Hey Brian,

I think the problem here is, not the topline studios. The Sony's and the Fox's and the Universal's and their subsiduaries will never name drop. Neither will they tout for business or suggest that the use of their studios will make you a star. That's if you can even get a booking of course, and are willing to spend professional industry rates, upwards of $1k a day. Likewise for post production services. The rates are the rates, and every mastering studio anywhere, of any worth has always worked with the 'big stars".

The problem, as I see it, are the middle and lower ranking studios who suggest or infer, that they have "contacts". It's not their job to have contacts. It's their job to record music. It's not really even their job to produce it. Its' yours. They will of course provide a "producer" at additional cost. And this is where the problems lie.

If you are not in a position to be able to run a recording session, or hire someone form your team to do so, you shouldn't be anywhere near a recording facility.

My best advice to not be scammed would be to hire someone completely independent of the work you think you may wish to do, and get them to assess the available options. That could even be done free via a JPF post. Just ask....

This is where I'm at.
This is where I want to be.
This is how much I'm willing to spend.
Am I being practical with cost vs outcome ?

I think all the various JPF studio folks, when their opinions were added up, and an average taken, would give a fairly clear and consice opinion of what was reasonable, and what is outragous.

cheers, niteshift

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