What you are paying for
Band recording at Nelkenshift starts at €145 per hour or €890 for an eight-hour day block (including 21% VAT). That covers studio, engineer and basic routing in the live room—not an outside producer, not rental backline unless agreed upfront, and not unlimited mix revisions.
Mix and master are separate lines: mixing from €285 per song or mastering from €75 per track. Budget opname, mix and master as three rows unless we confirm a written bundle.
How long one song takes live
A straightforward arrangement with tight rehearsals can yield several songs in half a day. Tempo maps, unstable drums or many overdubs add hours. Plan conservatively: two to four hours per song including setup if the band does not play together daily.
We track drums, bass and guitars together in the live room; vocals usually move to the booth for control. That reduces bleed but adds hours. Decide live versus overdub songs before the session so patching is ready.
Day block versus hourly
Eight hours at €890 beats eight hours at €145—if everyone stays focused and goals fit the clock. Inside the block: soundcheck, three to five takes per song, comp notes—not long debates on paid time.
Singles may fit four band hours plus a vocal session. Albums spread across multiple day blocks often sound better than one exhausted marathon.
Costs beyond the studio rate
De Pijp street parking is paid; Tram 4 and 12: stop Stadhouderskade, about 6 minutes on foot via Govert Flinckstraat. Metro 52: De Pijp stop, about 8 minutes on foot. No private parking; paid street parking (APCOA zones). Bike or transit saves hassle. Bring spare strings, sticks and cables—shop runs burn session time. Session musicians are your hire; we invoice studio time only.
Invoices show Nelkenshift B.V., KVK 69985906 and VAT NL806374020B01 for your admin. Business clients may use 14-day payment terms; see terms and conditions.
Deposit, cancellation and revisions
We typically take a 30% deposit to hold dates. Free moves are possible until 7 days before the session; after that, cancellation rules in terms and conditions apply.
Mix feedback rounds follow mixing with 2 included rounds; extra passes or stem exports for an outside mixer are quoted separately. See exporting stems for mixing if you mix in-house.
Sample budgets (indicative)
| Project | Studio (guide) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Live single + vocals | 1 day block + 2 vocal hours | Mix priced per song |
| 4-track EP | 2 day blocks + overdubs | EP mix €795 may apply |
| Afternoon demo | 4 band hours | Strict song count |
Figures are direction, not a quote. Send song count, tempo map and deadline via contact; we aim to reply within 2 business days.
Save time without cutting corners
Rehearse to a click or guide at home. Align on dynamics and stops; rewriting a bridge in the live room is expensive. Bring a setlist and preferred take order.
Fresh drum heads and tuned kits save hours. Check guitar intonation before you travel. Engineers help, but prepared instruments matter. After tracking, see stems for mixing.
Archives and next steps
Session files stay on our systems for 24 months; download stems and backups in time. Long-term vaulting is yours on encrypted drives or cloud.
After mix comes mastering; streaming loudness is covered in loudness before mastering. Ready to plan? See band recording, FAQ on payment, and email [email protected].
