Frequently Asked Questions

How much do you charge an hour?
We offer recording, mixing and mastering services from $30/hr to $40/hr in Brooklyn and Queens and $40/hr to $50/hr in Times Square, Manhattan.

Do you have discounted rates?
We offer discounts for morning and weeknight sessions.

Our rates are:

Brooklyn and Queens

$30/hr Mon – Thu / Before 4PM
$35/hr Mon – Thu / After 4PM
$30/hr Fri – Sun / Before 2PM
$40/hr Fri – Sun / After 2PM

Times Square, Manhattan

$40/hr Mon – Thu / Before 4PM
$45/hr Mon – Thu / After 4PM
$40/hr Fri – Sun / Before 2PM
$50/hr Fri – Sun / After 2PM

What payment methods do you accept?
We accept CashApp, Apple Pay and Debit and Credit cards for the deposit. For the balance due at the session we accept cash as well as CashApp, Apple Pay and Debit and Credit cards.

Can I pay the deposit in cash?
TWe do not accept cash for the deposit payment – we accept CashApp, Apple Pay, Debit or Credit card.

Can I pay the deposit in person?
Deposits cannot be paid in person, they’re paid online via our payment portal.

Can I pay the full amount ahead of time?
We only accept the deposit in advance, the remaining 50% balance must be paid in person directly to the engineer, either in cash or with CashApp, Apple Pay, Debit or Credit cards.

Can I pay the balance in cash?
The remaining 50% balance can be paid in cash or with CashApp, Apple Pay or a Debit or Credit card directly to the engineer.

Can I pay the balance later?
The full balance must be paid at the session, please do not book a session if you will be unable to complete the payment while at the session. If the balance is not paid in full, the files from the session cannot be sent and your account may be suspended.

When do I have to pay the balance?
The balance is due at the start of the session, if for whatever reason it is not, the last few minutes of the session are reserved for completing payment as well as bouncing/exporting the audio and sending the files.

Will the session balance automatically be charged to my card or payment method?
We will never automatically charge you, the session balance is to be paid directly to the engineer at the session.

Do you provide an engineer?
We always provide an engineer who is well-versed in recording, mixing and mastering.

Do you mix and master in session? If so, how much?
We mix and master in session here. You can use as much of your session time for recording, or mixing, or mastering as you want. The rate is always $30/hr – $50/hr depending on the location, day and time.

How much do you charge for a mix?
We charge by the hour, not by the mix or by the song, The rate is always $30/hr – $50/hr depending on the location, day and time.

Do you have a minimum session time?
We have a 2-hour minimum session time, sessions must be 2 hours or longer.

What are your locations?
We have 5 location in New York City—Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn. Click here to view a map of our locations here.

Can I hear some of your work?
Absolutely! Example work can be found here.

What time does the studio open/close? Are you 24/7?
Our studios run 24/7.

Do you have Spanish speaking engineers? / ¿Tienes ingenieras de habla hispana?
We do have Spanish speaking Engineers! Junior in Times Square, Manhattan. You can book them by selecting City by Engineer on the booking page and then clicking on their names. / ¡Tenemos ingenieros hispano hablantes! Junior en Times Square, Manhattan y Puedes reservar cita con ellos seleccionando “Ciudad por Ingeniero” y haciendo click en sus nombres.

What kind of equipment do you use?
We use Pro Tools Software, Apple computers, Neumann TLM103 microphones, Apogee A to D conversion, Warm Audio Preamps (Manhattan only), Yamaha HS8 monitors, the WAVES plugin suite, the iZotope Ozone plugin suite, the FabFilter plugin Suite and many more plug-ins.

I want to record my band, can you do that?
We only offer vocal recording services, with a one-microphone setup in each of our rooms.

What genres can you record?
We can record any genre in any language!

I’d like to book a remote mixing or mastering session, can I do that?
We do not offer remote mixing and mastering services for new clients. All sessions booked by new clients are considered in person/on premise sessions.

I’m an existing client and would like to book a remote mixing and/or mastering session, can I do that?
Existing clients may book a remote mixing and/or mastering session but we do not offer revisions or changes. All remote sessions are charged at our rate of $30/hr – $50/hr depending on the location, day and time. The remaining balance of the session must be paid in full at the time of booking to the engineer and they must be notified a remote session is desired. The minimum booking of 2 hour applies to both in person and remote sessions—no refunds can be offered for remote sessions for any reason.

How long does it take to mix and/or master a song?
We charge by the hour for mixing and mastering, not by the mix or song. Since songs can differ greatly in complexity, mixing time will vary as well, the work required to complete a mix relies on a number of factors. Since you get to choose how to use your time, you may decide to do a quicker mix to focus more session time on something else, or you may choose to dedicate more time for a more detailed mix. The engineer can help guide you through the different options so you can best decide how to use your session time.

I want to bring my music from another studio, can I do that?
Absolutely! If the music was recorded in Pro Tools software we can use the Pro Tools session files to continue working on the files at any of our studios. We may however not have the same plug-ins and effects as the other studio and will not be able to download or purchase them. The other option is to bring aligned, prearranged audio stems, the separated layers of your song as individual files, bounced or exported from the original studio so they line up together with the correct timing. The importation or alignment of files is all considered part of the session time.

Can I cancel or reschedule my session?
Cancellations or reschedules are possible if the session is more than 72 hours/3 days away, if the session is less than a full 72 hours/3 days away, you will not be able to cancel or reschedule. Once a cancellation request has been made please allow for up to 24 hours to process your refund and 3-5 business days for the refund to appear in your account.

My session is less than 72 hours/3 days away and I need to cancel or reschedule, can I get a refund?
Unfortunately we are not able to offer refunds for sessions less than 72 hour/3 day away.

I want to cancel or reschedule my session which is more than 72 hours/3 days away, what do I do?
Click the ‘reschedule’ or ‘cancel’ link in the confirmation email you received. If you cannot find the email, reach out to us either through email at: booking@soundstudios.io or through the chat icon bottom right. Let us know which session we’re looking to reschedule or cancel and what the payment method was or the desired new time is. A refund or reschedule will be processed minus transaction costs within 24 hours of receiving the refund or reschedule request.

I’m going to be late to my session, can we push it back?
Unfortunately we are not able to move session times, sessions must be attended as booked. Please arrive on time to avoid missing any of your session’s time slot, the full payment will be due at the session regardless of whether you are late.

I’m going to be late to my session, can I just pay less?
The full balance is due at all sessions. The session files can only be sent once the remaining 50% balance is paid in full.

I’m going to be late to my session but I will be there, will the engineer still be there?
Reach out to the engineer and let them know you will be late and they will be there. If a client is 2 or more hours late and does not contact the engineer, Sound Studios may rebook the time or the engineer may leave for the day. 

Is smoking allowed at your studios?
Cigarette smoking is not allowed inside any of our studios or studio buildings. 420 smoking is allowed in all of our locations except for Queens in the studio room, smoking is not allowed in our vocal booths. Details are in our rules.

What are your studio rules?
Our rules can be found here

How old do I have to be to book or record in the studio?
Minors (under the age of 18) must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. If you have any questions about this age limit feel free to contact us using the form below.

Can I bring people with me?
Absolutely! Our studios range in size from 3-7 people. 

Our Times Square, Manhattan Emerald Room – 5 people.
Our Times Square, Manhattan Sapphire Room – 4 people.
Our Times Square, Manhattan Amber Room – 4 people.
Our Times Square, Manhattan Onyx Room – 4 people.
Our LIC Queens, Blue Room fits – 3 people.
Our Williamsburg, Brooklyn Room fits – 4 people.
Our Bushwick, Brooklyn Room – 4 people.
Our Park Slope, Brooklyn Room – 7 people.

What happens if I break one of the studio rules?
Sound Studios reserves the right to end any session at any time for violating any one of our rules found here or in our terms and conditions found here. We do not issue refunds in the event that a session is ended due to a violation. If the violation rises to the necessary level law enforcement will be notified.

How do I know my session has been successfully booked?
You will get a confirmation email and text once payment has been received and your session is booked.

I’m clicking ‘To Payment’ on the booking page but a red line is appearing below Terms and Conditions and nothing is happening?
You must click the check box in the bottom left next to where it says ‘I accept the Terms and Conditions…’ in order to continue to the payment to complete the booking. The Terms and Conditions can be viewed by clicking the link there or at the bottom of the page.

I’m clicking ‘To Payment’ on the booking page but a red line is appearing below ‘Start Verification’ and nothing is happening?
You must click the ‘Start Verification’ button at the bottom of the page, then enter your phone number. You will receive a code via text, enter the code on the line next to ‘Check Code, then click ‘Check Code’. Your number will then be verified for the booking and you can continue to the payment to complete the booking.

I’m having trouble with booking, what do I do?
Reach out to our support team through the chat widget in the bottom right to chat with someone, our chat line is open 7 days a week, 10AM-10PM EST (fastest option). You can also email us at: booking@soundstudios.io.

I want to book a time slot that starts after 12AM/midnight but I don’t see it listed for that day?
All late-night times slots starting after 12AM/midnight will appear on the following day, so 12AM/midnight Monday night would be listed as Tuesday morning, 12AM. Please be careful to select the correct time.

Who will be my engineer?
Your confirmation email and text will include the engineer name, contact and location which were selected when booking. 

I’ve arrived at my session, what do I do now?
You should have received a text and email with your engineers contact information, reach out to them and they will come get you.

I can’t find the contact information for my engineer, what do I do?
Reach out to our support team through the chat widget in the bottom right to chat with someone, our chat line is open 7 days a week, 10AM-10PM EST (fastest option). You can also email us at: booking@soundstudios.io.

I’ve arrived at my session but the engineer isn’t answering, what do I do?
If you’re early, have a little patience, the engineer is likely in another session or on their way. If the session has already started, reach out to our support team through the chat widget in the bottom right to chat with someone, our chat line is open 7 days a week, 10AM-10PM EST (fastest option). You can also email us at booking@soundstudios.io.

Can I book more than 1 session?
You are welcome to book more than 1 session however only 1 session can be booked for each time slot. If 2 sessions are booked for the same time slot the 2nd session will be cancelled and you will be refunded for that session. If you need to for some reason have 2 simultaneous sessions please reach out to us before booking at booking@soundstudios.io. New clients may only book 1 session at a time, we will cancel all sessions if more than 1 session is booked in this instance.

Do you offer tours of the studios?
We do not offer tours as we only staff our rooms during sessions and would not be able to give tours without interrupting other clients sessions. We have photos of all of our rooms available here.

Which one of your rooms is the best?
All of our rooms have the same equipment, software and plug-ins. Otherwise, each room has its own vibe. We have photos of all of our rooms here.

Which room has the best equipment?
We have all the same equipment in all of our rooms.

Who is your best engineer?
Each of our engineers has their own clients who prefer to work with them, that is generally whether their personalities match yours. All of our engineers are experienced in the recording, editing, mixing and mastering aspects of audio post-production.

Can I use my own engineer?
Absolutely! We still charge $30/hr – $50/hr depending on the location, day and time as we are required to have a Sound Studios staff member present at all times. We do not allow external equipment including computers to be used, our computers must be used. We do not allow additional software to be downloaded to our machines.

I’m an engineer and want to rent your rooms, is that ok?
Absolutely! As long as the work is for yourself or friends, we do not allow other businesses to operate out of our rooms. Your account will be suspended if found to be in violation of this policy. 

Can I extend my session once I’m there if I like it?
As long as there is still time available directly after your session to extend, absolutely! Just let the engineer know and they will check if it is possible. The full balance is due at the start of the extended time. If it is not paid, the files from the session cannot be sent, and your account may be suspended.

Do I have to use my full time?
The entire booked time slot must be used as the full balance is due at every session. If you are late or decide you want to end the session early, the full balance is still due and the remaining time will be lost.

I’ve got a problem with my session that the engineer can’t help with, what do I do?
Reach out to our support team through the chat widget in the bottom right of your screen (fastest option), or email us at: support@soundstudios.io

I want to book my session using Apple Pay but I don’t see it as a payment option?
To book a session using Apple Pay you must be on our booking page using the Safari browser. If you are not, reopen our booking page in Safari and it will be available as a payment option.

I want to book my next session at a different location than last time, can I still get my music?
Absolutely! We’re able to access any sessions recorded at any Sound Studios location at any of our other locations.

How long do you keep my music for?
Files are kept as a courtesy. Sound Studios is not responsible for any loss of files for any reason and it is therefore ultimately up to the client to maintain backups of their files. We will not share your content with anyone unless directed to do so by you. We are not responsible for data breaches or third-party file backup service failures.

I don’t want Sound Studios to keep my files, what do I do?
Not a problem, as long as you let the engineer know, we can delete all files at the end of the session. For any requests after a session please send an email to: support@soundstudios.io and describe exactly what you would like done. The email you use needs to match the one used to book the session or the support team will not be able to fulfill your request.

My download link for the songs has expired or doesn’t work, what can I do?
All files should be downloaded promptly to avoid this issue as the download links do expire. We ask that any and all files are taken with at a session as we only staff the rooms during sessions and wouldn’t be able to pull files during someone else’s session. In the event of an emergency, reach out to: support@soundstudios.io and let us know exactly what files are needed and when they were recorded and we will do our best to help. The email you use needs to match the one used to book the session or the support team will not be able to fulfill your request.

I need stems, how can I get them?
We are not able to provide stems outside of sessions as it requires use of our studios machines which is not possible during other sessions. If stems are needed please be sure to create them during your session time, otherwise you will need to book an additional session and create them during that session. In the event of an emergency we may be able to get the Pro Tools session files outside of your session time. Email us at: support@soundstudios.io and let us know exactly what files are needed, and when and where they were recorded, we will do our best to help. The email you use needs to match the one used to book the session or the support team will not be able to fulfill your request.

How should I bring my beats/files?
We can download any files from YouTube and most other sites. You can also email them to the engineer once you’ve completed booking and paid your deposit–they will text you before your session. You can also email files to yourself and open them at the session, or you can bring your files on a flash drive. We cannot take files off of a CD. 

Can I use someone else’s beats or instrumentals?
We do not handle any copyright issues, any and all legal matters related to copyright issues are solely the responsibility of the client. Sound Studios takes no responsibility for materials used. 

Do you sell beats?
We do not offer instrumental production services, we strictly offer recording, mixing and mastering services.

Is there parking at your studios?
All of our studios have street parking nearby, we suggest coming a few minutes early to ensure you have time to find a parking spot.

Can I film a video at the studio?
Absolutely! As long as you follow the studio rules.

Can you teach me how to record or produce?
Unfortunately we do not offer lessons or teaching services.

I want to work at Sound Studios, where can I apply?
Email us at careers@soundstudios.io and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

Do you offer internships?
We do not currently offer internship internship programs, but check back with us as we may in the future!

Can I throw a party at the studio?
We do not host parties. Any violation of this rule will result in an immediate removal from the studio and place a ban on your account without the possibility of a refund of your deposit.

Who does the music I record belong to?
You own the rights to any content you create at Sound Studios.  Sound Studios does not reserve the right to ownership of any content created by you at our facilities. 

Can I use copyrighted music?
We do not handle any copyright issues, any and all legal matters related to copyright issues are solely the responsibility of the client. Sound Studios takes no responsibility for materials used.

Will I be the only one at the session?
All sessions are private—other than the engineer Sound Studios will have no one else present at the session.

Will Sound Studios share my files?
We will not share your content with anyone unless authorized to do so by you. We are not responsible for data breaches or third-party file backup service failures.

What does Sound Studios do with my personal information or payment information?
All personal information is kept confidentially, securely and in accordance with the law and is not linked to any payment information for security purposes. Sound Studios does not keep your payment information, all payment information and storage thereof is handled by Square securely and in accordance with the law. 

I have a question and cannot find the answer, what do I do?
Reach out to us at one of the emails below or using the contact form below!
For all booking inquiries please contact us at: Booking@soundstudios.io
For all support inquiries please contact us at: Support@soundstudios.io
For all career inquiries please contact us at: Careers@soundstudios.io