Are your sessions just for professional singers and musicians?
How much time does it take and what does it cost to record a 4-track band EP?
I am under 16. Can I book at the studio?
What kinds of recordings can be made at the studio?
I have bought a Recording Studio Voucher. What happens next?
I have bought a voucher as a surprise gift for someone and don't want them to find out.
I would like to book a special date when I buy my voucher.
How long is the voucher valid for?
I am ready to book my session, what shall I do?
I have changed my mind about what I want to record. What should I do?
How many tracks can I record?
Do you provide backings or shall I bring my own?
Where exactly is the recording studio?
What can I expect once I arrive at the studio?
Does the studio have disabled access or disabled facilities?
Will I be working with a professional recording engineer?
What facilities do you have at the studio?
How many recording artists can you accommodate in one session?
Can I be involved in the recording and / or production process if I wish?
Can you tune my vocals?
Can I stop overnight at the studio?
Can I extend my session if I want to go on?
Will I get my CD to take home with me?
What happens if I need to cancel a session and re-schedule it?
Does the studio ever cancel sessions?
It has been over 12 months since I bought my voucher. Can I use it?
Are recording vouchers refundable?
Can I book the use of a musician or a singer for a track?
Can I have a video of my recording day?
Are your sessions just for fun or are they for professional singers and musicians?
We cater for every ability at The Beehouse. We also have many professional singers and musicians who come back time and time again to record. We have lots of people who book for fun or just to experience a day in a recording studio.
I am under 16. Can I book at the studio?
Yes. Our sessions are suitable for all ages - staff are CRB checked. However you must be accompanied by a parent or guardian throughout your session.
What kinds of recordings can be made at the studio?
Any kind you like. During a music experience you will spend your time either recording cover versions or your own music. To achieve this, you may use a variety of different methods : some use backing tracks so that they can lay down their guitar or bass lines, drums or other covers with the professionals. Others are interested in creating a track from scratch, and here our studio staff will join in by supplying any additional instrumentation required either for cover versions or for new material. Or you can do it all yourself if you like! We also offer songwriting experiences and songwriter workshops as well as music production days when you can learn about recording and developing tracks using music production techniques and software.
I have bought a Recording Studio Voucher. What happens next?
You will receive an email confirming your purchase. Your voucher will then be sent out to either you or your recipient by either post or email along with a letter outlining the experience you have chosen.
I have bought a voucher as a surprise gift for someone and don't want them to find out.
We are used to this and are very good at not giving the game away. Firstly, do let us know you intend the voucher to be a surprise. The voucher and letter will be sent to you and you will then be free to pass it on to the recipient when it suits you (Birthday/Christmas etc) The letter will contain all the information they will need to then book their session on a day that suits them.
I would like to book a special date for my recording session when I buy my voucher.
This shouldn't be a problem as long as it isn't too short notice. Just give us a call on 01691 649044 when you are on the point of buying your voucher to check availibilty for your specific date.
How long is the voucher valid for?
The voucher is valid for 12 months from the day of purchase
I have changed my mind about what I want to record. What should I do?
Just call or email us at The Beehouse Recording Studio to discuss or alter your recording preferences. Vouchers are entirely flexible so you can choose what you want to record.
How many tracks can I record?
You can record as many tracks as you are able to fit into your booked session. This varies immensely depending on whether you are singing to backings, writing an original tracks etc.
Do you provide backings or shall I bring my own?
You can select backings from our extensive in-house catalogue, or request more unusual tracks to be ordered in. This may sometimes incur a charge. Occasionally bespoke tracks can be developed, although this can be quite time-consuming.
Where exactly is the studio?
Our address is - The Beehouse, Craignant, Llanfyllin, Powys. SY22 5JG. We are situated in the unique countryside on the borders between Wales and Shropshire. The Beehouse is approximately 17 miles from Oswestry, 30 miles from Shrewsbury, 12 miles from Welshpool and 75 miles from Birmingham.
I am ready to book my session, what shall I do?
Give the studio a call on 01691 649044 to book your session. Once booked, you may request a local map to help you to find us. You can also let us know in a little more detail what you will be hoping to do in your session.
What can I expect once I arrive at the studio?
Once you arrive at the studio you will be introduced to our studio engineer / producer who will introduce you to the studio, and discuss its capabilities, and go through the aims you have for your day. The Beehouse succeeds in maintaining an informal, yet creatively commercial atmosphere. You may be given some help with microphone technique, if required, and, for newcomers, more help and instruction will follow, depending on what you have chosen to record. The recording atmosphere is systematic and quite focused, and you will find we all enjoy our work very much, which helps to move things along in a very satisfying way. At various intervals you will come out of the recording booth into the main control room to hear what is happening in context and to allow you to direct how you would like things to go.
Does the studio have disabled access or disabled facilities?
Yes. There is ground level access throughout the studio facility, and wide door access to all rooms except the WC which is too small for this, but has a handrail inside. We cater for people with disabilities routinely, so please don't hesitate to ask questions and let us know how we can make your use of our facilities easier.
Will I be working with a professional recording engineer?
Yes. Philip Lane, who is our principal engineer producer, has the experience of thirty years' in the music and recording business. To quote a recent customer "He seems able to play any instrument he chooses.....,intuitively knows what rhythm and instruments to go for and seems to have an almost encyclopaedic memory for sound......a joy to work with, and his arrangements and production underline his amazing talent."
What facilities do you have at the studio?
The Beehouse is a professional studio built within a farmhouse. It is located in a green belt in an area of outstanding natural beauty, in our own valley. Nonetheless, we have public access Wi-fi, UDMA wireless facilities for Blackberries and similar mobile phones (signal available). We can accommodate up to 3 or 4 family members or friends of the recording artist. They have access to the studio lounge equipped with TV with digital channels. Customers will be provided with tea, coffee or squash but we recommend you bring your own sandwiches/packed lunch if your session is for more than a couple of hours over a lunchtime period.
How many recording artists can you accommodate in one session?
We can comfortably accommodate up to 10 artists at one time. However the Hen Party/Stag Party/ or Corporate Party Packages can be booked for a party of up to 15 by prior arrangement as this will usually incur an extra charge.
Can I be involved in the recording and/or production process if I wish?
You may be as involved as you like in the recording and/or production sides of your session. Many artists find this element very rewarding. Or just leave it all up to the technicians, if you prefer.
Can you tune my vocals?
Yes. Vocal tuning software is available for that additional polish which is sometimes requested on a singer experience.
Can I stop overnight at the studio?
Not at the studio itself, however, you can stop overnight in any of the fabulous local hotels or bed and breakfasts we have in and around the local area.
Can I extend my session if I want to go on?
Normally yes, although prior notice of your intention to extend is preferable in case we have other engagements. We usually charge £40 per extra hour.
Will I get my CD to take home with me?
Yes, normally your CD or MP3 will be produced ready for you to take home at the end of your session. Occasionally if extra work is required to be added to the CD it may be sent on after the session.
What happens if I need to cancel a session and re-schedule it?
Simply call us on 01691 649044 or email office@thebeehouse.com to re-schedule your session.
Does the studio ever cancel sessions?
Very rarely and only in extreme circumstances, for example if the studio were to experience a loss of power or services. The studio would endeavour to give prior notice in the event of this happening.
It has been over 12 months since I bought my voucher. I have been unable to find the time to use it. Can I request a refund?
The voucher is valid for 1 year from the date of purchase. Unfortunately once this time frame has passed the voucher cannot be refunded. However, your voucher can be extended at the discretion of the studio, usually for a fee of up to £50.
Are recording experience vouchers refundable?
No. Once purchased vouchers are unrefundable except within the standard 7 day cooling off period. However, they are transferable to other people or studio experiences.
Can I book the use of a musician or a singer for a track?
Yes you can. We can provide a wide range of male and female singers, acoompanists, guitarists, bassists, pianists, violinists and other musicians, but please arrange this as far in advance as possible, and bear in mind that if you have already booked when you make this request you may have to re-schedule if the guest artist is not available.
Yes you can. This costs £100. You can either buy the video through the website in advance, or pay on the day with a few days' advance notice.
How much time does it take and what does it cost to record a 4-track EP?
A typical 4/5 piece band ususally takes around 10-15 hours to complete a 4 track ep. This mainly depends upon how well rehearsed the band are and how quickly they can put their various parts down.
Our preferred method of recording is to set the band up live with the drummer in isolation and to run through all the tracks until the drums are recorded correctly. Once that is done we can then start any overdubs or fixes to guitar/bass/keyboard parts. The vocals are usually done last, replacing the guide vocals from the initial recordings and adding any backing vocals at that stage.
Once we have all the parts recorded we can mix the tracks. Mixing takes around 1/3rd to a half of the total time.
At the end of the session you are provided with CDr copies and MP3 copies if you wish. We also offer other services such as creating cover art, HD video and upload to iTunes, Spotify, Band Camp, Tescos music store etc.
Our rates are £40 per hour. 10 - 15 hours therefore costing around £400-£600.
We are very flexible as to how long the sessions run for and can either offer the time split over 5 hour sessions or 10 hour sessions. We also offer a free hour's set up in the first instance to get everyone wired and mic'ed up and sounding good.
We have a Gretsch Cataline drum kit available although the drummer is welcome to provide their own kit or supplement our kit with any extra cymbals/rides/snare/percussion etc.
We have a number of amp modellers, Roland VG8, Johnson J Station, Bass V Amp Pro as well as the latest versions of Guitar Rig Pro and Cubase 7's modelling capabilities. Again, if you prefer to use your own amps/rigs or modelling software that's absolutely fine.
We carry a comprehensive range of high quality mics and the studio is full of state of the art equipment and ultra high quality monitoring.
If you want to see an example of a band we recorded last year please have a look at :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3FpJIz_hc4
This was a surprise recording session for Alex Baker - DJ on Kerrang! Radio as a present for his wedding. The song was written, recorded and the video made in around ten hours in one day.