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Booking & Rates

  • Recording and mixing sessions start at $70 per hour. Rates may be slightly higher depending on the engineer, room, project requirements, or specialized services needed. If you are booking a larger project, multiple days, an EP, or an album, contact us directly for the best rate and availability.

  • Our minimum booking is two hours. Three-hour sessions and longer generally provide better value and give you enough time to settle in, record, review takes, and export files without feeling rushed.

  • We recommend booking at least one to two weeks in advance, especially for evening or weekend sessions, larger groups, and sessions with a specific engineer.

  • Same-day bookings may be available depending on room and engineer availability. Please call us directly to check availability. Same-day sessions must be paid in full before the session starts and are subject to a $20 last-minute booking fee.

  • Yes. Contact us directly if you are planning an album, EP, recurring recording schedule, artist-development project, or multiple full days in the studio. We can help you select the right engineer, reserve time, and create a custom booking plan.

  • Yes. A 50% deposit is required at the time of booking to reserve your session. The remaining 50% is due when the session begins. You may pay the remaining balance in cash, or you can pay for the full session online when booking.

  • We accept PayPal and Zelle for online payments. The remaining session balance may also be paid in cash when the session begins.

  • Yes. Clients can book all currently available Mothership Studio services directly through our website. For multi-day projects, label bookings, session musicians, large groups, or requests outside standard booking options, contact us before booking.

Recording & Production

  • Yes. Auto-Tune, basic vocal editing, comping, punch-ins, doubles, harmonies, ad-libs, stacks, and layering are included in regular recording sessions. Let your engineer know what you want to accomplish at the beginning of the session so your time is used efficiently.

  • Yes. We offer production, beat-making, arrangement, co-writing, vocal production, and artist-development support. Ask about production or co-writing packages before you book.

  • Our engineering team has experience across a wide range of musical genres. Contact us with details about your sound, references, and project goals, and we will connect you with the engineer who is the best fit.

  • Yes. We have built relationships with professional session musicians across multiple styles. Availability and rates vary, so please inquire before your session so we can match your project with the right musician and confirm costs.

  • No. Mothership Studio is designed primarily for music production, recording, mixing, and artist sessions. Because occasional background noise can bleed in from surrounding studios, we do not book projects that require the extremely controlled, consistently silent environment needed for podcasts, audiobooks, and other long-form spoken-word recordings. If you would like to record these type of projects please reach out to our sister studio Nexus Audio in Oakland, CA

  • Possibly, depending on the room, project, and your experience level. Contact us with details about your engineering background, intended use, guest count, and equipment needs. We are always interested in meeting qualified engineers and discussing room-rental arrangements.

  • Yes. We are always interested in meeting other engineers, producers, and creatives. Reach out with your background, portfolio, session needs, and preferred workflow, and we can discuss studio access, room rental, and partnership opportunities.

  • Please visit our Gear Page for the most current list of microphones, recording equipment, software, instruments, monitors, and other studio hardware. If you need a particular item for your project, confirm availability before booking.

  • Yes. Standard sessions may have up to 10 total people. Please keep your group respectful of the studio, engineers, equipment, and neighboring businesses.

    For birthday packages or larger celebrations, let us know your expected guest count before booking. We will do our best to accommodate your group based on the room, schedule, and building requirements.

  • Yes. Free parking is available in our gated area. Gated spaces can fill up at busy times, so street parking may be necessary. Please allow extra time to park and arrive before your scheduled session start.

  • Yes. We can prepare instrumentals, a cappellas, performance tracks, clean versions, and radio edits. Please request these in advance and allow enough session time for creating, reviewing, exporting, and transferring the requested versions.

  • Well-behaved pets may be allowed with advance approval. Pet owners are fully responsible for their animal’s behavior, supervision, and any damage caused to the facility or equipment.

Guest & Parking

  • Yes. You may cancel or reschedule as long as you give at least 48 hours’ notice. Sessions cancelled or rescheduled with less than 48 hours’ notice forfeit the 50% booking deposit.

  • No-shows are charged the full session price.

  • Your booked session begins at its scheduled start time. If you arrive late, you are still welcome to use the remaining booked time, but your session may not be extended unless additional time and an engineer are available.

  • No. The building and studio close at 3:00 AM and reopen at 8:00 AM, so overnight sessions are not available.

Cancellations & Studio Hours

  • Yes. Please bring or send your instrumental, beat, or session files before your appointment whenever possible. We recommend bringing a high-quality WAV file rather than an MP3. Have your lyrics, song structure, reference songs, and creative direction ready so you can make the best use of your booked time. If you do not have a beat or finished song yet, we can help with production, arrangement, beat-making, songwriting, and building out an idea. Contact us before booking so we can pair you with the right engineer or producer.

  • For vocal recording, bring a WAV instrumental in the correct key and tempo whenever possible. For mixing projects, send clearly labeled, consolidated WAV stems that all begin at the same point in the song. This makes it possible to open your project accurately in any DAW.

  • Often, yes. However, consolidated WAV stems are the most reliable choice when transferring a project between systems or DAWs. Send files ahead of time whenever possible so we can confirm that everything is ready before your session begins.

  • Yes. Please bring a reliable hard drive or SSD if you would like to take your files with you after the session. We retain client session files for up to 30 days, but clients are responsible for making backups of their own projects, exports, stems, beats, and sessions.

  • Yes. Your booked time includes setup, loading projects, recording, editing, mixing performed during the session, mic changes, exporting, preparing stems, creating alternate versions, and transferring files. Please reserve enough time for all of the work you need completed.

Preparing for Your Session

  • Yes. Recording and mixing sessions start at $70 per hour, with rates varying by engineer and project needs. Mastering is billed at the engineer’s hourly rate for attended sessions. Unattended mastering is available for $80 per song.

  • Not at this time. We currently focus on stereo recording, mixing, mastering, vocal production, and music-production services.

  • Yes. We can prepare instrumentals, a cappellas, performance tracks, clean versions, and radio edits. Please request these in advance and allow enough session time for creating, reviewing, exporting, and transferring the requested versions.

  • Yes. We can provide individual files from the DAW used for mixing, as well as WAV files compatible with nearly any DAW. Stem preparation typically takes about 15 minutes per song, so please include that time in your booking to avoid additional charges.

  • We are happy to provide your files and exports when requested. Bring a hard drive or SSD so we can transfer them to you. Mothership Studio retains session files for up to 30 days after your session; after that, files may be permanently deleted without further notice.

  • Unless a separate written agreement says otherwise, clients retain ownership of their lyrics, vocals, and original music. Clients are responsible for confirming beat licenses, producer splits, co-writing agreements, sample clearances, and all other third-party rights before releasing a project.

Mixing, Mastering & Files

  • Guests may bring alcohol. Everyone is expected to drink responsibly, respect the facility, and follow all studio instructions. Mothership Studio may end a session or ask guests to leave if conduct becomes unsafe, disruptive, or damaging to the facility.

  • Marijuana use and vaping are permitted in the control room only. Tobacco products are not permitted anywhere in the studio.

    Do not smoke or vape of any kind near microphones, recording equipment, or during vocal recording. Keeping smoke and vapor away from microphones protects the equipment and helps preserve a clean recording environment.

  • No. Weapons are not permitted anywhere at Mothership Studio.

  • The booking client is responsible for any damage caused by them or their guests to studio equipment, furniture, building access systems, or the facility. Repair or replacement costs may be charged to the booking client.

  • Yes. A $100 automatic cleaning fee applies if liquids, excessive trash, bodily fluids, or other unreasonable messes are left in the studio. Additional charges may apply if professional cleaning, repair, or replacement is required.

  • Yes. You are welcome to shoot photos, social content, and behind-the-scenes footage during a normal engineer-led session. For a larger music-video production, commercial shoot, or a crew that exceeds the standard guest limit, contact us before booking so we can plan appropriately.

  • Equipment may not be left overnight unless approved in advance by studio management. Mothership Studio is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged personal belongings, instruments, hard drives, chargers, or valuables left at the studio.

  • Yes. Mothership Studio reserves the right to end a session, remove guests, or deny future bookings for unsafe, threatening, destructive, excessively intoxicated, or seriously disruptive behavior. No refunds will be issued when a session is ended because of a client’s or guest’s conduct.

Rules