How Much Does It Cost to Make A Record?
Wednesday, November 28, 2007 at 10:19AM 
So Monday we outlined what a producer should and could do for you and I sort of glossed over what the actual costs of making a recording could be. At the high end, there seems to be no limit as to how much you can spend making a recording, so let’s look at what needs to be done and what these costs might be.
You need a studio. There are several ways of doing this. First let’s look at you doing the whole thing yourself. Buying a computer and recording software and a digital to analog and analog to digital converter and a microphone is one way. You’re going to need at least a 1 gig hz speed computer with at least a half a gig of memory. If you are going PC, everything will cost less than it will if you go Mac. And both the Mac and the PC users will tout their computer over the competion. You have to make your own choice. Because of the business aspect of having a Record Label and an actual Recording Studio, I chose PC. You make up your own mind there. You can pick up a very good PC computer and monitor for about $500.
As to programs, there are so many now that I can only tell you to try some demos and pick one that works for you in terms of ease of use, interface and your recording needs.
But the programs will set you back $100 to $1000 dollars roughly and then you have to either be a wonderful self starter or hire someone to help you make it work. Check out some sites like: http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/ or your local music store. Tell them what you need and let them guide you. Having a relationship with a local store is really important. Program, roughly $500. Pro help at least $50 per hour.
A to D, D to A conveters. You don’t actually need to record fifty tracks at once, so even the Digidesign two track interface will do you fine on a Mac. Also check out: http://www.avid.com/products/xpressStudio/proToolsLE/ There are so many you must find one that is right for your budget, but let’s say you’re going to spend another $500.
As to microphones, if you’re in a major city or near one, you can rent the best mics you need for $25 to $50 per day. Or you can pick up my favorite workhorse, the AKG 414 ebuls. It does everything pretty well. About $900. You can find microphones at all kinds of prices, but you don’t want to skimp here. This is where the sound is funneled into your computer. You want it to be as wonderful as you can make it. Having a great microphone is half the battle.
So here’s the tally to create your own studio:
Computer $500
Program $500
Interface $500
Mic $900
Various cables, etc $200
Rough total: $2600
This does not include the musicians, the surprises, the mastering and the manufacturing. And you are going to have to learn to use all these components in such a professional fashion that you can actually make a competitive sounding recording. Daunted? I don’t blame you. It took me about five years to get really good at this.
The musicians are always negotiable because we’d rather play our instruments than not play them, so we always bend if we like a project or an artist, and we aren’t already making more money than you are offering for the same time. But say you can get the drummer, bass player and keyboard player to do the entire CD for $500 each. That’s another $1500. So the total is now, $4100.
Background vocalists? At least $100 each for a session or negotiate by song. Say $400 total. That comes to $4500
Let’s move to mastering. This is an extremely important part of the process and you definitely want someone who can make it sound its best. I always use a mastering engineer at one of the best mastering studios around. Ron McMaster at Capitol Records in Hollywood. This always costs me around $1500. You can find mastering at all prices but you don’t want to skimp here. So now we’re at $6000.
Manufacturing can be done at a thousand different places but for an all inclusive package of artwork and mfg, I go either to Diskmakers (www.discmakers.com – tell them I sent you, they’ll take care of you) or Oasis (www.oasisCD.com – tell them I sent you, they’ll take care of you). Both have become huge by doing a really good job and doing it fast. A thousand CD’s will run you about $2700 including all the bells and whistles that you are probably going to want. CD sales are not what they use to be, so if you are going to make them, they better be special from one end to the other, hence the artwork and packaging. And I always use digipaks as they ship cheaper, don’t break like jewel boxes and you can carry about 40% more of them in the same size box as a hundred jewel boxes. So now we’re looking at $6000 plus $2700 totaling $8700.
And surprises, say $300 and we end up with about $9000 for 1000 CD’s ready to go.
Now you can cut corners all over the place and do it for less, if you want to but don’t forget you are competing with Kanye West and the Beatles and Frank Sinatra and Tom Paxton and Fergie, etc. Yes, you are competing with them for someone’s CD dollars. Unless you have a whole lot of charitable relatives, you are now in their arena. Give it your best shot. How does your CD compare?
Friday we’ll look at what it would cost you to do it at someone else’s studio. It’s an expensive undertaking at any level, which begs the question, why should there be free downloads if it costs me all this money just to get the music to that stage? GOOD QUESTION.
Reader Comments (4)
that is not true by the way i brought a mic for $600!
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