Book a Recording Session

1. Go to a booking website like StudioBook. Find a listing in your area–recording studios, artists, producers, engineers.

2. Pick a date and time.

3. Request to book.

4. Once you’ve requested to book a listing on StudioBook, you’ll pay securely to confirm your request. 

5. When your request is accepted, you can add your booking to your calendar. 

6. Show up.

Show Up

Be Prepared

On the date you requested, show up to the venue a little early. Be clear on what you're recording and why. Whether it's for an album, a podcast, a commercial, or a film, knowing the context will help you nail your performance. Also, know the material. Go in with a pre-rehearsed plan to warm up and record.
Get familiar with the space. Know what kind of equipment you need to sound great. Is it available in the studio? If not, how can you use what’s there to sound your best? Engineers and producers can help you figure this out and understand the landscape of the studio.

Warm Up

Even though you’ll have rehearsed before the recording session, it’s good to do a vocal warm-up and quick run-through of your set before recording. Warming up can set the tone for your entire recording session.

Play and Experiment

What you’re expecting might not be what you get; that’s part of the artistic process. Recording your music takes it to a new level, bringing your vision to reality.
If you’re working with a producer, engineer, or other collaborators, ensure that you’re all aligned on the vision for the session. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you’re unsure about anything, and provide feedback if something doesn’t feel right. Let the sound evolve in your favor. 

Wrap Up the Session

Post-Recording Process

After the last take is recorded, the engineer will typically do a final check to ensure everything was captured properly. This may involve checking for any distortion or missed parts that need re-recorded.

The engineer or producer will clean up the session file, making sure all tracks are properly labeled and organized. Any notes or comments that could help in the editing and mixing process will be taken down. For example, “This take was great except for the third verse—let’s retake that part.”

Organize and Back Up Your Files

It’s important to properly archive the raw session files, mixes, and masters for future use or revisions. Organize your tracks into folders by session date and artist name or another useful category. Back up all recorded files in multiple locations, using external drives and cloud storage. This can take up some space, but having backups of everything ensures you can revisit or repurpose the material and protects it from being lost. 

Editing, Mixing, and Mastering

Producers can help edit, mix, and master tracks for you. Work on trimming, comping, vocal tuning and noise reduction. Remove unwanted clips, keeping the best recordings from each take, correcting vocal pitch and timing issues. 

The final mix or master is shared with you as digital files (WAV, MP3, FLAC) or in physical format (CDs, vinyl records). The track or album is then ready to be prepped for distribution through streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music), physical sales, or otherwise.

Distribute Your Music

Gather your metadata: song titles, artist name, writers, producers, credits, etc… Get ISRC codes for each track from a distributor or national agency. File with your country’s copyright office to protect your music and send to digital distribution services (like TuneCore, DistroKid) or physical distributors for wider release. 

If you’re working on an album, single, or any public release, the project is usually followed by promotional efforts to ensure people know about it. This could include music videos, press releases, social media campaigns, and more. But this is up to you, after the studio. Regardless, it’s recommended you join a Performing Rights Organization (PRO) to monitor your public performances (radio, TV, streaming, etc.) and ensure you get royalties. 

Leave a Review

Revisit the listing you booked on StudioBook and leave a review of your experience. Whether you booked a recording studio or people to work with (or both), leave each one an honest 5-star review for future users. It lets us know who’s doing a good job and how we can improve your experience on StudioBook!