Vocal and speech recording

Who this is for

Solo artists cutting a single, rappers building a mixtape, songwriters who need a clean demo, and voice-over or spoken-word creators who want a proper room — not a live stage. Bands from our band recording often return here for leads and backing vocals.

The booth is built for one singer at a time; guests can sit in the control room. Minimum age 16; younger artists need a parent or guardian present by arrangement. Sessions are by appointment: Monday–Friday 10:00–22:00, Saturday 11:00–18:00, Sunday by appointment only.

Mic and signal path

No single mic suits every voice. We often compare two setups on the same line — condenser for detail and air, dynamic for loud rap or close singing. Distance, angle and pop filter are tuned together so sibilance and plosives stay manageable.

Signal runs through our preamps — 12 inputs in the building — into 24-bit / 48 kHz sessions unless your project needs another rate. We avoid heavy processing on input so tracks remain useful for mixing here or elsewhere.

How a session runs

After setup we take a full pass to feel tempo and breath. Then we split the song into blocks: verse, pre-chorus, chorus, bridge. Water and breaks are normal; tired voices rarely yield usable audio.

Want feedback on pitch or delivery? Say so upfront. Prefer to experiment on your own? We stay quiet unless something technical needs fixing. Both approaches work; the session follows what you need for this track.

What to bring

Send instrumental WAV without guide vocals when possible, plus BPM and key. Lyrics on paper or phone help; reference tracks are welcome, not mandatory. Your own headphones are fine if you rely on them.

• Instrumental or stems without vocals
• Lyrics and structure
• Any tuning or timing notes from your DAW
• Billing contact (personal or business)

The warm-up guide covers habits before you arrive — hydration, rest, not shouting on the tram.

Delivery and formats

Default delivery is consolidated vocal WAVs synced from bar one, plus separate takes if you want them archived. On request we export a working session or a quick monitor mix for home checks.

Files go via download link or your drive. Mixing and mastering are separate services; you can send vocals to an external mixer — we label tracks clearly (Lead, Dub, Adlibs). See exporting stems if you mix yourself.

Rates and VAT

Listed prices are consumer rates including 21% VAT. Business invoicing available; B2B payment term 14 days where applicable. Booking requires a 30% deposit; free cancellation up to 7 days before the session — see terms and conditions.

Hourly suits short add-ons. Half day covers many singles with doubles. The per-track fee applies when scope and comping are fixed in advance.

Not included

Full mixing, tuning as an effect, songwriting, arranging or producing instrumentals sit outside Vocal and speech recording. Travel and hired musicians are yours to arrange. More than one singer at once needs extra time or a look at podcast recording for dialogue formats.

Revisions after export follow project rules; standard mix revision rounds do not apply to vocal-only deliveries unless we also mix. Questions: FAQ or call us.

Location

Govert Flinckstraat 142, 1073 CG Amsterdam (De Pijp). 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). Do not park on the pavement; bikes can stop at the door.

Nelkenshift B.V. has run the studio since 2019. The building has 3 rooms — booth, live room and control — so vocals and bands do not get in each other’s way. Company details: legal notice.

Included

• Engineer for booked time
• Treated vocal booth (8 m²)
• Mic choice and basic comping when agreed
• Headphone mix adjusted on request
• WAV export on session day
• Session archive 24 months
• Coffee, water and lyric stand