If you’re an indie artist looking to start releasing music, you may be wondering the best way to go about the recording phase. Many artists releasing music online don’t realize the importance of studio recordings. However, high quality productions play a huge part in an artist’s success or failure.
I do have a couple of songs in iTunes. The problem is funding studio recording costs I guess… ????
— Madeleina Kay????????????????#EUsupergirl???? (@MadeleinaKay) February 12, 2018
Unfortunately, many songwriters don’t have the budget to go into a fancy studio. So, they often end up settling for cheaper options, such as recording music themselves on low end equipment.
In the best case they end up going into smaller, cheaper studios with inexperienced producers and engineers.
While affordable, the quality of these recordings never measures up to commercial standards. The unfortunate result is a recording that hinders artists from reaching their full potential.
Thankfully, recent years have seen a rise in online recording studios, offering a way for indie artists to get professional recordings of their music at an affordable rate.
Sundown Sessions Studio – Premier Online Recording Studio https://t.co/tAVrgjYg35
— ???????????????? ???????????????? (@Ciudadana_Cero) September 23, 2019
Below are some of our best reasons for recording your music with an online studio. You may be surprised with the hugely positive impact a high caliber production can have on your career.
1. It’s A Cost-Effective Option
If you decide to go into a professional, physical studio, you could end up paying thousands of dollars every day. Furthermore, you’ll be paying extra for any session musicians or music producers involved.
If you decide something you tracked isn’t working, you’ll have to go back into the studio and tweak things, costing more money. This makes the process of studio recordings financially intimidating to indie artists.
On the other hand, online recording studios usually charge a flat fee for taking your music from start to finish. This includes recording time, session musicians, mixing and mastering engineers.
If you decide you need something changed, a number of revisions are often included as well! This takes away a lot of the financial risk that comes with recording your music, well leaving you with a product comparable to those spending thousands per song.
2. Your Home Studio Isn’t Cutting It
There are a select few people out there with amazing home studio recordings, producing great content. However, these are usually audio engineers who have spent years studying the craft and invested thousands of dollars in equipment.
For those who spend a few hundred dollars on consumer grade gear and have little to no knowledge in this area, the results are usually a poor final product. Although, this may serve its purpose as a demo, it won’t hold up against professionally produced music.
The difference between a bad home recording and great one is not the gear. It’s the person using it.
— The Recording Revolution (@recordingrev) October 11, 2012
As an example, imagine if you needed to put a new sink in your house and all you have are a couple cheap wrenches and zero plumbing knowledge. Chances are you wouldn’t try doing things yourself, you’d go out and hire a professional.
The same goes with music production. At online recording studios you’re working with professionals who know what they’re doing. This results in a finished product that’s far better than anything you could ever do at home.
3. There’s a Difference Between Producing and Recording
Many people think that the only thing you get out of working with an online studio is a recording of your music. However, what you really end up with is a well-produced song.
This is where the job of recording engineer and music producer varies. A recording engineer will simply record what’s presented to them and it’s the artist’s job to “produce” the track.
However, when working with a music producer, they’ll add arrangement and production ideas that bring your music to the next level.
They have experience in what makes a hit song memorable and they’ll use this knowledge when working on your music. Check out the video below for a more in-depth look at the role of a producer.
At Sundown Sessions Studio, you’ll be teamed up with our senior music producer, Chris Shreenan-Dyck. Chris has had multiple JUNO-winning albums and worked with artists such as Bruce Cockburn, Bryan Adams, Feist and Blue Rodeo.
4. A Second Set of Ears
If you do everything from writing, to producing, to recording, you’ll go through every stage without any outside opinion.
To those who are bad at taking feedback, this is the ideal situation. Unfortunately, these types of artists usually create music that never reaches its full potential.
When you work with an online recording studio, you gain insight from people who are experts in specific aspects of the production process. Every session musician and engineer who works on it will add their own insight as to what they think will make your music great.
I need a second set of ears with me when I’m working on music
— Esco☔️ (@Esco_98) March 2, 2016
If you’re the type who worries about outside opinion, you have nothing to worry about. Not only are the people working on your music complete pros, they’re also there to serve you as the artist and produce a song to your specifications.
This culminates into a recording with some of the industry’s greatest minds, working together to serve your vision.
5. You Can Work With Professionals From Anywhere In The World
A big problem with physical recording spaces is that you’re tied to working with people in a certain geographic location.
Although you can work with the best professionals a city can offer, there’s not much flexibility beyond that.
On the other hand, with an online recording studio there are no geographical restrictions. You can literally work with any musician, engineer or producer from anywhere in the world.
You might be a songwriter based in London, working with a producer from Los Angeles, a drummer in Toronto and a mixing engineer in New York.
Situations like this aren’t uncommon for the clients we work with at Sundown Sessions. The online realm allows us to present artists with the best possible studio professionals to bring your recordings to life.
6. It’ll Give You An Edge On Competition
Many indie artists aren’t aware that online recording studios are an option. So, they often opt for budget studios or DIY recordings.
This gives those who actually invest in proper recordings a major edge over the competition. Having high quality productions of your music means you’ll be taken seriously by industry professionals.
If you want to get your music on the radio or hope to include it in an EPK for concert bookings, it has to be just as good as everything else out there.
Industry professionals hear hundreds and even thousands of songs every week. So, the more you can do to stand out from the noise, the better.
7. It Increases Your Chances of TV & Film Placements
One of the most viable avenues for indie artists to make a living off of their music is by getting it placed in TV and film. There are thousands of productions out there in need of music and they actually favor songs by indie artists
Music supervisors are the gatekeepers to what music is placed in a TV show or movie. However, you need to approach them with high quality productions, if you want to be taken seriously.
The good news is that even one or two big synch placements can pay for the entire recording process. So, it makes the investment in having an online recording studio to produce your music worthwhile.
We produced this song contest winner for a targeted ad campaign and here’s the transformation! Old Navy kids anyone? https://t.co/wi3d2ESikJ pic.twitter.com/fxd37joRWk
— Sundown Sessions Studio (@SundownStudio) August 25, 2017
Once you have a finished product, our sister site Synch Songwriter works with indie artists to teach them how they can approach music supervisors and begin making a sustainable income throughs sync placements.
Many of our clients at Sundown Sessions go on to make a healthy living in the world of sync. Head over to SyncSongwriter.com to learn more about the process of licensing your music to TV and film.
Conclusion: Why Work With an Online Recording Studio?
If you’re recording your music at home or working with budget studios, your music probably isn’t reaching its full potential.
There’s more to the production process than simply recording a song. Because of this, working with an experienced team of producers and musicians will give you the creative input necessary to maximize your song’s potential.
Unfortunately, the price of going into a professional, physical recording studio is out of reach for a lot of indie artists. This is where an online studio presents a realistic option for making commercial grade recordings that are affordable.
In the end, you’re left with a product that stands out from other artists, giving you a competitive edge. When you consider how much easier it will be to book shows and get your music on the radio, TV or film, the investment will pay for itself in no time.
Ready To Start?
If you’ve got a killer song that you want to professionally produce and record, Sundown Sessions is here to help.
With hundreds of clients served and a wealth of Grammy and JUNO winning producers and engineers, our online recording studio is the best option for songwriters who want to make the next step, from amateur to pro.
Head over to our demos page and check out some of our previous works with clients form around the world. After that, find out more about the services we offer, as well as our pricing and packages.
We can’t wait to hear from you and look forward to helping it reach its full potential.