FAQs
”Frequently Asked Questions”
What are your rates?
Please take a look at our Rates page, where you can find all of our session rates.
Do you do Mixing/Mastering?
Absolutely, and we have some amazing Mixing and Mastering Engineers on our team. We have Mix and Master packages ready to book instantly on our Post Production page. If you’d like us to walk you through the best options for your project, get in touch and let’s chat!
Can I Mix and Master my project with my Engineer during a recording session?
We provide a rough mix and master for you at the end of every recording session! However, because of the amount of work that has to be done to ensure a professional and optimum quality mix and/or master, we reserve our recording sessions for recording and editing (comping, timing, tuning, etc). Our Mix packages are available on our Post Production page, and all of them include an attended session where you can sit down with your engineer in the studio and fine tune your mix until it sounds perfect!
Do you guys do “Stem Mastering”?
This a hotly debated topic in the engineering world! And in our 10+ year history, a lot has changed. Luckily, we’ve seen just about everything under the sun (err.. moon), and can give you some great recommendations for your particular project.
First, some basics. If we break down the process of “stem mastering,” it consists of two parts:
1) Mixing together several stems, or subgroups of the full mix, with a pleasing balance and any necessary bus processing. This could be as little as two stems (say, a lead vocal, and the instrumental), or a stem for each section of the mix (drums, guitars, bass, etc).
2) Running this summed mix through specialized master processing to end up with your final, mastered track.
In other words, some mixing, then mastering.
If you’re already happy with your mix, we almost always recommend sending the stereo mix straight to mastering. Hooray! You already got a great mix. No need to dig back into it — let’s get this thing wrapped up!
So, when would you want to do “stem mastering”? Basically, if there are changes you’d like to make to the mix that are best handled on a deeper level than the stereo mix.
The most common one of all: you generally like how the mix sounds, but there are some balance issues. At the master level, volume changes will affect the whole mix, not just a single instrument or a few tracks. So in this case, it’s best to use stems.
Some other common examples of mix issues that may benefit from stems or tracks:
The lead vocal has harsh “S” sounds that we can tame
An instrument or track is too loud in one section of the mix (when the chorus hits, the cymbals are too loud)
Some tracks need a tone adjustment, but not the whole mix (picture a guitar solo that’s way too bright — if you take down the high end of the mix, everything else will seem too dark and muddy).
However, since we consider these to be mix issues, and we have dedicated (and amazing) Mix Engineers and Mastering Engineers on the Moon team, we usually find that the best way to go is with a Mix Lite (our smallest mix package) and a standard Master.
That way, we can make sure you’re completely happy with your mix before it gets mastered.
Have a question about your stems or mastering project? Let us know and we’ll help!
Do you have *this piece of gear*?
Check out our Studio A and Studio B gear lists, updated regularly. We have too many plugins and software to list, so if you have any questions, let us know and we’ll reach out with more information!
Can I rent a special instrument/gear for my session?
If there’s a specific piece of gear you need for your session that we don’t have in our collection, we recommend SIR - Studio Instrument Rentals. They are the largest and most reputable rental facility in NYC and we’ve worked with them many times. Their phone number is (212) 627-4900 and they have affordable day rates if you pick up and drop off your rental at their Midtown facility near the Lincoln Tunnel.
What are the differences between Studio A & Studio B?
Studio A is our flagship studio. It’s a multi-room studio consisting of our premiere mix room filled with analog gear and a full live tracking room for instruments and ensembles with multiple iso booths (full bands, drums, guitars, string sections, brass sections, etc… ). It is also home to our extensive microphone and instrument collection.
Studio B is our vocal recording and production suite, and is a great choice for vocal and voiceover sessions, writing sessions, and production sessions.
I want to record a new song, but I need some help finishing the melodies and/or lyrics. Can my Engineer help me with that?
All of our Engineers have an extremely musical ear and a friendly ability to guide our artists and clients through the many musical and creative recording decisions that go into every recording. It’s this creative guidance that helps to translate your song into a successful recording.
However, please recognize that there is a difference between an audio engineer and a songwriter. If you feel that the melodies or lyrics of your songs are not yet set in stone, we don’t recommend that you come into the studio just yet to record them.
Instead, we recommend that you find a co-writer to collaborate with so when you get to the studio, you’re comfortable performing your songs as you would in a live setting. Studio B is a very popular and affordable choice for writing and pre-production sessions!
Is there parking near the studio?
Yes! Driving to our Greenpoint studio is a breeze, with free alternate side parking on our street, and all nearby streets. For detailed directions, click here for our Google Maps page.
Do you host rehearsals?
We don’t offer rehearsal services at Moon. If you’re looking for a place to rehearse in Brooklyn, we recommend Pirate Studios in Greenpoint or Pump’s Rehearsals in Bushwick. If you’re looking for to rehearse in Manhattan, we recommend Rivington Rehearsals or Funkadelic Studios. If you need a rehearsal space with an acoustic piano (upright or grand), we recommend Michiko Studios in Manhattan. Don’t forget to tell them Moon Recording sent you!
Can I book multiple sessions at once?
Yes! If you’d like to book multiple sessions with your Engineer in your desired studio, simply click “Add additional time…” when you select your first session time. This will allow you to either book a Recurring Session (where you can confirm the same session time/day weekly or monthly) or choose any additional time of your choice. With either of these options, you’ll only input your payment details once and will pay one combined deposit for all of your session choices.
