Frequently Asked Questions

Click on each question for the answer to appear.

Can't find the answer to your question? Please contact us.

• How many songs can I do with a 4-hour Solo Demo Special?
This question is difficult to answer because it depends on many factors that are out of our control, such as the length of the songs, how many takes will be required, desired sound quality, etc. Solo vocalists singing with tracks are often able to get from 4-6 songs done in this time; bands would only get 1-3 songs at the most, due to the large amount of setup time for a band. You can always purchase additional time if you would like to get more songs done. Also, remember that part of the 4 hours will be used by your engineer to mix your songs and get them ready them for CD. If you have a band or are playing one or more instruments, you might want to consider our 8-hour Block Special, which costs $440.
• I want to record x number of songs. How much will it cost? Or How much will it cost to record an album or project?
Unfortunately, no studio can give a definitive answer to this question. The cost is determined by the amount of studio time needed to record and mix each song. The time it takes to record a song is affected by how large the band is, how well the band knows the material, the number of fixes and overdubs required, and how perfect the group feels they need to be to have a finished product at the level of quality they are seeking. Another factor would be whether they are recording as a group for a quick demo album or tracking individually to get a top quality commercial CD. For a good comparison one band might be able to nail their songs in only one or two takes, while another band could require five or more takes that still necessitate editing and fixes. As you can see, there are many variables involved. We can, however, give a general idea of the time required for various projects.

In general, a complete album of 10 to 12 songs can be done in 25 to 50 hours including mixdown but could take longer for those seeking absolute perfection. A three-song demo will normally range from 4 to 10 hours. Someone who sings with background tracks can usually get 3 to 6 songs in a 4-hour demo special. It is important to remember that these are all generalizations. Please call us at 614-497-3970 so that we can discuss your individual project and put together an estimate of cost.
• What if I need musicians?
Musicians are available but must be scheduled in advance. Cost for musicians may vary depending on number of songs and length of time they are needed. Typical cost is $25 to $50 an hour; however, we may be able to help you find less expensive alternativealternatives. Bear in mind that a good musician's fee will be offset by how fast he/she lays down your tracks. Therefore, a more expensive musician could end up costing you less in the end. Please note, you will also need to provide some sort of music or chord charts for the musicians. If you cannot do so we offer transcribing and arranging services.
• Can we sing with tracks (karaoke-style)?
Yes, in fact we have many customers who have done just that. We have a Karaoke machine and TV monitor so that you can view the lyrics if you wish. You must provide your own karaoke CDs, however, and also be aware that Rome is not responsible for any copyright or licensing violations should any issues ever arise.
• I need to use a keyboard or some other studio instrument. What do you have available?
We have a wide selection of instruments available including a Baldwin Grand Piano, Hammond B3 w/Leslie cabinet, Korg Triton and other keyboards, DW drumset and various percussion, along with stringed instruments and amps. For a complete list, please visit our Equipment List. Also note that equipment use must be scheduled in advance to insure equipment availability (see Studio Policies)
• What recording system do you use and what kind of quality can I expect?
Studio A features both a Pro Tools HD4 system and 2" 24-track analog tape. These are the two recording formats used in top studios around the world and can provide you with commercially-viable sound quality. For more on our recording systems and the quality they provide, please visit the Why Rome? page.
• Can you fix or clean up my recording… or transfer it to CD?
We can transfer almost any medium to CD without a problem. We can also process the original recordings to remove noise, hiss, clicks, etc. However, there is no definitive guarantee that all noise can be removed from your recordings, as some recordings are simply too deteriorated to restore. As such, noise reduction services are billed by the hour and are not contingent upon the final product.

• What's the difference between Rome recording and a "project" (home) studio?
The answer to this question really comes down to an issue of quality: what do you want to get out of your recording investment? If you want a product that you can be proud of, that showcases your sound, that is commercially viable and will allow you to charge top dollar, and that compares to hit releases, then come to Rome. This level of sound quality simply is not possible in project studios that use consumer-level equipment in rooms that lack properly treated acoustics, and are run by non-professionals. Your music deserves the best, so entrust it to professionals.

The expression "You get what you pay for" rings true in this situation as well. We have had clients come to us to fix up the poor sound they got out of a project studio. They had already spent so much time at the previous studio attempting to get a good sound that their project end up costing more than it would have if they had recorded at Rome in the first place! For more details see the Why Rome? page.
• How can two bands that record at the same studio get totally different results?
Our engineers' number one goal is to give our clients the best possible quality, reflected in the best sounding mix. However, it is a simple fact that without a good musical performance, no amount of engineering can create a great sounding record. Our engineers do the best they can with the material that is recorded, but it is crucial to realize that the quality of the final product is subject to the quality of the musical performances on the record and the size of the budget, which affect how much studio time you will have to work with. In addition, it is important to remember that our engineers are highly trained, full-time professionals who know Rome's equipment and rooms far better than anyone who doesn't work here on a daily basis. Though our engineers work to give our clients what they want in a mix, we always try to encourage our clients to listen to the engineer and trust his mixing. Feel free to make comments and discuss the direction of your mix with your engineer, but also trust them to provide you with a great finished product. The bands who trust their engineer are the ones who get the best mixes.
• What is Mastering? Do I need it? Can you do it?
Mastering is the process of finalizing a project after all the mixing is completed. During this process songs are processed to conform to industry standard volume levels and equalization curves. In addition, care is taken to make sure that all the songs on the album have a similar sound to them. Mastering is the final polish on a project that ties a collection of songs into an album; it is an integral part of all major recording projects. Depending on the project, Rome can do mastering in-house or recommend someone to do it for you. The higher budget projects are best being sent to major mastering services for the absolute best in mastering. However, we can provide a reasonable level of mastering quality for most of our clients at a much lower cost. Please note that if you wish to bring in a CD for mastering that was recorded at a studio other than Rome, we need to hear the project before determining if we can master it for you. Some studios do not properly prepare their mixes for mastering; in this case we would talk with the original recording studio to have your songs properly prepared. Rest assured, we won't do it for you unless we can do it well.
• How do I schedule a Session or a Free Tour?
You can stop in at 3970 S. High St., Columbus, Oh. 43207 (See Directions) or call us at (614)497-3970 to schedule a session or tour. If you come in we can sit down with you and help you plan a budget and show you your potential profits based on your sale of CD's and Cassette's. Please call ahead if you are coming in for a tour so we can get it approved if there happens to be a session going on. Also note that we normally require a deposit to hold session times; we take credit card (Visa/MC) by phone, checks, and cash.
• Do you require a deposit? What is your cancellation policy?
At Rome our schedule is often very tight and when we put you on the schedule we reserve that time for you. If someone doesn't show up we lose that time, which could've been booked with someone else. That's why it's important that a person show up. A deposit indicates to us that a person is serious and will show up for the session they schedule. We usually require a 50% deposit and require 48 hours notice for cancellations. This gives us time to book another session. No-shows and last minute cancellations are subject to penalties.
Do we have some time to setup before the session starts?
We adhere to the industry standard, which is for the clock to start at the scheduled time, whether the client is on time or not. At Rome we normally allow musicians to arrive and start setting up 15 minutes prior to the session start time (subject to studio availability). Please note that this time is for you to setup your equipment. Once the engineer begins setting up, your session is underway and is officially on the clock. Setup may include running cables and setting up mics, as well as configuring computer programs to record your music. A full band setup can take some time so please try to be patient. This is some of the most important time of your session, as the engineer will be working to get the best possible mic placement and equipment settings for optimum sound quality. If you desire a certain sound, this is the time to make sure you are getting it.
How do we back up our project?
Please see our Studio Policies page for information on session backup and storage.

• How do I get my project Duplicated?
Rome is your one-stop studio that offers complete in-house duplication services. We offer high quality CD’s and professional printing for inserts and tray liners, along with quick turn-around and superior product. See our Duplication Products page for more information.

Beware of "too cheap to be true" mail order companies. Your small savings could be very embarrassing when you sell a CD that doesn’t play because of quality issues. See our CD Quality page

Call or stop in for a price quote. Stopping in is usually best so you can see samples and drop off any pictures or artwork.

• My songs are not yet copyrighted what do I need to do?
We can assist you in getting your songs copyrighted. The Library of Congress charges $30.00 to process your copyright form (each form can be either for one song or a group of songs). We charge $50.00 to fill out the form and file it for you. Feel free to ask us for a copy of the form, or you can check out the website for the Library of Congress, which has downloadable forms.
• What about Copyrights and Mechanical Licenses for other songs?
If you are recording a version of someone else's song you need to get permission if you are going to mass produce it and/or sell it. This is called a mechanical license and generally costs about 9.1 cents per song per copy (this amount increases from time to time, so please check current licensing fees). Just as an example, 1,000 copies with one licensed song would cost around $91.00. This is only covers recording your own version of the song. In order to use the original recorded tracks for your CD you would have to buy the license for the recorded tracks, which can run $100 to $200 or more per song.

Please note that it is your responsibility to properly license any material you record at Rome, and we are not responsible in any way if you fail to get the proper licensing. Also note that none of our statements should be interpreted as legal advice or recommendation.

• Can You Remove Vocals from our Recordings?
We get this question a lot and it’s not a simple answer. There are numerous devices on the market that claim to be able to remove vocals, and though there may be something out there that does so really well, we haven’t found it yet. Our experience with these devices has shown that 1) they are generally poor at completely removing the lead vocal and 2) they cause a significant reduction in sound quality. For these reasons, and due to the questionable legal aspects of using recordings that have had the vocals removed, we do not offer this service. You are, however, more than welcome to purchase karaoke versions of the songs you wish to record and sing to those.

Here are some reviews from people who have experience with so-called vocal removers:

A waste of $100 by Ernie, May 2005
I will applaud Alesis attempt to bring a quality vocal remover to the market. The unit is nicely packaged but sadly that is where the kudos end.

I have been trying to remove the vocal track from complex and simple audio. Specifically "Another Openin" fromKiss Me Kate which has simple solo vocal through 90% of the song and "We Need A Little Christmas" from both the Mame soundtrack and Ray Connif singers. This one is more complex with group vocals as well as lead solo. Both with the same result or should I say virtually no positive result.

Alesis claims that you can "remove the vocal from any stereo source" simply is NOT TRUE.

At best you can attempt to push the lead vocal into the background usually resulting in a hollow or tinny sound. The same sound I have achieved without the vocal remover product, by reversing the phase on stereo audio and recording it as mono. You occasionally may have heard this same effect of your TV when Stereo Audio for TV was in its infancy back in the late 80's to early 90's.

So my assessment of the situation is in a nutshell this. If you are attempting to avoid the cost of purchasing CD's specifically recorded with no vocal track for Karaoke or voice over by buying this unit, you will be greatly disappointed IT DOES NOT REMOVE VOCALS as the marketing claims.

If however you can live with pushed back echoie vocals behind your or your singer's voice then buy the unit. The results really sound bush league.

It was once said that there is no free lunch. The vocal remover product once again proves that this is true.

It's Vocal Remover--NOT A MAGIC BOX! by Anonymous, July 2005
As a commercial musician and student, I knew this was a bad idea for the company I'm with to pursue, but they didn't believe me--I hope you do! (They do now!) As a previous reviewer said, this piece of gear simply cannot remove the vocals from just any stereo recording. This is because anything that claims to remove vocals must first assume that the center track is where the vocals are stored. The center track is made up of all sounds that are exactly equal in both the right and left channels. In order to remove vocals, the center track is simply removed. A diagram of what this might look like would be:


R: 03948577294
L: 03938577392

Where R is Right and L is Left.
The center channel would be: C: 039 8577 9