Below are a few of the common questions our studio manager and engineers get. If you have a question and don’t see it here, we’d be glad to try to answer it.
What are the rates?
We don’t post our rates online, but if you write us we’ll reply quickly with the basics. There are a few rooms and a couple of options that make it a little complicated, but mostly we ask you to write because we’d like to know what you want to do so that we can help figure out the best way to make it happen at Q.
We have a lot of experience with musicians’ recording budgets – why not let us help?
Do you have a lockout rate?
Yes we do! Drop us a line and we’ll fill you in.
How long is a lockout/half day?
A full day lockout at Q Division is 12 hours. A full day lockout means that NO ONE will book the studio AFTER you, allowing you to stay later should the need arise. Overtime charges apply when this happens. If you book consecutive lockout days, which we highly recommend, you can leave your gear setup and where ever it is in the studio and lounge you’re working in so everything’s ready to go the next day. Please be aware that overtime charges may still apply should you work more than 12 hours a day even during consecutive lockout days.
Can we leave our gear until our next session?
If you’ve booked consecutive lockout days, you can leave everything set up. If you’re coming back within a reasonably short time period (a few days or a week) your staff engineer can help you find a place to store a reasonable amount of gear for a short period of time.
At what time should we arrive for our session?
It’s your session, so you should choose a start time that’s comfortable for you in consultation with the studio manager and the staff engineer who you’re working with.
We’re tracking to Pro Tools, how is our data being protected?
Safeguarding your data and all the hard work that’s gone into your recording is critical to us. Since hard drives are prone to failure, the only way to avoid catastrophic data loss is to employ a comprehensive data backup protocol. Data must ALWAYS exist in two places at all times — the original, and a copy.
It is our policy that:
(1) all data MUST be backed up at the conclusion of EVERY recording session
(2) we do not keep copies of data once the project is complete unless specifically requested to archive it digitally. When you confirm your recording session we’ll discuss this in further detail.
We cannot be responsible for your data if IT’S NOT BACKED UP daily. The most efficient way for US to do that is using our in-house data backup system on a daily schedule.
Does Q Division have instruments and amps we can use? Is there an extra charge for using your instruments and amps?
Yes! Check out the Amps and Instruments page for an idea of what we have. We’d be glad to try and help you find a specific instrument if we don’t have it.
No, we do not charge extra for the usage of our amps or instruments.
Does Q Division have drums we can use?
Drums are the only instrument we have that generally must be rented. The drums at Q Division belong to, and are maintained by, world renowned drum tech Carl Plaster. Carl has made available many many drums for our use, and there’s bound to be the perfect sounding kit for your record or song somewhere in the building. In addition, you’re welcome to choose from a small handful of drums at Q that aren’t Carl’s — those might work fine for your song.
Should we rent drums?
Well, Carl’s drums sound pretty awesome. Your drums might be in perfect order for recording, but if you have any doubt (and were out late at a 3 hour gig the night before), it might be best to rent some of Carl’s drums. You may only want to rent a kick drum or a snare, but whatever you need, Carl’s probably got it. For best results, consult with your engineer ahead of time.
We don’t have a drummer/bassist/trombonist/kazzoist. Can you recommend someone?
Yes! If you’re looking for musicians to perform on your recording, we have all sorts of players we’d be happy to put you in touch with. Just let us know and we’ll help you connect with musicians.
We don’t have an engineer. Do we need one? Can you recommend someone?
Yes. Please check out the staff page to hear and become familiar with our staff engineers. We will always staff your session with one of our engineers or assistants (even if you have your own engineer) to make sure your session flows as smoothly as absolutely possible. You’ll probably notice an intern helping out – they’re around to speed things up and to act as runners. If you don’t want an intern on your session, please let your engineer know!
We don’t have a producer. Do we need one? Can you recommend someone?
In our humble opinion, yes. Like your engineer, a producer is like a member of your band. Much has been written about the role of the producer, and this FAQ is not the place to get into it in any depth. However, if you’d like help finding the Fifth Beatle for your band or project, let us know.
How long does it take to record a song/album/kazoo solo?
The answer to that question depends on a bunch of things:
How long are your songs? How many people are in the band? How is the song going to be recorded? Are the songs very overdub intensive? How much time do you have? Is the band well rehearsed? How well are your instruments behaving? Can the singer sing reasonably well?
A basic rule of thumb is that it takes about a day to record a song from basics to mixing, on a fairly tight budget. You can budget less time if your songs are short, super simple and there are few people in the band. But budget more time if your songs are epic, complicated, or require multiple overdubs! Keep in mind that many of the songs you hear on the radio, or on the iTunes, have most likely taken substantially more then a day to produce.
Talk to your producer, engineer, and the musicians involved to set a reasonable budget and schedule together. Don’t forget that things tend to take longer in the studio then they do in rehearsals and at shows. Budget time (and money!) for breaks, eating, and getting to know each other better while confined in specific spaces for long hours!
Do you have a Refund/ Cancellation Policy?
Cancellation: We take deposits on studio time, generally half of the expected cost of time booked. Deposits are fully refundable up to two weeks in advance; after that, they are not refundable unless we chose to do so. If we have to cancel a session, the deposits are fully refundable.
Refund: Once the work has been completed, you will be presented with an invoice. the balance of payment is expected in full based on the rate negotiated. Some time lost to meals, set up, and even minor technical issues is considered to be part of the normal recording process, although we do not charge for time lost do to exceptional technical issues. This should be discussed as soon as possible after the session. At our discretion we may discount time lost to technical issues, but we are not responsible for your time or 3rd party expenses such as musician’s fees or travel expenses.
Do you have a Privacy Policy?
Privacy Policy Effective Date: Jan 13, 2014 This privacy statement describes how Q Division Ltd (“Q”, “we”, “us”) collects and uses the Personal Information you willingly provide on our Web site. It also describes the choices available to you regarding our use of your Personal Information and how you can access and update this information. Personal Information is information about you, that is not otherwise available to the public, that you willingly provide to Q in order to use or pay for our services. If you have questions or concerns regarding this policy, you should first contact us at info@qdivision.com. Collection and Use of Personal Information In order to facilitate the operation of our site and manage your account, we may collect Personal Information from you. This information may include but is not limited to, your name, email address, credit card or debit card number, your zip code, your address and phone number. We use this information to
Communicate with you about your potential, current or past session,
Respond to customer service requests
Send you a newsletter
Respond to your questions and concerns
Improve our Web site and marketing efforts
Conduct research and analysis Electronic and Web Browsing Information We Gather As is true of most Web sites, we automatically gather information about your computer such as your IP address, browser type, browser settings, navigation through our site(s), referring/exit pages, and operating system. This information does not include Personal Information. We may use third party tools and analytical services to gather and analyze this information.
Choice/Opt-Out You may choose to stop receiving our newsletter or marketing emails by following the unsubscribe instructions included in these emails or you can contact us at info@qdivision.com.
Information Sharing We will share your Personal Information with third parties only in the ways that are described in this privacy statement. We do not sell your Personal Information to third parties. We may provide your Personal Information to companies that provide services to help us with our business activities such as credit/debit card processing, shipping your order or offering customer service. These companies are authorized to use your Personal Information only as necessary to provide these services to us. We may also disclose your Personal Information as required by law such as to comply with a subpoena or similar legal process when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, protect your safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud, or respond to a government request. If Q is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of its assets, you will be notified via email and/or a prominent notice on our Web site of any change in ownership or uses of your Personal Information, as well as any choices you may have regarding your Personal Information, to any other third party with your prior consent to do so. To protect against fraud and misuse of our Website and Services, we actively analyze purchases, attempted purchases and use of the Website and Services to help us identify and block individuals suspected of misuse and/or fraudulent activity. We may use that information, in conjunction with our security partners and/or law enforcement to protect KSL’s business and systems, your Personal Information and assist those we reasonably believe may have been victimized by such fraudulent use of the Website and Services. We may share data (including, but not limited to, suspect payment information, email addresses, IP addresses, etc.) with our payment processors, and law enforcement, in an effort to reduce fraud. You consent to the provision of this information (including keyword search data) for such investigative purposes. Third Party E-Commerce Solutions Provider Our shopping cart interacts with established PCI-DSS compliant third-party credit processing vendor(s) via SSL links. They host and collect your billing information for the purpose of processing your order and subscriptions. We use an established third-party vendor via SSL links to manage processing of refunds and updates of credit card and debit card numbers and expiration dates. These companies do not use this information for any other purpose. We do not store credit card and debit card numbers on our servers or systems. Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies We may use cookies, for example, to keep track of your preferences and profile information. Cookies are also used to collect general usage and volume statistical information that does not include Personal Information. Links to Other Web Sites Our Site may include links to other Web sites whose privacy practices may differ from those of Q. If you submit Personal Information to any of those sites, your information is governed by their privacy policies. We encourage you to carefully read the privacy policies of any Web site you visit. Security When we collect Personal Information directly from you, we follow generally accepted industry standards to protect the Personal Information submitted to us, both during transmission and once we receive it. No method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure, however. Therefore we cannot guarantee its absolute security. If you have any questions about security on our Web site, you can contact us at info@qdivision.com In order to make a purchase from us, you must use our third party credit processing vendor to finalize and pay for your order. Its privacy statement and security practices will also apply to your personal Information. We encourage you to read that privacy statement before providing your information. Additional Policy Information To review, correct and update your personal information to ensure it is accurate, contact us at info@formswift.com. Notification of Privacy Statement Changes We may update this privacy statement to reflect changes to our privacy practices. If we make any material changes we will notify you by email (sent to the e-mail address specified in your account) or by means of a notice on this Site prior to the change becoming effective. We encourage you to periodically review this page for the latest information on our privacy practices. Contact Information You can contact us about this privacy policy by writing or emailing us at: Q Division 363 Highland Ave. Somerville MA 02144. info@qdivision.com