With us, you are in good hands because our mission from the very beginning was to serve the song, we are more than suitable to provide your art the attention it deserves.
Ever since Longplay Studio Zagreb started recording, it was with the artist in the main plan. Owing to our twenty years’ worth of experience in working with musicians of all directions, we know how to approach each project, no matter the genre or production style, and we continue working until we reach the desired optimal results.
Over 200 satisfied clients, of which 21 have given us a 4.9 rating on Google Reviews, based on their experience with us.
How do we work?
STEP 1 – Evaluation
Who are you and what is your song about?
The first phase of every project is prospecting the demo (as well as picking a song if an artist hasn’t already chosen it), and determining the best approach for its recording. If working as a solo act, who are the best musicians to call? Should the recording be done separately or should the whole band play simultaneously? What is the genre – what is the market? Should there be sampling? Synthesizers? Orchestration? Are the lyrics good enough?
The demands of a song might vary greatly, which is why this part of collaboration is vital for the achievement of success. Unless the goal is made clear, the result will be vague, and vagueness is, almost without exception, considered undesirable in the commercial world of music.
We are here to guide the artist in the right direction from the beginning, making sure that no mistakes are bound to be made, which in the end saves a lot of time and money.
FAQ
What material should we approach you with?
It depends. We are used to working with artists who have contributed to different parts of the creative process. It’s alright if you have a demo, and it’s alright if you only have the talent because we can find a suitable songwriter to help you utilize it. Lately, we also get many inquiries about recording covers, which asks of us for a completely different approach to production. All in all, we usually have to learn about you, and then we decide what works for you best. Any other way is more often than not the wrong way.
What if we’re a band?
We love working with bands. Although it can be more challenging—because, as the experience taught us, live musicians have less studio experience than session musicians, so it can make things a little more complicated—the creative power and chemistry behind bands are much better. One thing we advise is that you bring an executive producer with you during the sessions or have us source someone for you. It has to be someone authoritative and objective, to whom you will want to listen. Otherwise, there is a danger of making a mediocre record—not for technical but creative reasons—and the fault, at the end of the day, falls on the artist.
I’m a singer and I want to make myself a career! Can you help me out?
Yes and no. We are primarily a recording studio and secondarily a publishing house focusing on digital distribution. Making a stable music career is a long-term process that requires a lot of dedication, teamwork, and the making of wise financial and affiliation decisions. What we can do for you is make you an industry-standard record that you can push on any radio or TV station, and on any online platform. Everything that happens (or doesn’t happen, for that matter) is beyond our control…
Can you make a song that will smash the charts for us?
Anyone who promises you that kind of success is probably a liar. We can involve the best available songwriters, lyricists, musicians, and producers to work on your project, and we can create a product that you can use to knock on any door in the music industry. But if only a good song today was everything the artist needs to have to make it. In order to keep a healthy spirit and not lose optimism, we suggest to our artists that they have realistic expectations of themselves. In the end, it is the art why you are the artist. Not money, not fame, not anything else…
STEP 2 – Recording
How good is good enough?
Too often we had received inquiries from artists who had already recorded their tracks in bad technical environments, where they wanted us to deliver them a state-of-the-art mix. And too often we had to decline such propositions, explaining to them that we’d be only wasting their resources and yet wouldn’t be able to provide adequate quality.
It is of utmost importance that all the instruments (especially the vocal lines!) are recorded in a professional setup and on standard-satisfactory equipment; with a great focus on the choice of microphones, converters, instruments, and the outboard.
It is also important that the best takes are chosen, which without exception requires the watchful ear of a producer or any other objective authoritative personnel. The tracks picked for the mixing stage must be clean from clipping, hums, or any unwanted noises, the lines must be played flawlessly, and no! – the mix won’t cover any mistakes made during the recording; it will only make them stand out!
Therefore, we leave nothing to chance here. Whatever happens during the recording determines the quality of the mix, and later on, the master.
FAQ
Can you record the whole band at once?
Yes, we can record the whole band simultaneously or each member separately. Sometimes one works and the other doesn’t. Sometimes either works.
What we cannot record simultaneously (at least not yet) are full orchestras and symphonies.
What equipment do you have and what equipment do we need to bring for a recording session?
Please, check our full equipment list. For anything else, you can send an inquiry and we can either rent or outsource instruments, amplifiers, or any other pieces of equipment you might consider vital for your session.
We need musicians… What now?
Relax and leave it to us. With a roster of over 50 professional session musicians, playing any instrument you can imagine, we are ready for every type of project.
STEP 3 – Mixing
Experience the unparalleled immersive sound.
Longplay Studio features a Dolby Atmos™ 7.1.4 system, allowing the unique immersive experience of mixing. It allows the summing of up to 128 individual tracks, which creates endless possibilities of sound’s scapes and dimensions. Genelec the Ones in the surround system and a PMC 6-2 XBD as the main stereo monitoring system provide exceptional control over every frequency range and song dynamics, assured to meet the harshest music industry standards.
Some artists we worked with had their mixing engineers, but most of them approached us in need of the service. Tomo Bacurin “Diamond” is our in-house producer with a long history of mixing for regional- and worldwide-renowned artists. Although he specializes in pop and R’n’B, he has avid experience in rock, blues, dance, and hip-hop genres. With him aboard, your mix will become subject to professional scrutiny and immaculate attention to detail, because he accepts only perfection as a condition for accomplishment.
FAQ
How is the Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 different than a stereo system?
Dolby Atmos 7.1.4, as the numbers next to its name suggest, comprises 12 speakers serving as extremely accurate monitors positioned all around the producer, providing a unique immersive sound experience, where the listener hears it from all directions and in a spherical space. A stereo system usually features two speakers and a sub-bass, creating a flat two- or three-dimensional audio picture.
The best way to understand the difference is to try it.
Can you mix the tracks we’ve recorded elsewhere?
Of course. For as long as the stems are technically correct and are usable, we can provide you with the mixing service.
What formats will you deliver?
If you decide on a Dolby Atmos mix, after completion, you will receive a 48k ADM BWF file to upload to distribution. We’ll also be happy to provide you with any additional rerenders/downmixes you may need (5.1, 2.0, etc.).
We can also deliver a DSD high-resolution format, but it has to be a separate order.
What is the best way to work with you if we have more than one song in the plan?
Please, step in touch with us and we will make a bespoke proposal based on the volume of orders. It’s more affordable to mix more than one song with us.
STEP 4 – Mastering
Receive the best final product.
Longplay Studio is certified by Apple Digital Masters. From the powerful Solid State Logic AWS 924 Delta mixing console to the state-of-the-art Merging Technologies HORUS and ANUBIS Premium AD/DA converters, every component in our studio was installed to enable consistent delivery of industry-standard masters.
We guarantee that our songs will never be rejected by a radio or TV station due to technical flaws or subpar production.
FAQ
Is it better to master a single or the whole album?
If the songs are recorded, mixed, and mastered separately, but in the same environment and with the same producer, then the oscillations shouldn’t be too great. Otherwise, the songs might sound too different when played one after another, in which case it is better to remaster the whole album.
Can you provide a Dolby Atmos master from the mix recorded in a classic stereo setup?
Yes, we can, but only after a remix in the Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 environment.
Can we assign you for only one of the aforementioned services?
Of course, we can offer any of the services unrelated to each other, but to assure the best quality, we prefer working on the project from scratch to finish.