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Check out the links below for information and tips for songwriting, recording studios, copyright bands and solo artists.

Artist Advice (Home) - About Signing Artists - Why Pay For Recording? - Recording Other People's Music - When To Use Studio Musicians - Getting Music For Your Lyrics - What's A Producer? - Recording Other People's Music - History of Road Records - About Copyright - Solo Artist Tips - Songwriting 101 - Making Money With Your Music - Solo Artist Virtual Tour - Virtual Tour For Single Demos - Vocal Reduction Services - Getting Started - Studio Inquiry Form - Getting Signed - Information For Christian Artists - Tips For Churches - Tips For Bands - Recording Tips - Common Music Myths - What It Takes To Success - What We Can Do For You

This page is a good starting point for general artist questions, with links for additional information on selected topics. We hope you find this information useful. Do you have a question that's not covered here? E-mail us about it!

Q. I've written a great song but I'm not a professional vocalist, what should I do?
A. If your goal is to record a song for your own pleasure, then give it a crack. If your goal is to pitch your song to record companies and publishers, then we can hire a studio vocalist for your song. People often say, "Well, you can fix all that in the studio can't you?" Well, sure......to a certain degree. The old engineer's saying is: "You can add as much mayonnaise as you want to dog poop, but it's still going to taste a little like dog poop." Road Records recording studio will always give you a straightforward and honest assessment of your performance, and guide you to tools to improve your performance. More information on studio musicians.

Q. I have some friends who will play on my song for me, is that ok?
A. Unless it is your own band or top notch pros, we do not recommend using amateur players because we cannot guarantee the outcome of the project. Part of being a seasoned studio player is adaptability in the studio and the ability to pool from a variety of sounds and styles quickly per the producers vision. Information about studio musicians.

Q. I have some great lyrics, but no melody
A. The recording studio staff at Road Records can write great custom melodies and music to your lyrics, music that you will love! If you don't like it, we don't record it. We are not a "music mill", do not duplicate melodies, and take our time to customize each project with it's own unique sound. Anyone can write a melody, but not everyone has written melodies that have gotten signed! We do not charge extra fees for this service, but we do retain an interest in the song. Our composition work is not "work for hire". More information on getting music for your lyrics.

Q. If you write music for me, is it still my song?
A. We take credit for the work we do because we are not a "music mill" or "work for hire". If we write your melody then we get that percentage of interest in the song. We have secured several publishing/record contracts for clients in the past that we have collaborated with in this manner. Information on getting music for you lyrics.

Q. I've copyrighted my material by sending songs to myself by registered mail, is that ok?
A. No, don't do the "poor man's copyright". The only way to properly register a copyright is through the Copyright Office, Library of Congress, Washington DC 20559. It's only about $30 to register and you can group several songs together under one category, like "SONGS BY ME WRITTEN THIS YEAR". This way you can copyright several selections for one fee as long as the writer's credits are the same for the whole submission. Once you have put your material in the mail for copyright, consider the job done. You do not need to wait for your return document to consider it copyrighted. Your receipt of submission can sometimes take several months to get back. Our two cents worth: send in your material and forget about it, don't freak out about someone stealing your song. Such cases are rare and usually unintentional. More information about copyright.

Q. I've never recorded in a studio before, how long does it take?
A. I've never lived in a house before, how long does it take to build one? It's different for every project. Our quickest album project took three days and our longest took almost two years. Most solo albums take 6 months to a year to complete and most band albums take 2-6 months. Single demos can be done in as little as a week, but often take longer. We work on a lot of projects at the same time and projects are spaced according to our work load

Q. What is mastering?
A. Mastering can be simply transferring a cassette tape to a digital format. But mastering for an album is much more complex and expensive (average entry price is $125 per hour). We believe mastering to be a very specialized field that should only be handled by professionals that focus just on that service. We do not do mastering. The process includes finalizing eq settings, compression, id tags, spacing and most importantly creating a consistent sonic fabric so your project sounds "like an album". Our mastering projects are handled by some of the finest audio specialists in California. An average price for a full album mastering is anywhere from $500-$1000 or over $2500 for a top mastering facility like Bernie Grundman in Los Angeles. CAUTION: Be careful, many people say they do "mastering" and have no concept of the complexity involved. It is a lifetime study and art form in itself. Anyone can buy $300 of software and advertise for mastering. More information about mastering.

Q. Is mastering really necessary?
A. Demos and tapes can get by without mastering, but we will not release or distribute a compact disc under our name that has not been properly mastered. Mastering greatly increases air play quality

Q. What is pre-mastering?
A. All of our projects are pre-mastered. This is setting the sonic fabric of the music up in a way that does not interfere with the final mastering engineer's edits. Basically, pre-mastering is "poor man's mastering". We also have complete mastering services.

Q. A publishing/record company is interested in my song and wants some money in advance to help promote it
A. Most legitimate publishers and record companies will not ask for any money to represent your material. On the same token, they will not offer any cash up front (unless it's development money), just a percentage of possible profits. At Road Records we charge for recording. That's what we do. Services at Road Records like Askland Publishing and creating material for artists is done without charge. More information about Askland Publishing.

Q. A publisher wants to hold my song for three years while they try to sell it to artists. Isn't that long?
A. Three years with a 50/50 split is a pretty industry standard contract for new writers. A simple song agreement shows only an intent to sell. If the material does not then get signed, the rights revert back to the writer and he/she is free to pursue new contracts. Our two cents worth: If it's an standard non-exclusive contract you don't have to get an attorney to review it (You can check out contract forms in a variety of books like "This Business of Music"). If the contract has the words "exclusive" in it, you should consider very carefully and perhaps seek outside advice

Q. What is a producer?
A. A producer is the person responsible for the overall sound of your project. This can include obtaining the proper musicians for your project, material development and all stages of recording and mix-down. That doesn't mean they personally do it all, their just responsible for it. Great producers have an intangible knack for creating projects that intrigue the public. A good example of a great producer that literally made a band out of almost nothing would be producer George Martin and The Beatles. Without George, the Beatles may well have been just bugs....who knows? More information about a producer's role. More information on a music producer's role.

Q. I don't know how to explain how my music should sound
A. That's why you hire a producer. They are responsible for getting the sounds and ideas in your head into a tangible form. At Road Records it's our job to figure out what's in your head and make it come to life in sound!

Q. I want to record an album using Karaoke tapes, is that legal?
A. Sure it is, you just can't sell legally any copies of that album without getting permission from the source that owns the recorded tracks. Most companies will charge a minimum of $300 per song just to use the trax on your album. The thing is that won't get you anywhere because it's not YOUR sound! Do people use Karaoke tapes on albums and sell them? Sure they do! It's illegal. DON'T DO IT! More information on recording other people's music.

Q. How do I pick a recording studio for my project?
A. Listen to the sound quality and production work on their projects, look at their track record and longevity, see how far they have developed and signed clients in the past, evaluate if their price is worth their product and track record

Q. I want to record an album but I'm waiting for a record company to back me
A. This is the number one comment we hear from artists that are going nowhere. You can quote isolated cases, but the truth is that percentage wise most artists are not picked up out of the blue and backed. Here's our point, if you are not willing to back yourself on an album (which is not very much money if you've seen our prices) for a reasonable cost, how can you expect a major record label to invest $100,000 in you just to get the ball rolling? What we hear when people make this comment is: "Someone else needs to do the work and pay the money for my goals when I'm not willing to pay 5% of the same amount to back myself." Our two cents worth: If you don't believe in yourself enough to obtain backing, don't record an album! Check out our price list to see how reasonable it is to record a project by a company that has a "major label" sound and production staff. More information on backing yourself.

Q. What does Road Records charge to produce a custom album?
A. Please see our price sheet. Some albums are as low as $750! Yes, it's true. The specific of your production needs dictate the complexity and cost of your project. Individual demos start as low as $150. See studio rates.

Q. How long has Road Records been in business?
A. Road Records was opened in 1989. It was originally Fjord Records and Askland Recording Studio. Road Records was adopted as the new name in 1995. Askland Publishing was formed in 1999 and we have been registered members of ASCAP since 1994. Road Records is now the audio production facility for Askland Technologies, Inc which was incorporated in 2000. History of Road Records.

Q. What clients have used your music services?
A. Please see our client list and artists list. GTE, Freddy Fender, Contel, Grand 'OL Opry Nashville, Trinity Records, World Library Publications, William Shatner, Fourth Man Records, Dale Evans, House Of Blues, Hank Thompson, National Educator's Conference, Seattle Opera, Knott's Berry Farm, United States Army, Prince Hotels Tokyo and Hiroshima, Legends of Vegas, Hollywood Superstars, San Bernardino Summer Theater Festival, Catholic Congress, Nordstrom, Caesar's Tahoe, Universal Studios and many more. Road Records client list.