Black Cave Recordings offers professional studio recording in Edinburgh city centre, just five minutes from Waverley Station. Head engineer Andrew Rankine has over 20 years’ experience and has worked on projects for BBC, Disney, Universal and many independent artists.
Myself and my band MisophoniA have used Black Cave on multiple occasions and Andy always delivers and if something is not quite right then he is always more than happy to accommodate outside input. l
Amazing service, amazing prices for top quality work. A must know contact for any musicians looking for someone to put the icing on the cake of your recordings!!!
Had Andy do some mastering work on a couple of my band's tracks. Fantastic work, ended up with two really clear and aggressive-sounding masters. Open to feedback and was more than happy to make tweaks to ensure we got the best product possible. Would highly recommend to any metal band in need of mastering services.
HarmonyChoir engaged Andrew at Black Cave Recordings to record a medley of songs which we wanted for a video production. Andrew came with his kit to our usual rehearsal space and over the course of the evening we managed 3 full takes of the piece.
He was very pleasant and helpful to work with and the final result is excellent.
We would happily use him again if the occasion arises.
I’m a songwriter who’s been trying for years to find the right studio to bring out the best in me, and Andrew, at Black Cave, has done just that. His skill and professionalism are top tier, but he also has that intuition and artistic sensibility that only a creative musician can bring to the process, and that is what makes his studio truly unique.
I'm an amateur bedroom musician and Andrew was a pleasure to work with, he guided me through the process, was realistic and helpful, as well as fun to work with! I'm very satisfied with the experience and would recommend it.
It's been a genuine pleasure working with Andrew over the last couple of years.
I had a bunch of lo-fi home recordings that I wanted to release as an album, but my amateur attempts at mixing meant they didn't sound up to scratch.
Having never worked with a professional before, I wasn't sure how the whole process would work, so I contacted Andrew and we agreed to meet up at his studio to discuss. He made me feel at home, explained the services he could offer, and we worked out a plan on how to proceed.
For songs where I was happy with the recording, I would send Andrew the audio files, he would work his magic and send back the mixed track. The results were always amazing. He clearly has a passion for his work, and uses his knowledge and experience to create a sound quality that is far superior to what an amateur can do. Not only is the final output great, but his willingness to revise the mixes based on the specific sound I was looking for was massively appreciated.
I had some songs that had to be re-recorded, so we arranged some studio sessions. Having only ever recorded on my own, the thought of this was quite daunting, but Andrew always created a friendly and relaxed atmosphere making the whole experience a pleasure. Again his patience in allowing me to find the right take was always appreciated.
So if you're looking for a professional audio sound, and to work with a friendly experienced engineer, I highly recommend Black Cave Recordings!
Friendly, professional and above all creates amazing work. Both the recording and the mixing have been stellar on all the projects we have worked on with Black Cave, highly recommend.
Andrew was great to work with—friendly, professional, and very easy to communicate with. The whole process was smooth, and I’m really happy with the final result. Highly recommended!
My songs will out please do check it for his work!
Andrew is fantastic to work with. The studio setup is really great, and he made the recording experience much less nervewracking than I imagined it would be (it was my first time recording). He’s really experienced and professional, and was able to add in a bass line for my song playing bass guitar, he picked it up so quickly and made my song 10x better! His mixing and mastering is top tier, so professional and crisp and balanced sounding. And very fair pricing. He was patient and worked hard, and quickly, to get the final mix how I envisioned it. I’m so happy with the result and really enjoyed the whole experience. Would absolutely recommend to anyone.
Andrew was incredible to work with- from the beginning of the process he was communicating constraints and offering advice in a timely and pleasant way. Whatever suggestion I had regarding my voice reel was taken into account and I am very happy with how it ended up. Would highly recommend to anyone!
Went in with a large group to produce and rap over a song we made from scratch. Andrew was an amazing and welcoming host. He was super accommodating and more than willing to help whenever issues arised. Prices were reasonable and the place was clean. Would highly recommend if you're in the area!
Andrew is accommodating, patient, skilled, and friendly. His work is stellar and without him my most recent (audio) book would have been of far lower quality. Thanks for everything, Andrew.
I have Record a Bollywood Song earlier this month in Black Cave studio, Andrews has Amazing Skills and he is very helpful and supportive. While Recording he assist a lot. Location is very accessible from City centre. Very professional and Kind.
If you are looking to record a voice over, I cannot recommend Black Cave Recordings enough. I called Andrew about making a voice reel, and he managed to fit me into a session in less than a week. Andrew was professional and personable, and gave me plenty of time on the day to retake the scripts as many times as I needed. I never felt rushed in the hour's session. His rates were brilliant, and he edited the reel to such a high standard. I will definitely be coming back to Black Cave Recordings in the future. Thanks, Andrew!
Andrew - is a great engineer & goes well beyond the extra mile to get the best result for his clients - Also knows a drum kit inside out ( Synth & in reality) and is happy to contribute on the creative/education side - Would highly recommend to anyone who has taken the time and effort to get their musical creation shaped and vocal/accompaniment/playing up to a decent standard - Black Cave well up for bringing the finished article home to a pro level
I’m a professional voice artist and I always know I’m in safe hands with Andrew. He’s fun to work with and I appreciate the feedback he gives on my performance.
I recorded an online course with Andrew. I'd highly recommend him - professional, efficient, knowledgable & patient, and he has a very warm, welcoming approach. I'm looking forward to recording my audio book with him in 2024! Thank you, Andrew!
I asked Andrew if he would record some songs I had written, music and vocals. He arranged a guitarist and vocalist. The end product was excellent, the arrangement and studio mix professional. Andrew kept in touch and I was always updated on the progress of the project. I would highly recommend his services. I will certainly use his studio again.
My partner got me a a voucher for a few hours at black cave recording for my birthday. I’m a recreational guitar player and never done anything like this before so was nervous. Andrew was very patient though and talked me through everything which put me at ease and allowed me to play and sing to the best of my ability. His mixing skills were amazing too which resulted in a top quality final recording. Would highly recommend Andrew to anyone that is new to recording.
Had a great experience with Andrew@Black Cave. I'm a total amateur with some lyrics and a tune in my head. Gave Andrew some ideas about how I wanted it to sound and he produced an amazing backing track. I had time in the studio was fun and he got the best out of a pretty average voice. The end product was exactly what I wanted. Well recommended.
The service provided by Andrew was excellent. He was very friendly, reassuring and professional. The final production of my song could not have been more perfect. Thank you so much for all the support. Margaret Ryder
I have used Black Cave Recording for a number of projects in different genres; solo voice and guitar, Acapella, traditional instrumentation and experimental Rock. I am pleased, with the results. The producer being a multi instrumentalist, has also been able to play on tracks. A knowledgeable, friendly collaborator who is able to mix and produce to a high standard, whatever the genre. I have no hesitation in recommending Black Cave Recordings; great value for money.
I’d never been to a recording studio before I’d been to Black Cave Recordings. Any nerves I had vanished quickly as I was immediately made welcome by Andrew which no doubt helped my performance. I have now been going to Black Cave Recordings for over a year now and recorded many songs there. For anyone looking to start recording music and/or get it mixed and mastered effectively I couldn’t recommend this place enough.
I asked Andrew to master songs for my New Musical, and he did a wonderful job. The sound from the Tracks are Insane, the vocals Pop incredibly well, the Sound from the Musicians is wonderful as well and he done an amazing job. Honestly, if you want someone for a Job Mastering tracks, I would Always say Andrew is the person you want.
I worked with Andrew last year to make a recording as a gift. I am not a singer (beyond concerts in the shower or in the car), and, I'm really shy about singing in front of others - so Andrew certainly had his work cut out with me!
He did an amazing job. He helped me through the whole process and was very patient, somehow what we produced sounded amazing!! I've only had one other experience like this, which was my first attempt to record this gift via a Groupon offer with a different studio. Not only did I dislike the end result from that first attempt, but the process itself wasn't very comfortable - especially for a total novice like me. This is why I looked Andrew up.
To begin with in my initial inquiry to see if he could help I shared the first recording to get his professional opinion, without any sales tactics at all he simply pointed out the post production elements from the first one that had hampered the recording, if I wanted to do this again with him he was confident he could have me sounding much better - which he definitely did! I am really proud of the track we made, and the recipient I gifted it to was amazed.
Andrew has also been really helpful following this experience when I reached out to him via email to ask for some advice on microphones and equipment for hobby/home recording. I had such a positive experience with him and loved how the track sounded so much that I decided I might do more for fun at home. I do love to sing, I just don't like an audience! He responded quickly and with loads of very helpful advice which was much appreciated.
I would definitely recommend working with Andrew if you're looking to record with someone. He's professional, courteous, helpful and supportive. Whether you're a seasoned pro, or a total newcomer like me. His post production skills are amazing, he'll produce a very polished finished product for you I'm sure. I would definitely go back to him for any future requirements. A+ Highly recommend!!
Hi everyone!I would recommend anyone to go with black cave studio!Andrew is cool, professional and full of understanding of music! ANDREW IS A Very conscious individual AND RESPECTFUL! THE STUDIO IS CLEAN AND WELCOMING! LOVE IT!I MADE HITS ALREADY! THANK YOU ANDREW! JAH BLESS!
I have recorded two audio books with Black Cave recordings and will be doing more. Andrew is a delight to work with. He is very professional and has an attention to detail. He is a pleasure to deal with and the quality of the end product has been commented upon by many listeners. I can thoroughly recommend Black Cave recording and I will return again shortly for more recordings.
Highly recommended. Andrew made me feel completely at ease recording for my course. He then spent time reviewing and tweaking it until I was completely satisfied. I needed the file in a different format after our session and that was also no problem for him.
Andrew did a genuinely amazing on my record. After I did a home recording of vintage synths, drum machines, and some piano parts, he helped to turn a loose collection of ideas into one cohesive whole.
He's really collaborative, but not afraid to be firm in this decisions - this is something that I found really helpful; we could have spent forever making final decisions that I was agonising over, and Andrew cut through the noise to help me come to a choice. That said, he's also very generous with his time; he clearly puts a lot of effort and care into everything, and his revisions are excellent - he doesn't just pump out another version - he makes careful and delicate tweaks.
The quality of work is evident right from the off - his mixes were so well considered and he took time at the outset to try to understand what I was looking to achieve with the album. Every track I asked him to work on is so much better after his input and work. This might seem like a small thing but he also does a great job of helping to keep the dynamic range intact - he doesn't want to fight the loudness war (again, can't thank him enough for this).
Over the years I've worked with a lot of people in music and Andrew stands alone in being the most reliable and consistently excellent person I've come across. I couldn't recommend him highly enough, whether you're an experienced musician or someone just starting out.
Very happy with Black Cave - Andrew kept me informed as he was working and sent over my masters exactly when he said he would. And best of all, they sound great, awesome to hear how he polished up my mixes. Much appreciated and would happily use again. Thanks!
Booked a last time session to record a couple of songs as a Christmas present. Andrew was extremely helpful and accommodating. He gave me lots of advice prior to recording to make sure the backing tracks were good quality and the recording session itself was excellent. Very professional and put me at ease throughout the whole process. Would highly recommend!
I recently took the Beginner's Course (4 lessons covering the use of production software, creating music using samples as well as both electronic and acoustic instruments, and mixing finished compositions). The lessons were brilliant! Andrew did an amazing job of showing me how to use Ableton, clearly explaining what we were doing and why, talking though the underlying techniques, and giving me plenty of opportunity to put into practice what I was learning. The lessons were tailored to my own personal needs, and throughout the lessons Andrew was patient and any questions I had were answered clearly. I've come away with a great understanding of how to use Ableton to create and mix the music I want to make, as well as a good understanding of the theory and techniques involved. If you are looking to learn the basics to get you started in music creation / production, then I highly recommend this course - fantastic!
I had Andrew at black cave recordings do a mix and mastering job for me recently. He had made the track sound better than I could have imagined but, most importantly to me, I can be quite fussy when it comes to certain changes to be made, and he executed all these perfectly without hassle. I recommend to anyone to work with Black Cave in the future.
Went along to Black Cave recordings with my little song and plenty of trepidation. Was immediately put at ease which no doubt helped my performance. Enjoyed the experience and ended up with a very professional sounding recording. Would highly recommend Andrew and Black Cave Recordings.
We have worked with Black Cave Recordings always finding it extremely pleasent and easy, thanks to their knowledge, skills and approachability. We are looking forward to using their services regularly!
I have worked with Andrew in more than one occasion, and I have been impressed by his knowledge and professional approach to each job. The quality of the sound he produced exceeded my expetions. Strongly recommended!
I worked with Black Cave Studios on a live session recently, they stepped in at a moments notice and provided an exceptional service on the night and the quality of the audio we received back was of the highest standard.
his fees are very reasonable for the service you receive and i will certainly be recommending them to others.
Outstanding job from start to finish. Amazing mixing and finished sound. Great guy ,very easy to work with and the patience of a saint !! Outstanding professional.... Would thoroughly recommend !!!
Worked with a few music tech producers over the years an this was by far the best quality finished result at black cave , will deffo be back in the future
As a singer songwriter, a producer who makes you feel comfortable from the get-go is highly important. Andrew is exactly that and more, I don't think there's enough space here to describe how good he is but I'll try. Firstly I couldn't believe how good my vocals were when I heard them, just a testament of how comfortable I felt whilst singing. We did several home recording sessions at my place and his and I never felt like we were working on a timer; I thoroughly enjoyed the recording experience. Andrew's feedback was always constructive, he actually helped with some of my vocal harmonies! His musician skills came in very handy; he played the bass guitar on my 2 songs and sounded amazing. He paid attention to my feedback too and got the tracks sounding better than I could have ever imagined. The final vocal arrangement, the mixing and mastering- really outstanding work. And all of that for easily the most competitive price I found. Enough said?
Highly recommend. The producer has a fantastic ear for detail and I really welcomed his input. The final mix and master sounded tasteful and professional. Great prices too. Will be back.
We did the recording, mixing and mastering with Black Cave Recordings and we couldn't be happier. The result was really really good, I didn't expect it to sound as well as it turned out. Also recording with Andrew was great, he really cared about giving us the best possible result, despite our crazy ideas, and we had an amazing time there. Can't recommend enough!
I recently needed to do a voiceover for a video on my website. I tried using my home kit but the quality wasn't great. I found Andrew in Edinburgh on Google and got in touch. In just an hour (and only £20) we have a great quality recording synced with my video. Andrew was incredibly helpful and made me realise how little I know about audio recording. I'd highly recommend his services.
BAND RECORDING
From your first demo to a full album, our service for band recording in Edinburgh is set up to help you get a properly polished result. We can track live as a full band in the room together, record each part separately for tighter control, or land somewhere in between — whatever suits how you play. Come in and tell us about the sound you’re chasing, and we’ll work out the best way to capture it. We can also come to a location of your choice to record.
We’ve recorded singles that have charted, punk, rock, death & black metal, reggae, hip-hop, rap and grime artists, and pop projects with real depth to them. Our engineer has also handled live audio for events at The Queens Hall, Edinburgh Fringe, Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh Art College, Liquid Rooms, Surgeon’s Hall and Summerhall.
Past studio clients include BBC, Disney, Pixar, Alcatrazz, Blumhouse, Cartoon Network, Vodafone, Universal, Hachette Book Group & Orbit, and Glenmorangie Whisky.
Every genre and musical style is welcome – from clear, polished recordings to full character, gritty sounds, and everything a singer or musician needs to reach their best take.
BAND REHEARSAL RECORDING
Prefer to record where you already play? Multi-channel rehearsal recordings usually happen on location rather than here in the studio — head to our Band Rehearsal Recording page for details, or bring the raw recording back here for mixing and mastering afterwards.
All projects are unique. We aim to match your vision and budget.
Our vocal recording studio in Edinburgh and treated vocal booth sits in the city-centre. It’s built to put you at ease as much as it is to sound good. Whatever you’re recording, we’ll talk you through the setup and options before you start.
The room’s equipped with a strong lineup of industry-standard mics and monitoring gear, plus a few less common options for when a project calls for something different. Once you’re done, we can take your recording straight into editing, mixing and mastering without you needing to go anywhere else.
If a director or producer needs to listen in remotely, we can patch them into the session over Zoom, or record you directly through SessionLinkPRO, ipDTL, Source-Connect or Zencastr.
Beyond recording, our Edinburgh studio is also where we build tracks from scratch — writing, composing, arranging and producing custom-made music in any genre. Bring us a rough idea, a phone recording or chords you want a backing track under, or just a feeling you’re going for, and we’ll work through it with you in the room.
We can bring in electronic or live instrumentation, and call on session musicians where a project needs them. How much creative input you want from us is entirely up to you — some projects need a full collaborator, others just need an extra pair of hands. Have a listen to our examples of what’s come out of the studio before.
Most production work happens here at our Edinburgh city-centre studio, though we’re happy to bring in remote contributions or parts recorded elsewhere.
We will tailor our service to suit you and provide a free quote.
It depends on how many individuals are being recorded. A typical band session lasts around four to eight hours, depending on the number of songs, musicians and recording approach. Recording one song of vocals to a backing track often takes 1 to 2 hours.
What do I receive?
You will receive downloadable edited, mixed and mastered audio in high-quality WAV files. If you require unmixed stems, we can happily supply those too.
What should I prepare?
Rehearse the material that will be recorded regularly before the session. If it’s a band recording, consider if you’d like to record to a click track, and use one during your rehearsals. Think about if you’d like to meet for pre-production beforehand and your budget. If you are booking a vocal recording, decide on which songs you would like to record and send us any backing music you might have before the recording session (we can provide it if necessary). When recording an audiobook or voice-over, sending us the script in PDF format before the recording would be appreciated.
Made by Session Booth. 1.5m x 1.2m for instruments and vocals with window/line of sight with engineer if needed. It can fit up to two vocalists, a vocalist playing guitar comfortably, or guitar cabs/amps, etc.
SOFTWARE:
Pro Tools
Logic Pro X
Ableton Live
Reaper
Plugins by FabFilter, Waves, Neural DSP & many more
Quotes are tailored to your project; no obligation or hidden costs.