Why prep saves studio time
In our 2 vocal booths in Amsterdam you book by the hour or half day. Minutes spent hunting lyrics, downloading a beat or warming up while the engineer waits come out of your budget. Preparation is not perfectionism — it is project management for your voice.
The gap shows when artists know their text, their reference track and which passes they need (lead, doubles, ad-libs). That leaves room for nuance and retakes where it matters. Rates and what is included are on vocal recording.
One week ahead
Avoid exhausting gigs or long shouting sessions right before the studio. Your voice needs recovery like any muscle. If you rehearse heavily, split it into short blocks instead of one marathon.
Lock your lyrics: print them or use a device that will not sleep mid-session. Mark breaths, awkward vowels and where you want more or less intensity. Loop your beat until the structure feels automatic. Send tempo, key and a rough demo through contact if you have one; we reply within 2 working days.
The night before
Sleep is the cheapest vocal upgrade. A short night shows up in pitch, breath and patience. Go easy on alcohol; it dries mucous membranes. Very spicy or fatty food can trigger reflux overnight — awkward behind a pop filter.
Pack your bag: lyrics, headphones if you rely on them, water, throat lozenges without menthol if you use them. Put the instrumental on a stick or cloud link and test the download at home. Check Tram 13 stop Bellamyplein (5-minute walk). Bus 22 stop Bilderdijkstraat. From Amsterdam Centraal about 15 minutes on tram 13 towards Amsterdam Sloterdijk. so you are not rushed. Hours: Tue–Sat 10–22.
Session day: food and drink
Drink water through the day, not only right before rolling. Room temperature is kind; ice-cold can tighten some voices. Many singers skip dairy in the hours before recording because it can thicken mucus — learn what works for you at home.
Eat lightly about two hours ahead: too empty feels dizzy, too full presses on your diaphragm. Banana, nuts or soup are booth classics for a reason. Moderate coffee is fine for most people; a triple espresso before take one is rarely necessary.
Warm up without blowing out
Start with shoulders, neck and jaw — tension there ends up in the mic. Breath work: long exhales on a hiss or f-sound. Soft lip trills or ng-sirens bring the voice online without shouting.
Then sing slowly in the song’s range. Do not open with the highest chorus; build up. For rap or spoken word, run articulation drills slow, then faster. Ten to fifteen minutes is enough; long warm-ups in the booth burn paid time. Your engineer sets monitoring once you are inside.
In the booth: distance and headphones
Keep about a hand’s width between mouth and pop filter; step back slightly on loud consonants. Too close gets boomy lows; too far loses detail. Say if you want one earcup off to hear yourself in the room — we adjust levels to keep bleed low.
Ask for breaks before you grind. Two minutes quiet and water beat twenty takes where you chase pitch. We have 3 rooms in total; stepping out of the booth briefly does not have to end the session.
What to bring and what we deliver
Bring your beat as WAV or AIFF, ideally without clipping. Note BPM and key. Want rough comping or raw takes only? Decide at booking. After the session we archive project material for 12 months under our terms and conditions; keep your own backup too.
Recording vocals before a mix? Read understand mix pricing for stems and revision rounds. Questions about scheduling or a half day (€389 incl. VAT): call us or email.
Checklist
- Fix lyrics and know the track a week ahead.
- Sleep, hydrate, limit alcohol and heavy meals before recording.
- Warm up outside the most expensive booth minutes.
- Keep mic distance steady and take breaks early.
- Deliver beats as lossless files with clear meta info.
General tips only, not medical advice. Persistent hoarseness or pain: see a clinician and reschedule. Minimum age in our studio is 16; see privacy policy for how we handle personal data.
