate 24-bit WAV file, named per instrument and sharing the same start point, so they line up instantly in any software. You also get a rough stereo mix to listen back to at home. Delivery takes place within 7 days through a download link.

For assembling the chosen take and tidying edits between takes you get 2 rounds of revisions. We keep the session for 6 months, so you can come back later for extra vocals or a guitar part.

What is not included

• Mixing the songs, which is a separate service: see mixing.
• Mastering for streaming or vinyl: see mastering.
• Renting backline such as a second drum kit or amps we do not have in house.
• Detailed hit-by-hit drum timing edits.

Not sure whether something fits into the session? Ask us beforehand through the contact form. We reply within 2 working days.

Rates and booking terms

A live band session is booked per half day of four hours or per full day of eight hours, always with an engineer. The listed prices include 21% VAT; excluding VAT that is €347.11 for a half day and €628.10 for a full day. Load-in and load-out fall within the booked time.

On confirmation you pay a 30% deposit. Up to 3 days ahead you can cancel or reschedule free of charge; after that 50% of the amount is due. Agree within the band who books and pays, which keeps things simple. Full details are in the terms and conditions.

What you get

• Engineer for the whole session, setup included
• 48 m² live room for up to 6 musicians
• Microphones, gobos and DI boxes
• Individual headphone mix for each player
• Every track per instrument as a 24-bit WAV
• Rough stereo mix for listening back
• Session archived for 6 months