How Much is Too Much?

...or "How cheap is too cheap?"

Recording an album is almost always a significant financial undertaking for an indie band or artist. Typical indie budgets start in the $5k range and often run up to $30k or higher. That would be the low end. Budgets of $50,000 or more are not uncommon with serious working bands. They may or may not be getting a bit of support from a small indie label, but chances are that they are paying a lot of cash out of their own pockets.

The crazy thing is, I can't really tell the difference between the $20k or $30k album and the $50k album. I mean, in general, I hear projects in both price ranges that sound amazing and some that sound cheap and amateur. Neither price range is high enough to guarantee success, sales, critical acclaim, (not sure any price range does, actually) but the higher price range seems to especially miss the mark as it is basically throwing money away.

Now, I've heard so many arguments for the value of the recording process, the "minimum budget" for a professional product, you get what you pay for, blah blah blah. Typically it is studio owners who talk this way because it is clearly in their best interest to sell studio time on the grounds that a bigger budget will always mean a more professional album in the end. And there is some truth to this. Fair enough. However, many studios charge their rates based on the use of all there facilities and equipment. If a recording studio has all the gear and accoutrement's of a $1000/day room, you are going to pay $1000/day regardless of whether or not you use all of it.

So the question to ask is, "what do I need to make this album?"

Start by making a list of the things that cost you nothing...

-rehearse
-write songs
-arrange your music
-get critical feedback

If you get these elements down, you will automatically reduce your need to be in the studio for longer chunks of time. Next, consider what you can take on yourself and what you need outside professionals for.

-Can you do you own preproduction?
-Do you own recording equipment?
-Are you qualified to engineer the album or just put down "scratch parts" and ideas?
-Can you play all your musical parts or do you need session players?

Finally, make a list of things you probably can't make a good record without. These would include (and I would recommend them)...

-A producer who you get along with and who gets your sound
-A space to record
-Gear to record with
-A good engineer to capture the sounds
-A good mix engineer to make it sound like the record you want
-A mastering engineer
-Some way to duplicate and distribute your music (doesn't have to be a CD)

If you start be thinking with the mindset that the majority of the recording process rests on your own shoulders, your thinking about cost will be quite different (and cheaper). The trap you absolutely must avoid is thinking that because you don't have the big studio, big budget, celebrity producer, special vintage gear, _______________(insert other excuse here), that you can't make a record. If your music sucks without those elements, it's because your music sucks.

Think about that before you start writing checks, then get recording!

Later.