Can Anyone Go to a Recording Studio? Your First Session in Toronto
Yes. Anyone can book 24K Studios online by the hour, from a single hour, and an engineer runs every session, so you need no experience, no label and no referral. Studio time is C$80 an hour, or C$55 on 24K Tuesdays.
What to bring
- Your beat as a WAV, sent ahead to info@24kstudios.ca or brought on a drive.
- Finished lyrics, on paper or your phone.
- A reference track or two that sounds the way you want yours to.
- Water. The microphones and headphones are already there: a Neumann U87 and a Warm Audio WA-87, through a Neve 1073SPX.
What happens when you arrive
The engineer loads the beat, picks the microphone and preamp for your voice, and gets a level from you singing a section at performance volume. You hear yourself in the headphones blended with the beat. Say straight away if you want more or less of yourself, more or less of the beat, or a little reverb to sing into.
How the first hour goes
Takes are comped as you go: you sing a section, the engineer keeps what worked, you punch the line that did not, and you move on. Full passes or line by line, whichever way you work; say which at the start rather than in hour two.
How long to book
One song you know well usually takes two to four hours. For a first session, two hours is a sensible start: C$160, or C$110 on a Tuesday. The calendar takes bookings from one hour ahead, any day between 9 AM and 2 AM.
What you leave with
A comped, lined-up vocal on your beat. Mixing and mastering are separate stages, priced per song: mixing from C$150, mastering C$100 a track, added when you book or later.
Book at www.24kstudios.ca/book-online/music. More on preparing is in how to prepare for a vocal session.
Questions people ask
Can anyone book a recording studio?
Yes. At 24K anyone can book online by the hour, from a single hour; there is no application, referral or experience required.
Do I need to know how to use the equipment?
No. An engineer runs every session, sets up the microphone and preamp for your voice and handles the recording, so you only have to perform.
How much is a first session?
Two hours, a sensible first booking, is C$160, or C$110 on a Tuesday, with the engineer included and no HST added.
What should I bring to my first session?
Your beat as a WAV, sent ahead or on a drive, finished lyrics, a reference track and water. Microphones and headphones are provided.
Can I book a session for today?
Yes. The online calendar takes bookings from one hour ahead, any day between 9 AM and 2 AM.
24K Studios is at 550 Queen St E, Toronto, open 9 AM to 2 AM every day. Music · Voice & corporate · Services and rates · Book studio time