Mark Dann Recording
 
Music Production
Recording - Mixing
Mastering - Restoration 
 
New York City
& Woodstock, NY
(212) 941-7771
 
Home
 
MUSIC PRODUCTION
RECORDING & MIXING
-Studio Overview -
- Equipment List -
- Vinyl Record &
Analog Tape Restoration -
- Home Studio Services -
 
MASTERING
FOR CD & VINYL
  - Mastering Overview -
- Analog Mastering For CD -
- Mix Submission Guidelines -
- Pre-Mastering Listening Test -
- Web-Enhanced CDs -
- Artist & Client List -
 - Mixing Tips -
- Audio Samples -
 
 Photos - NYC
Photos - Woodstock
 
email the studio!
if the mail link above does not work:
Mark107 - at - aol.com
Mark Dann Recording
Mastering and Recording Studio
(212) 941-7771 - NYC USA -  email: Mark107 at aol.com
 
HOME STUDIO SERVICES

Many are doing recording projects at home these days. For musicians doing simple demos, this is a great technological advance. For those with higher career aspirations wanting to add more quality to their finished project, we offer various services.

BASIC TRACKING
Recording a full band in your apartment can result in litigation! We can record your band, and then deliver the tracks to you in most common formats including ADAT, Pro Tools, Digital Performer, various computer-based formats (including Windows formats like .wav, .aif, etc.), as well as analog formats (2" 16 or 24-track, 1/2" or 1/4").
 
If you are using a hardware-based device (Roland / Akai / Fostex / Alesis / Tascam / etc.), we can either send all the individual tracks to your recorder, or we can send you a "sub-mix". In this way, we can track your band with as many tracks as needed, but only send you a stereo submix (or more if desired). That way, your "basics" session won't obliterate the track count of your recorder. By doing a "time-code-locked" transfer, you will be able to continue working at home with ample tracks, and then bring your overdubs back to the studio, where they will be "reunited" with the tracks from your first session.
 
OVERDUBS
Sometimes people bring us tracks that they have recorded at home. They very often sound thin and somewhat lifeless. Sometimes even overly compressed and distorted. They pretty much never sound like they were done in a professional studio. For a demo, that might be okay. But if you want to compete with the sound you hear on your favorite CDs, you might consider singing into our Neumann U47, though $10k worth of micpreamps, EQ's, and compressors. The same can be said for guitars, horns, etc.
 
EDITING
Editing not only encompasses the usual cutting and pasting common to all phases of computer use, but also extends to music specific purposes, such as:
  • pitch correction of vocals, etc.
  • fixing rhythm and timing issues
  • changing tempo without changing pitch, and vice versa
  • splicing together different takes
  • pretty much ANYTHING you can imagine
Perhaps you don't have a system that allows you this kind of editing freedom,
or you do, but could use the expertise of engineers who do it 24 / 7.
 
MIXING
Even for those working with computer-based systems with automated mixing, the sonic quality of the end result often leaves something to be desired. There are many reasons for this, among them:
-A computer (or Adat / Mackie, Roland VS1680, etc.) does not replace an entire recording studio (despite what the magazine ads imply...)
-A musician with a bunch of recording equipment does not replace a full-time professional with many years of day-in, day-out experience (despite what the magazine articles imply...)
 
There is more to this list, but you get the idea. If you are serious about your music, and are NOT a pro engineer, and/or are not thrilled with your current results, consider letting us have a shot at your mix needs.
 
As a mastering engineer, I am sometimes astonished at what some "home recordists" hand me as "finished" mixes. While some do indeed sound pretty good, at least 90% suffer from classic problems:
  • audible distortion on peaks
  • amateur (and sometimes disastrous) use of compression and limiting
  • chaos in the bass frequencies
  • out of tune vocals
  • general lack of comprehension on how to EQ vocals and instruments in a mix situation
Even if your mix is "close" to being done, but you'd like the benefit of a professional engineer in a professional environment, your mixes can be completed here at a reasonable cost.
 
Check out the MIXING TIPS page.
 
If you have any questions regarding any of this, EMAIL THE STUDIO