Echo Base is a 32 track digital home recording studio located in Buffalo, NY. specializing in independent music including hardcore, punk, metal, emo, indie rock and more.
Main tracking is done in a large isolation (whisper) room. With a seperate upstairs control room.
Some select gear includes: Digidesign Pro-Tools, Soundcraft Ghost 24ch mixer, M-Audio BX8 monitors, Presonus Central Station. Mics from Audio Technica, Shure, Sennheiser, Audix, Oktava, AKG and more. Outboard gear from FMR Audio, DBX, Line 6, Korg with more on the way. Plug-in's including Drumagog, Izotope Ozone, Bomb Factory, Amplitube, Waves, SSL, Pultec, Fairchild and many more
I can also make available (upon request) some excellent guitars, basses and amps, including Orange 4x12 guitar cab, Marshall 4x12 guitar cabwith Vintage 30's, Mesa Boogie 4x12 Halfback, Ampeg 8x10 bass cab, Ampeg SVT Classic tube head, Sovtek Mig 100h tube head, Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifer, Peavey 5150 II. Gibson Les Paul Standard, Rickenbacker 650, Gibson Les Paul Lite, Gibson Les Paul Studio (set up for B tuning) guitars, Ernie Ball Musicman Sterling (active) and Rickenbacker 4001 basses.
Some basic studio information: $20/hr for time spent tracking. Mixing and Mastering are both done at a flat rate depending on the complexity of the mix, but it usually ends up being about $20/song. Mixing is an art form and it tends to be easier if you're not watching the clock. This insures the best possible sounding results. Most mixes are unattended, but you're welcome to sit in and work with us if you feel it will help. I will also do mixing and/or mastering work for other peoples projects. Want to get your demo mastered so it's nice and LOUD? Special rates may be available and I will do by best to work with your schedule and budget. (
[email protected])
STUDIO TIPS:
1. Practice practice practice. I cant stress this enough. When you're paying by the hour is not the time to start writing lyrics, solos, or work on the new song you've never practiced. Try and have these things worked out before you get here
2. Make sure your instruments are in top shape. This means new strings for bass and guitar. If your intonation is off try and get them set up before you come is. If you're planning on using my guitars let me know in advance.
3. New heads for drums. I know it's expensive, but if you can afford it, go for it. Snare and toms especially. No broken cymbals! We can tune your drums for you here, but if your heads are old and beat theres only so much we can do. new drum heads make for great sounding drums, and great drums make for great records! If you're looking for a triggered drum sound we can do that as well. Please let us know ahead of time.
4. Remember that time=quality. If you're shopping a demo consider recording less songs but spending more time on them. Remember, the average demo is only 4/5 songs, and thats something we can usually get done in a weekend. When you're trying to figure out how much time you need take into consideration set up time, getting mics set up, getting good sounds, break down time, setting up the next instrument ect.
5. Please do not invite friends, girlfriends/boyfriends, roadies, fans or groupies (alright groupies are ok.) Space here is very limited, and it's distracting to the band and the engineer.
6. Do you need an engineer, a producer or both? Whats the difference you ask? An engineer is the guy in charge of running all the equipment, setting up mics, getting good sounds, and pressing record. A producer will work with you to make sure you're songs are as good as they can be and getting the best performance out of the musician. This can include anything from re-working parts, working on song structure, vocal coaching, harmonies, timing, and making sure everything works well in context. Most expensive studios will only provide and engineer, and leave everything else up to you unless you're paying extra. Here at Echo Base we pride ourselves on playing the roles of both Engineer AND Producer (at no extra cost). However if you would prefer we just shut up and press record we can do that as well.
7. Ask questions! ...Please feel free to email and ask any questions you have. If it's your first time in the studio let us know and we'll be happy to walk you through the process. Remember that any suggestions we offer you in the studio are just that, and you have the final say as to what goes.
Please check the photo section for pictures, and check my blogs for updated studio info.
