The Studio

10th Planet Recording is a professional, multitrack recording studio nestled in the hills outside of Fairbanks. We have been making great recordings for our community since 1992 and are committed to growing with the ever-expanding recording technology in order to meet the high standards of our extremely talented clientele. We are recording musicians ourselves, and so we strive to create a relaxed atmosphere conducive to making good music.

During our initial consultation with prospective clients, we will do our best to ascertain whether we can meet their recording needs, budget considerations and time deadlines. If we don’t feel we can meet these expectations, we will be honest about the reasons, and may decline the work. We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone whose music condones the hatred of any person or group based on gender, race, religion or sexual orientation.

Scheduling

Studio scheduling is by appointment only and booked sessions can take place between the hours of noon and midnight every day except Sunday. Clients will be expected to arrive at the session no later or earlier than the agreed upon time. If cancellation occurs within 24 hours of a scheduled session, the client will be billed for a percentage of the cost of services scheduled.

Rates & Payment

Our current rate is $75 per hour plus hard disc costs (a $20 fee for storage or client's own IDE drive) with a $75 minimum per regular sessions for both tracking and mixing. We have a $350 minimum for a 5 hour “basic tracks” sessions which involve set-up for a whole band. This minimum encourages bands to consolidate the recording of basic tracks into fewer sessions, and includes an hour of free set-up time.

Payment by cash or check payable to 10th Planet is due upon completion of each session unless other arrangements are agreed to by both parties. Master CDs, DVDs (audio in .wav or other files) and DATs will not be released to the client until all outstanding bills are paid.

See Estimating the Cost of Your Project

The Recording Process

There are four main parts to making a recording: tracking, mixing, mastering and manufacturing.

Tracking is the process of recording all the components of the song (i.e. all instruments and vocals) onto tape or hard disc. The sound engineer is responsible for the choice of microphones, recording techniques, etc. to get the best sound possible.

Mixing happens after all of the necessary components of a song are recorded (tracking), and in most cases, can take more hours per song than the tracking. This process involves the sound engineer listening to all the tracks as a whole and then adjusting them for volume, placement, equalization, etc. as well as making artistic decisions (along with the artist) about the songs final sound, arrangement and production. After the project is mixed, it will be transferred to a data DVD , DAT (digital audio tape, which is CD quality) or a CD. At this point it is ready to be mastered and/or manufactured.

Mastering

10th Planet Recording is NOT a mastering facility. Mastering is a highly specialized process requiring a whole different spectrum of audio equipment and specially trained engineers.If you choose to have your CD mastered, your mixed project will be sent to a reputable mastering studio to be optimized for compression and equalization with the intention of having the finished audio quality of your CD comparable to a major label CD when played on the radio or other mediums. Though this step in the recording process is optional, it is considered standard in the industry and most of our clients are choosing to have their projects mastered.

Manufacturing

10th Planet Recording is NOT set up for mass production of CD’s. We are able to “burn” demo CD’s for clients at any point during the recording and mixing phase for project evaluation. When mixing is complete, we will provide a “master” CD or DAT of their finished project. This can then be sent to a CD manufacturing plant for mass production, or used to make duplicates with personal CD burners or computers. We have some brochures and samples from some of the larger CD manufacturing facilities available at the studio. Some of these companies are full-service, in-house operations that offer complete packages that include mastering as well as designing and printing all the graphics for the CD.

Consultation

When you’re ready for a consultation (or if you have questions not answered here), call 10th Planet Recording at (907)488-8658.

Who’s in the Studio

Congratulations to Jim Mitchell for his new CD "Memories". Check the jukebox above and contact the Planet to find out where to purchase...Closing in on final tracking for Mariah Verhoef's 3rd CD... Mixing Dave Stancliff songs for next CD...Robin & Pat are arranging and doing basic tracks for a new Sheri Wolf CD. Our associate Alex Clarke (Steve Brown Band, Flyers, Dang!) providing the electric guitar...Editing DAT tape for a CD of music made by the kids at the Beaver, AK School...Clean up a cassette from 1975 of John Denver's visit to McCarthy, Alaska... Transferring interviews with Einar "Red" Anderson, pioneer, from cassette.

.:Friday, June 11, 2010

Congratulations to Will Putman on the arrival of his new CD, Ravin'! Tracking for Sabe Flores-Herreid. Demo recorded and mixed for Mike & Josey Tomlinson, a great father & daughter country duo. Began tracking for a new Sheri (Wolf) Seman CD. Finishing up mixing of Sam Herreid tracks. Dave Stancliff in from Tok with some new songs. Jim Mitchell (fiddle, No Compromise and Dave Stancliff) tracking with granddaughter Amy for a new CD. Tracking for Mariah Ver Hoef.

.: Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Mixing Big Will Putman's latest in time for the Alaska Folk Festival in Juneau. Also mixing Sam Herreid's inimitable sounds for upcoming CD. And mixing Floyd and Jeanne Seigler (The Seiglers on the marquee), our new friends from Tok. Tracking has begun for Sabe Herreid-Flores, 18 year old phenom on cello, guitar & vocals (with a bit of ukelele!) And Pat and Robin, too, recording some things together for a future CD!

.: Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Mariah Ver Hoef laying down electric guitar tracks...Will Putman adding tracks (Trudy Heffernan tracking bass and harmony vocals, son Liam on mandolin.) Mixing home-recorded tracks from Sam Herreid (drummer for The Muldoonies-check out their track above-and, more recently multi-instrumentalist for Haifa). Mixing choir demos for Barney McClure.

.: Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Ski pal Will Putman started tracking on a new CD. Mariah Ver Hoef, fresh from her CD release party in November, has begun tracking on a new one already! Prolific! Pat's currently laying down drum tracks and Robin's adding bass tracks. Caleb Aronson began basic tracks for a new CD, his first since his, we hope permanent, return to Alaska. Steve Brown in the studio! Starting tracks toward a new CD. Paperscissors coming in this month to lay down drums tracks to take home and add to. Keeping the 10th Planet warm...with music!

.: Monday, December 07, 2009

Does that post below say May? Sheesh! Time flies when your in Alaska in the Summer. Here's the latest: Steve Brown & The Bailers have their CD in hand! And so does the wonderful Mariah Ver Hoef (once known in these pages as Mariah Z). Run out and get 'em right away! The studio is undergoing renovations but the action is back, Jackson, and we're mixing Gangly Moose. They were in studio in June to record more AcoustaMoose songs. This new CD is going to be a landmark. Got a great Fall lined up so stay tuned.

.: Tuesday, August 18, 2009

We're proud to announce the arrival of the long awaited O Tallulah CD!!! And it's a doozy. Look for an album debut concert soon. AndDave Stancliff has his CDs in hand!!! To get one, look for him at the Tok RV Park where he plays nightly through the summer for visitors and anyone who stops in or contact us. Meanwhile hear a song from each CD on the jukebox above. Sent off Steve Brown & the Bailers CD for mastering at Discmakers. He doth await with bated breath. Final mixing on Mariah Z (Ver Hoef) CD is occurring as we type. Gotta go.

.: Saturday, May 23, 2009

Finished mixing Steve Brown & the Bailers. On to mixing the delightful Mariah Z (Mariah Ver Hoef) tracks. Final mixing and assembly of Bruce Delbridge's CD. Gangly Moose in for a day of Acousti-Moose tracking to top of the new CD. Bryce Edgemon, in town from Dillingham, added some touches to his Christmas song, "It's That Time Of The Year". (Sure it's Spring but you gotta think ahead in this business.) Susan Grace in for consultation on the very final touches of here new CD. It's going to the Mastering House soon, folks! Preparing Nate Montgomery tracks to send to Atlanta where a friend will add to his great honky-tonk songs.

.: Friday, May 01, 2009

Steve Brown and the Bailers continue tracking on their summer '09 CD. Mariah Z. tracking cello with Sabe Flores for her CD. Esther Golton was up once more from Talkeetna, finishing tracking for here instumental CD. Sent off Dave Stancliff's CD for duplication. Mixing on Gangly Moose's latest and greatest. All of these CD's will be out this summer so look for 'em. Not sure of the release date for Chris Juhlin's CD (He's mixing the tracks recorded here himself.) but look for it. It's going to be a good'n.

.: Thursday, April 02, 2009

Esther Golton came up from Talkeetna again to lay down tracks for an instumental CD plus 2 new songs toward another singer/songwriter CD. Chris Juhlin & band dropped by for two sessions recording guitar/ vocals in one and electric and acoustic bass & drums in another. Finished final tracking and mixing for Dave Stancliff.

.: Sunday, March 15, 2009

We've been playing a lot of drums & bass lately, adding to songs by two Fairbanks teenage phenoms, Mariah Z & Emily Anderson. Steve Brown has begun a studio CD after a fine "Live-in-the-studio" recording in January. Finishing mixing on Dave Stancliff's CD. Sitting around the other day, taking stock, we realized that in 2008 we had the pleasure of finishing works by Melissa Beck, Junkshow, O Tallulah, Anam Cara, Charlie Hunt, Mark Rogers, Bill Stevens, Susan Grace & Dave Stancliff. We thank them all and consider ourselves lucky to help such fine folks accomplish their dreams.

.: Sunday, March 15, 2009

O Tallulah CD is off to be duplicated as is the Bill Stevens one. Steve Brown & the Bailers were in for a half dozen live songs and soon will start a CD project. More work on Mariah Z's project: Basic tracks for a new song laid down and Pat & Robin adding bass and drums songs from previous sessions . Emily Anderson in to record 4 more tracks, two of which P&R will add drums and bass.

.: Monday, February 02, 2009