Free Recording Studio Time for Musicians
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We have a small production studio at the station that has been used by programmers when the main studio isn’t available. People use the space for recording and editing their shows for air, and to record station IDs, public service announcements, and underwriting announcements. The setup in the production studio is currently very simple and not suitable for all of our needs. Our goal is to upgrade this studio so that it has all the capabilities of our live studio.
At the same time, as a supporter of local and independent music, we decided to open up our upgraded space for artists and musicians to record their work at no cost. There are a lot of talented musicians out there, sitting at home recording their music on their laptops and phones. We want to help them get their music heard by providing a free space for them to record and experiment.
What features will the studio have? Our goal is to create a quality space with as many of the capabilities and features of a full scale recording studio as possible. We will offer quality microphones, recording equipment, and software necessary to create a quality recording. The more we raise, the more we will be able to offer. With your help, we can provide different microphones, better editing software, and improve the acoustics of the room.
Who can use the studio? Anyone! We want to give musicians the space they need to succeed. Artists will need to be sponsored by a current VFR programmer. That programmer will have to accompany anyone using the space. The space will need to be reserved in advance of any recording time.
Why don’t you charge to use the space? It is hard to make a living as a musician, and part of VFR’s mission is to support local and independent arts and culture. VFR will gladly accept donations from anyone wanting to record, but we want the space to be open and available for the community regardless of their financial situation.
What has already been done? VFR has already begun working on the project. We already own some of the equipment we need to upgrade the space. We have secured grants and donations of cash, expertise, volunteer labor, and equipment from local businesses and nonprofits totaling over $2000. The studio has already been rewired by a professional recording engineer to prepare for upgraded equipment and better use of our existing equipment.
What’s next? We need a little more help to finish this project! We need to buy some new microphones, monitors, sound dampening and sound proofing materials, and audio recording software.
Goal Levels: When we raise six hundred dollars, we will be able to buy all the recording equipment we need, such as microphones and monitors.
If we raise eight hundred dollars, we will be able to buy the materials to build sound panels to diffuse sound and improve the acoustics of the room. For another hundred dollars, we will put down wall to wall carpeting to further dampen sound.
Once we raise a thousand dollars, we will be able to rebuild the storage and table space, further improving the acoustics of the room and making the work area more efficient.
If this project is fully funded, we will be able to sound proof the room, allowing musicians to use the room any time, even while there is a live show in the next room.
What will you do if you raise more than your goal? Great question, thanks for asking! Any extra money raised will go towards improving the capabilities of the studio with some extra microphones, cables, or a new mixing board. Currently the production studio is not capable of going live on air. We could use some of the funds to give us this capability, making the production studio a backup for our live studio in case of technical issues or to ease show transitions. We could also set up a special fund for future repairs and improvements.
Are there any prizes or premiums for my donation? Yes! We have got some small gifts as a thank you for helping us. If you are a business owner, we can offer on air mentions to promote your business and thank you for your support.
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