HOW IT WORKS & RATES

1. Before anything – check out my videos and other info at my studio page, and please read this page carefully. Feel like we’re a good fit? Great, let’s move forward with the rest of these steps and do this! Not sure? Reach out at my contact form with your concerns and let’s see if they’re resolvable, or not. But no matter what, let’s use our precious time well!

2. Please send links, and any useful info via my contact form (or mp3s via my email address which I’ll provide), so I can decide if I can do the material justice. Turnaround time for one song/piece can be as soon as 2-3 days.

3. We’ve gotten this far! Now let’s negotiate a rate (depends on song-complexity & other factors) which is either:

• an hourly rate (minimum $50/hr), including prep, recording (incl. multiple proof-of-concept takes, see step #6), through getting the final tracks to you,
• or a song rate (minimum $250/song), including the same as above (though only a single proof-of-concept take, see step #6).

4. Send me a $125 deposit (or whatever amount is half the total project estimated cost) via Venmo, Zelle, or PayPal. (Though it’s never happened before, some of this deposit might be refundable if the project is cut short. The exact amount will depend on how much work I’ve already done, etc. Don’t worry, it’ll be fair!)

5. Send me the info & files/stems indicated below via WeTransfer, Google Drive, or Dropbox, etc. Don’t have the files/stems? Then send me high-quality 360kpbs mp3 (or WAV) of each song and I’ll derive the tracks I need via my apps:

• Stereo mix with drums/rhythm tracks (high-quality 360kbps mp3, or WAV),
• Stereo mix without drums/rhythm tracks (remove what needs to be replaced only),
• Mono or stereo Audio Click Track (mp3 or WAV),
• A set of individual unity gain stems (high-quality 360kbps mp3s, or WAVs).  For each stem, give 2 bars of space before the first downbeat of the song. Label audio files clearly: the name of the song AND name of the instrument or mix. For example: “SongName_Bass” or “SongName_No Drums”
• Guidance notes via email, Google Drive doc, or spreadsheet with desired sections highlighted (lyric sheet optional),
• Tempo(s), Meter(s), Key(s) & Sample Rate (usually 44.1 or 48, but maybe 88.2 or 96 kbps) and Bit Depth (usually 24-bit).

6. I work out a drum part, record it, then send you an mp3 stereo mix as proof-of-concept (POC). Remember, a song rate includes only one POC take: one chance for you to suggest any changes before final recording. An hourly rate allows doing this multiple times. But very often POC take is already good enough! In such a case, then you send me the remainder of my fee (same payment method as the deposit), then I send you up to 8 raw drum files/stems after I confirm receipt of payment.

7. But if the initial POC take(s) doesn’t suffice, then I record the final drum part incorporating your feedback, then you send me the remainder of my fee, then I send you the raw files/stems.

8. You dig the HELL out of these great drum tracks!!

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** NOTE: it’s really, really rare for anyone to not be very satisfied with my drum tracks. But if do-over takes/ are definitely needed, and we can work out a schedule to do so, then I’ll record more takes @ $100 each.