Freelance engineering offers a unique and hassle-free way for audio professionals to bring their creative vision to life. At our studio, we open our doors to freelance engineers, providing them with the freedom to rent a space without the weight of studio maintenance and logistics. It’s a simple and efficient process that allows these talented individuals to focus on what they do best – shaping sound. Learn more about Freelance sessions in this post.
What is Freelance Engineering?
Freelance Engineering is for people looking to use our studio without hiring an Engineer. This is great for individuals or groups who have experience recording themselves or other Artists and want to take a more hands on approach while in the studio. It can be great to work at your own pace, and on your own schedule. So many times it can be tough for an Artist and Engineer to align their schedules, and this can be a great solution to that. Anything recorded in our studio can be worked on by one of our Engineers at a later time, allowing you to focus on your best work in the moment.
What is a Freelance Session Like?
When you book a freelance session, we will send you a door code to access the studio and a guide on how the studio is set up. This guide is a great resource on how the studio is connected, what it takes to get to recording, and gives you important info about the studio WIFI and more.
Freelance sessions currently take place only in our Upstairs Studio, which is accessed through the red light trimmed door on the left side of our front entrance. You’ll get a door code that starts and ends with #. When you enter the code correctly the doors lights will turn off and the door will be unlocked. The studio lights and power are linked to the studio schedule, so you should have lights and all of the studio systems active when you arrive to the studio. The lights can be dimmed to your preference when you get started.
There is a small black button located underneath the studios security camera display. This button will turn on the studio systems power when pressed. If you need to activate the studio power manually, you can use this button to turn everything on.
How is Suburban Pro Studios Set Up?
The Upstairs studio is set up with patchbays at its core. A patchbay is a piece of gear that allows you to route the connections of various audio equipment easily. Instead of getting behind the desk and rerouting cables whenever you need to change things, you just repatch the patchbay and route things where you need them.
We have plenty of cables to reroute all of the audio equipment to whatever configuration serves your session best. Below is an image of our patchbay layout for your reference.
In the top row of this image is one of our TRS patchbays. It handles the outputs of our preamps (labeled ISA Two OUT 1 and 2, UA710 OUT, and U5 OUT), the inputs into our interface (MOTU INPUT A 1-8), and has inputs and outputs for compressors (Distressor IN and OUT), monitoring (Central Station OUTS), and our headphones systems (BOOTH and PODCAST). This makes it easy to connect different inputs into the interface, route preamps into compressors, or adjust what is being heard in the cue systems for the headphones.
The second row focuses on outputs from the audio interfaces, and inputs into the Central Station monitor controller.
The last row is an image from our XLR patchbay that would allow you to route signals from the vocal booth to our different preamps in the studio. This allows you to choose different flavors for your preamps or to connect gear in different ways than usual.
Listening In
The studios monitoring centerpiece is the Presonus Central Station. It is our monitor controller and handles volume, speaker selection, source selection, and cue selection. It has a remote control that makes adjustment easy and close at reach. You can choose which source to listen from, whether it is an output from the audio interface or directly from the computer. You can also adjust the volume in the room of those sources. Speaker selection is also made from the Central Station remote.
We have 3 speaker systems connected to the studio. They are labeled A, B and C on the remote. On A we have PMC TB2s teamed with a Hafler 500 amplifier. These are matched with a pair of Focal subwoofers. On B is a pair of Mackie HR824 studio monitors. On C is a Behritone mix cube. These different speakers all provide a different perspective while recording and mixing and can help you make sure your mixes are translating well across different playback systems.
What Do I Need To Bring?
If you come ready to record a song, that can be all you need!
BUT!
You can bring whatever you would like! Instruments, vocalists, gear, microphones… you name it! Use the studio like it is yours during your session. It’s all up to you and your creativity.
We have everything you need to get rolling quick. The vocal booth is always patched and ready to roll, and if you run into any issues at all you can call our Senior Engineer Matt at 618-407-8269 to assist with any issues you might have.
Studio Availability
The studio is available for booking 24/7, especially for Freelance sessions. You can get into the studio anytime that the schedule is open. We send you the door code, block the time for your privacy, and it’s all yours from there. Holidays, vacations… none of that matters when you are handling the studio yourself. We’ve had dozens of Freelance Engineers come through our studio, we’ve got the room ready for you!
No Strings Attached
What makes Freelance Engineering so appealing is its flexibility. There’s no long-term commitment or complex contracts. Freelancers can book a studio session for as long as they need it, whether it’s a few hours, a day, or even longer. It’s a service tailored to their schedule and requirements.
Our studio is more than just a recording space; it’s a turnkey solution for Freelance Engineers. They can rent our fully-equipped studio on demand, sparing them the complexities of managing and maintaining a studio themselves. This means no worries about equipment upkeep, acoustic treatment, or technical infrastructure – it’s all here, ready to use.
You can literally walk in and start creating. Our studio is prepped and primed, offering a seamless plug-and-play experience. The Engineer can concentrate solely on the music, with the assurance that they have a professionally equipped environment at their disposal. It’s as easy as booking a session, stepping in, and letting the creativity flow.
What if I Run Into Problems?
Then our Senior Engineer Matthew Sawicki is only a phone call away. He’s helped plenty of sessions sort out issues just with a phone call, often in just a few moments. We’ve been running the studio for 17 years, and the system we have built is rock solid. If you run into any problems, Matt will get you sorted out and back running!
One of the benefits of freelancing in our studio is access to technical support. If an issue arises or a question needs answering, our team is just a call away. Freelance engineers can rely on our expertise and assistance, ensuring that their recording and mixing sessions run smoothly.
What Equipment Do You Have?
Neumann TLM 103
Focusrite ISA Two
Universal Audio 710
Empirical Labs Distressor (2)
M1 Mac Mini
MOTU 896mk3
Central Station Plus
Behringer ADA8200
PMC TB2s (2)
43″ 4K Monitor
Hafler P500
Monoprice 300w (2)
Focal Subwoofer (2)
Mackie HR824 (2)
Various Patchbays
More info about our gear selection can be found on our equipment page.
Conclusion
Freelance engineering at our studio is a symbiotic relationship that offers creative professionals the freedom to work in a fully equipped, hassle-free environment. It’s a streamlined experience where the focus is solely on the music, and the studio takes care of the rest. Freelancers can rent a space, let their creativity flourish, and enjoy the benefits of a professional recording environment without the responsibilities of studio ownership. It’s studio time made easy – a true haven for audio artisans.