What are your rates?

We work on both DAY and HOURLY rates. Currently our DAY rate is R1,500 including an engineer and our HOURLY rate is R300 an hour.

Is a deposit required for booking dates?

Yes, a NON-REFUNDABLE 20% deposit is required at the time of all bookings.

Are there hidden costs?

There are no hidden costs besides media costs i.e Hard drives, CDR's and DVD's. These are charged for separately and prices are determined on a project by project basis..

How long is a day?

A day typically is 8 consecutive hours, included in that is a short break for meals, tea/coffee and the occasional bathroom break.

Can we break the day rate over 2 days?

No, that is why it is called a day rate.

Do you work evenings/weekends?

Typically not, but arrangements can be made to do so, but may include additional surcharges.

Can we bring our own engineer?

Yes, we welcome freelancers but they need to be approved by the studio owner who reserves the right to ALL admissions.

Can we come in early or the night before to set-up our equipment?

No. Sessions begin from the time they are scheduled/booked. Much of the engineering work that goes into making a record begins from the start i.e decided where to place the instruments, micing them etc and we have to charge for this time.

Do you allow smoking in the studio?

Absolutely not, it is bad for the equipment and worse the humans using it. If you need to smoke you can do so outside and an ashtray is provided.

How long will it take us to record a song?

We budget an average of one song a day for TRACKING a typical 3-4 piece band, less if it is just an acoustic guitarist singer-songwriter, more if your magnum opus includes a 30 piece string section... Please chat to us and let us know your needs and we will be able to come up with a budget for your project.

What is involved in the recording of a song?

Typically a song goes through 5 main stages: PRE PRODUCTION, which is done before you even enter the studio. This involves knowing your songs arrangements, having decided on the structure, tempo and basic geography. Then when you enter the studio we begin the TRACKING stage, this is the physical recording of your work, which is our forteit. Once the song has been tracked it goes through EDITING, where the tracks cleaned up, tightening pieces that may be a bit loose, pitch correction etc. We then move onto MIXING, the 'balancing' of the song itself, effects and processors are added, level adjustments/automation are made etc. This is the stage where the the song is 'sonically' pulled together. Lastly we have MASTERING, the icing on the proverbial cake, where the song is compressed, EQ'd and limited before manufacture.

Do you offer ALL of these services?

Our strengths lies in the TRACKING of records and we are set-up to accommodate this. We are part of well knit team offering what we believe to be a better product through collaboration and we typically outsource editing, mixing and mastering to fellow seasoned professionals. We believe the sum of the parts makes for a better whole and fresh ears bring new insight to a project and in some cases, like editing, it is CHEAPER to outsource to smaller neighboring studios.

Can you manufacture our CD?

No, though we can advise you on the various options available and put you in touch with the various service providers.

Can you get me a record deal/make me famous etc...

No.

Do you make beats?

No, though we can recommend a few local producers/hip-hop artists that can provide you with these services.

Can we take a listen to some of your work?

Sure thing, infact we have a nifty little MP3 player built into the website in the top right corner that showcases some of our work. If you would prefer a more 'audiophile' experience we can send you a CD.

Can we take a studio tour?

Yes, by all means! We actually PREFER all clients to take a tour before committing to dates so they can see if the studio and vibe suits their needs. Since we are a commercial facility an appointment needs to be made to take a tour and we will accommodate you as best we can. Feel free to contact us via our “contact” page.

How is payment made?

Though we don't frown upon you arriving with large bags of cash we prefer EFT payments. We do not accept CREDIT CARDS or CHEQUES (unless they are bank guaranteed).

When is payment due?

On or before the booked studio dates. Ownership of and copyright in the masters for the life of the copyright shall remain the property of Dockyard Studios until FULL PAYMENT has been made.