Vocal and voice recording in Amsterdam

01 Who books the vocal booth

The booth sees a wide mix of people. Typical bookings include:

• Singer-songwriters cutting a single or EP over their own production.
• Rappers and MCs who need a tight, dry recording for a mixtape or release.
• Bands who tracked together in the live room and want to redo vocals with more calm.
• Voice actors and presenters working on voice-overs, audiobooks, e-learning or podcast intros.
• Small vocal groups with just enough singers to share the booth.

You need to be at least 16 to book a session on your own. If you are younger, get in touch first so we can talk through what is needed.

02 The booth and choosing a microphone

The booth measures 9 m² and is treated so your voice sounds dry and close without the room feeling stuffy. A window onto the control room keeps you in eye contact with the engineer. The studio holds 28 microphones in total, and for each voice we shortlist a handful.

No single microphone flatters everyone. Condensers reveal breath and texture, dynamics keep loud singers and punchy rap under control, and a ribbon smooths out a brittle upper range. We record the same passage through several models and you listen with us in the control room before we commit.

Placement matters just as much. A few centimetres closer adds low end and intimacy; angling the capsule slightly higher softens sibilance. The more of this is right at the start, the less needs fixing in the mix later.

03 How a session runs

A typical 4-hour vocal session goes roughly like this:

1. Warm-up and setup: picking the microphone, setting levels and shaping your headphone mix.
2. Full takes: the song top to bottom a few times so the energy and story hold together.
3. Focused passes: lines or single words that could be better, redone in short sections.
4. Doubles and harmonies: stacked chorus lines, harmony parts recorded one voice at a time, ad-libs kept apart.
5. Comp and export: assembling one final version per part, either with you or once you have left, and preparing the files.

Breaks happen whenever you need them. Once the voice gets worn, extra takes stop adding anything, and we would rather end early with usable material.

04 Feedback at the desk

If you want an honest ear, the engineer will comment on pitch, timing, diction and intent. Some artists like someone to think along about phrasing or a different approach to the chorus; others arrive knowing exactly what they want and prefer to work without interruptions. Just tell us at the start which suits you.

For voice-over work we keep an eye on pace, emphasis and consistent level across long scripts. If a client wants to listen in remotely, we agree beforehand how that will work and who signs off on a take.

05 What to prepare

The better prepared you are, the more of your booked time goes into recording. Bring or send ahead:

• The instrumental as a WAV file, ideally without a guide vocal, or your session as separate tracks.
• Tempo and key, if you know them.
• Your lyrics, printed or on your phone; for voice-overs, the final script.
• A short list of released songs whose vocal sound you would like to get close to.
• A familiar pair of headphones, if you have one.

For more on warming up, what to eat and drink beforehand and picking the right key, read our guide on preparing a vocal session.

06 Files, formats and storage

Unless your project runs at a different sample rate, sessions are captured at 24-bit/48 kHz. At the end of the session you get the vocal tracks as WAV files, all starting from the same point, so they line up instantly in whatever software you use.

We keep a backup of your session for 12 months, after which it is deleted, so store your files safely on your side too. How we handle your data is set out in our privacy policy.

07 What is not included

The hourly and session rates cover the room, the equipment and the engineer during the session. They do not cover:

• Mixing the full song, which is a separate service, see mixing, with 2 revision rounds.
• Mastering for streaming or physical release, see mastering.
• Production or beats: we record over your material but do not make instrumentals.
• Heavy pitch correction beyond a short, subtle touch on a few phrases.

Mixing somewhere else? Your files come labelled and organised so another engineer can pick them up without guesswork.

08 Pricing, VAT and booking

Sessions cost €75 per hour or €260 for a 4-hour session, including 21% VAT and the engineer. Excluding VAT that is €61.98 per hour and €214.88 per session. The minimum booking is 2 hours.

Most pop-length songs with stacked choruses are done within a single afternoon, so a 4-hour session covers most singles comfortably. We ask for a 30% deposit when you book. You can cancel or move a session free of charge up to 7 days before; after that 50% of the amount is due. The full conditions are in our terms and conditions.

Send a message through the contact page or call 020 846 3172. We reply within 2 working days.