frequently asked questions

WHAT IS DEVELOPMENT?

Artist development exceeds going into a studio and just hitting record. You need more than just recordings. We do extensive pre-production outside expensive studios to conserve on the project's budget parameters. Pre-production consists of picking out the right tracks, setting them up into sessions and basically recording the entire song idea so it can be picked apart. Check the key, the tempo, the breakdowns...lay down the foundation for what is actually going to happen in the studio. Too many artists make the mistake of just hopping into a studio and tracking what they already have because they think the world will simply love whatever they do. That is the artist's ego taking over. We are not shy to tell a project they could be performing better or reworking a particular part of the composition. It is important to do this right the first time so there are no 'woulda-coulda-shoulda' moments when you leave the studio. We allow for errors to give you all the room you need to grow as an artist. After all, our name is going on it and we WILL shop it around. That is why we are highly selective of who we invest our time into. Champagne tracks on a beer budget takes not only vast skills by our producer - both in and out of the studio - but a genuine love for your art and the foresight to make certain listeners know that you took your career seriously.

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN AN ARTIST?

The most important thing to us is INTEGRITY. The art you deliver is a reflection of who you are. Not by genre but by honesty. If you are not being honest with yourself your music is going to reflect that. We do not focus on cranking out the next cookie cutter, pop hit. That is what everyone is trying to do nowadays. Too many producers attempt to make an artist sound more like someone else. This is a major reason the industry has such poor offerings these days...no originality. We treat you like a unique individual and our sound is a direct result of that. Just because you have the funds to hire us does not mean we will work with you. The relationships we develop with our artists - and anyone for that matter - are begun with the intent to be everlasting. As long as you are in our 'family' you will never be alone. You will always have a group of professional, knowledgable and caring individuals to walk beside you the whole way. We still get phone calls in the middle of the night from artists on the road dealing with who knows what. We answer and we assist.

WHAT IS YOUR HOURLY CHARGE?

That's our favorite question. Truth is, we do not have an hourly charge. There is no more effective way to harness an artist's abilities than to make them watch a clock. There is no 'feed the meter' with us. If it takes 3 months or 3 years it doesn't matter to us. You have time to make mistakes, try new things, re-record to your heart's desire, tear it all down and build it all up again...that is what development is all about. You cannot cram years worth of artistic observations into a 6 hour session. So relax, take a breath and experiment with your bad self. It is expected. The overall production plan the producer sets forth is designed SPECIFICALLY for YOU without you even knowing it. It is your job to become the best you can be and enjoy the ride.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER MASTERING?

Well that all depends on you. We do not consider our work finished once your tracks are done. There are a lot of questions you will have at that time about what to do next and we will assist you with that. From putting a solid band together to getting you placement on a network, we run the miles with you hand in hand. There are any number of things an artist can do and doing the wrong things in the wrong order is a complete waste of time. Maybe you like to tour, maybe you don't. There are other ways to make a career for yourself in the music industry - too infinite to list. All the options in front of you are going to increase and become more worthy once you have a professional sounding product that is uniquely yours and no one else's. Correspondences you make concerning your music will yield better results, therefore creating valuable time to imaginatively expand your personal, professional and spiritual growth. It is during this time an artist can see beyond the dark fog that is today's music business.

WHAT IF I DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT I AM DOING?

To be honest, nobody does. You have chosen to enter a world of complete unknowns and attempting to build a foundation based on stranger's opinions - based on their tastes. The odds are highly stacked against you. We are skilled enough to throw many ideas at you, put you with the perfect session artists that actually care and allow you to rediscover yourself in that mix. Everything you do not know you probably don't need to at this time. You need to take a step back so you can view yourself as a stranger. You do not have to be concerned with scheduling a group of people, where to put the microphones, what phase is next...it is all taken care of for you. Even the food. Just go on your own personal cruise control and have an artistic vacation during this process. You have nothing to worry about or fear. You are in capable and caring hands. Otherwise, we would not have called you back.

I DON'T LIVE IN L.A.OR AUSTIN...WHAT NOW?

We come to you. We have travelled all over the map to develop great talent. We have a vast amount of affiliate studios and we even have mobile studio options. That is why we often find ourselves on the road developing a killer rock band or a breathtaking singer in a location far, far away from here. Getting an entire band to Hollywood or Austin is rather costly, though we do provide room and board when you are here. That is why we preserve the budgets by coming to you. Live your life, go to your day job...we will take care of the rest.

WHERE IS YOUR STUDIO LOCATED?

It all depends on the sound we are going for and the budget of the project. We find a great deal of pre-production can be done outside the expensive places to conserve on the project's budget. This is very important to us. Sometimes taking a 5 song budget and utilizing it on 2 or 3 great singles is a better move. On the same note, taking a 5 song budget and trying to cut a full length album is a horrible idea. Nothing ever becomes of those products. Having people on your side that can best advise the proper moves to take will make all the difference in the world when it comes to your forward movement in the industry. You know you and your band rock live. You probably do. Going into a studio without proper and patient pre-production is the recipe for disaster.

WHAT KIND OF MUSIC DO YOU PRODUCE?

As far as genre goes, we believe in the one called GREAT SONG. Rock, Metal, blues, gospel, funk, jazz, world, hip-hop, singer/songwriter, country...you name it, we track it to stunning perfection. Working with a producer that is highly proficient in all genres makes for some very unique and individualistic productions. Being able to mix many bloodlines in your music allows the creation process to take on an almost uncontrollable vibe. It is important to make a unique statement and avoid 'what everyone else is doing' if you want to stand out in a pile of cookie cutter, below average nonsense. No selling out required. Just be you and be it to the fullest. Explore your creative universe and see what works and what doesn't. This is utopia for an artist and we love to run things this way.