recording Archives - Black Cave Recordings

Vocal booth for vocals, ADR dubing, voice over, audiobook, guitar re-amping and more - Black Cave Recordings - Edinburgh recording studio by Andrew Rankine

How To Get The Most Out of a Recording Session

blackcaverecordings April 3, 2018April 3, 2024 Recording tips for musicians

If you are a musician wanting to record a single, EP or album or just want to go into a studio and record any sort of audio, here are a few tips and tricks on how to prepare your material, equipment and yourself, find the right studio, and conduct yourself effectively during the session…

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Gabby Beilico

00:44 26 Jun 24

Outstanding Mixing and mastering, goid quality, appreciate it.

Anil Tamta

22:28 24 Jun 24

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.Highly recommended.Many Thanksread more

Calum Barbour

16:19 12 Jun 24

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!read more

Steven Dalgleish

14:14 04 Jun 24

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 levelread more

Lis Faulkner

09:25 21 Feb 24

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.read more

gina neacsu

21:01 14 Feb 24

I 'm very happy with Black Cave's services .Andrew is a professional, patient and has a great sense of humour. Recommend 100% !

Gillian Dalgliesh

15:17 05 Jan 24

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!read more

Stephen Dempster

00:10 06 Oct 23

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.read more

Matt Pringle

16:27 30 Sep 23

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.read more

Ruby Cronin

20:53 14 Sep 23

Andrew was very helpful, I've used other studios but black cave has been outstanding for the quality of work produced

Greg May

08:32 14 Sep 23

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.read more

Margaret Ryder

16:28 13 Sep 23

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 Ryderread more

John Spiteri

23:49 28 Jul 23

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.read more

Jacob Creighton

17:42 06 Jul 23

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.read more

Sam Wyllie

10:57 30 Jun 23

Great experience, would definitely recommend!Andrew very accommodating from start to finish and allows for a very relaxed atmosphere.Great studio... with good facilities!read more

Gregor Satti

08:56 01 Jun 23

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.read more

Dawn Evans

11:57 12 Feb 23

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!!read more

Lamin Najib

17:46 04 Feb 23

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!read more

The RTAAds

12:19 11 Feb 22

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.read more

Susannah Laing

07:04 10 Feb 22

Fantastic studio. Andrew is great! I highly recommend :)

A K

15:44 14 Jan 22

Very impressive sound booth. Andrew is extremely knowledgeable and creates a very professional and welcoming environment.

Morag Clyne

12:25 11 Jan 22

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.read more

Stefan Zinonos

17:08 05 Jan 22

A massive thank you to Andrew from Black Cave Recordings. He has made my band’s first single sound absolutely incredible.We only had a short amount... of time to get it done, which he managed to pull off even through Christmas time.Andrew also helped us with any requests we had for the song and made adjustments accordingly and in a very timely manner.Thanks for your time and quality of work Andrew, we all appreciate it!read more

Ian Goulding

15:50 05 Jul 21

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.read more

Greg Edwards

20:38 03 May 21

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!read more

Dean McAvoy

14:53 24 Dec 20

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!read more

Rich Dodgin

15:04 19 Nov 20

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!read more

Gridshifter

15:53 06 Oct 20

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.read more

Jim Gray

12:04 08 Jan 20

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.read more

Video Production Edinburgh

19:24 12 Nov 19

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!read more

Paolo Drusi

19:13 12 Nov 19

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!read more

OnRed

13:15 11 Nov 19

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.read more

Bob

13:28 26 Sep 19

Top service

TAXI

21:00 04 Jun 19

Very Professional. He really cared to get the best sound he could out of my project and the result was more than I could hope for. He nailed it.

Avril Kerr

15:59 08 Apr 19

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 !!!read more

Jordan Niven

23:27 19 Mar 19

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... futureread more

Adonye Banigo

13:26 07 Mar 19

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?read more

Agnieszka Pelowska

14:06 15 Apr 18

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.read more

Miguel Ángel Hermida

11:52 21 Dec 17

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!read more

Alan Tomkins

12:00 13 Dec 17

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.read more

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