When I wanted to record my first album, I wanted to have a quality recording for each song. I also wanted to have something similar to a major label recording experience without breaking the bank. So I did some research and settle with Stratosphere Sound. Stratosphere Sound has a Neve 8068 console, a Studer 827 tape machine and a host of other high-end recording equipment with a storied history. It cost me $1,500 per day for a main room and about half of that for the smaller room plus engineer fees. I booked it for a day and half, and the total cost was about $2,450. If you’ve read “Confessions of a Record Producer,” you know that it’s common for a new artist on a major label to spend about $49,400 just to record the tracks and overdubs of an album. So I thought I was using my money wisely.
After the session, for my ear and for heavy distortion rock recorded on tape, it does not sound better to me. I spent a few thousand dollars to find the most exquisite tape recording system to record hard rock and punk because that’s how the pioneers recorded. But to my ear, I could not hear a significant difference when compared to a quality digital platform. Nither did the engineer nor members of my band. It turn out I could have record the album with my home equipment and still have gotten the sound I wanted. And here’s the kicker: I ended up re-recording the tracks recorded at the Stratosphere Sound session because I wanted to change parts of every song.
This is not a knock on Stratosphere Sound; it is a cool space with a quality equipment, and if I were on a major label, I would consider recording there again. An interesting note about my second day there: While I was in room B the band Fountains of Wayne was recording in room A. All things considered, I should have recorded in a smaller studio like Mercy Sound. It’s a smaller space with less equipment, but Mercy Sound has quality equipment with a competent engineer, which would have been more than efficient for my needs at the time.
