“We got a great-sounding project that fit our needs and our budget… Backthird cares about musicians and wants them to do the best they can.”
—Punchfight
Recording rates at Backthird Audio are on a sliding scale. This means we can charge a lower hourly rate for projects that take 200 hours to complete than for projects that take only 2 hours. We want musicians to do their best work — and to know how much their finished project will cost before they start.
Most artists prefer to meet with Kyle or Benjie at the studio to discuss their recording, determine the cost and decide if Backthird is for them.
Most projects fall into one of four categories:
Level 1 — “Live in the Studio.” Record the whole band at once, mixing and mastering on the fly. Simple instrumentation, clean sound, rough mix. Best for those who just want to “try out a real studio” and don’t mind a few performance mistakes. Typical cost to record, mix and master: $25-50 per song.
Level 2 — “Studio Demo.” More instruments, fuller sound, and a strong-but-simple mix. Best for those who want a “better than live” sound, but still want to cut corners and save money where it’s possible to do so. Typical cost to record, mix and master: $150-300 per song.
Level 3 — “Full Production.” A commercial sound, tightly edited with no performance mistakes. Polished, radio-quality mix. Best for those who want a product that’s as strong as possible, but still like to make efficient use of time and money. Typical cost to record, mix and master: $300-500 per song.
Level 4 — “Pet Project.” Many instruments, often recorded in unusual ways. Complex sound. Detailed mix may include loop programming, vocal tuning and close editing work. Best for those ready to do “whatever it takes” to realize an artistic vision. Typical cost to record, mix and master: $800-1200 per song.
For your own estimate, click here. For an exact proposal, visit the studio and meet with Kyle or Benjie.
