Vocal and instrument recording in Amsterdam

Who this session is for

The booth is built for anyone capturing one voice or one instrument at a time. Singer-songwriters taking a demo further, rappers with a beat that only needs vocals, choirs recording section by section, and producers who have everything finished at home except a clean vocal.

Instrumentalists are just as welcome: a string player overdubbing a part onto an existing song, a saxophonist laying down a solo, or a guitarist who wants an acoustic part without the sound of a living room. If you are under 16, a parent or guardian makes the booking and stays for the session.

The booth and the control room

The booth measures 9 m² and is acoustically treated: dry enough for a tight recording, but not so dead that you lose touch with your own voice. A window gives you eye contact with the 26 m² control room, where the engineer listens and anyone you bring along can follow the session.

From a collection of 34 microphones we pick what suits your voice and the song. A large-diaphragm condenser brings detail and air, a dynamic mic handles a powerful singer or an aggressive rap delivery, and a ribbon can smooth out harsh top end on strings or brass. You hear the comparison yourself and we choose together.

What to prepare

The better prepared you are, the more of your booked time goes into actual recording. A short checklist:

• The instrumental as a WAV at the correct sample rate, or the full session with tempo and key noted.
• Your lyrics, printed or on your phone, with doubles and harmonies marked.
• Two or three reference tracks with a vocal sound you like.
• For instruments: fresh strings or a new reed a few days before, and your instrument in tune when you arrive.

Avoid singing yourself hoarse the night before, drink plenty of water and skip a heavy meal right before the session. For more on warming up, pitch and pacing a session, read our guide on preparing a vocal session.

How a session runs

The first ten to twenty minutes go into setup: choosing the mic, setting levels, building your headphone mix. Then you sing or play the song through a few times. Those early passes are often surprisingly usable, because you are not yet thinking about details.

After that we work section by section: a tricky high note in the chorus, a verse that needs a little more breath, a harmony that has to sit exactly on the lead. We take breaks whenever your voice asks for one. An average song with verses, choruses and some doubles usually takes two to four hours. For an EP or several songs, a half day or full day works out better value.

What you take home, and in which format

At the end of the session we assemble the strongest takes into a comp: one continuous track per part. We clean up distracting breaths and noise between phrases, without stripping the natural breathing out of the performance.

Every track starts at the same point, so it drops straight into your own session or another engineer's. If the comp is not finished on the day, you receive the files within 7 days through a download link.

Revisions and archive

After delivery you get 2 rounds of revisions on the comp. Prefer a different take in the second chorus, or noticed a breath at home that should go? Tell us and we will change it. New recordings are not part of this; we book those as a follow-up session.

We keep your session in our archive for 6 months. Come back within that time for an extra verse or a new backing part and we pick the project up exactly where we left it.

What the price does not cover

The rate covers the booth, the microphones, the engineer and the comp. A few things sit outside it:

• Mixing the complete song, which is a separate service: see mixing.
• Mastering for streaming or a physical release: see mastering.
• Extensive pitch correction or syllable-by-syllable timing edits.
• Hiring session musicians or a vocal coach.

We will tell you honestly beforehand whether something fits within the session or is better handled separately.

Pricing, deposit and cancellation

You can book a single studio hour, a half day of four hours or a full day of eight hours. All prices on this page include 21% VAT. Excluding VAT, the hourly rate is €70.25, a half day €256.20 and a full day €479.34.

When you confirm a booking we ask for a 30% deposit. You can cancel or reschedule free of charge up to 3 days before the session; after that we charge 50% of the booked amount. Business clients pay the balance within 14 days of the invoice date. The full conditions are in our terms and conditions.

What you get

• Engineer for the entire session
• Comparison of two or three microphones on your voice
• Your own headphone mix, adjustable at any time
• Comp of the strongest takes with breaths cleaned up
• Clearly named WAV tracks with a common start point
• 2 rounds of revisions on the comp
• Session archived for 6 months