Here is how it works:

To make file transfer easy, I have a FTP service set up, it works fine and is very easy to deal with. I create a folder with the project name and only you and I have the password to access that folder. You upload your files into that folder. The Real-amped files will be uploaded into the same folder. Or, if you're not in a hurry, send me your files on a CD/DVD via snail mail, and I'll return them via snail mail. It would be best to include a couple of ruff mixes, one with and one without the guitar(s) in question (in MP3 if it gets uploaded to save upload time and space), so I can get an idea what the tracks are going to be mixed in with.

You send me a well recorded, consolidated DI track in full resolution format (consolidated BROADCAST WAVE), which has a single click recorded before the music starts. I will keep that click on the Real-amped files and you can align those files later with that same click on your DI track. Don't add any compression or EQ on the DI file and try to record it as close to the original guitar sound as possible. The Creation Audio Labs MW-1 works exceptionally well, but any high end DI should be OK for this. You should have a POD or some kind of amp simulator hooked up while you are tracking, so you can get a feel for what your tracks might sound like. Include those in the ruff mix "with" guitar. Those will later be replaced by the Real-amped tracks.

I'll send back a stereo track recorded with two different amps that fit the song, one on the left the other on the right. One of the amps will be more distorted and the other a bit cleaner. That gives you more options for sounds in the final mix. They will be recorded with high end studio gear and microphones, like the Royer R-121s and the Chandler EMI TG-2 or Germanium pre, and some other special treatment ;-}.

I leave the EQ and compression up to you for the final mix, it's hard to judge from a ruff. It would be great to get some suggestions from you, the producer/engineer as to what kind of sound direction you are looking for. Please keep in mind that for the "Zack Wylde" or the "Goerge Lynch" tone you would probably need to hire those musicians to play it for you.

Turnaround time will vary with the amount of tracks and the booking situation in the studio, but in general it should not take longer than a few days.

How much is it?

The pricing structure is as follows:

$200 for the first DI track in a session and each following track in the same session is $20 off, to a minimum of $100 per track, so it would look like this:

Track 1 - $200 total $200
Track 2 - $180 total $380
Track 3 - $160 total $540
Track 4 - $140 total $680
Track 5 - $120 total $800
Track 6 - $100 total $900
Track 7 - $100 total $1,000
Track 8 - $100 total $1,100

and so on, payable in full before session start. The minimum amount of tracks for one session is 4 or a minimum rate of $680.00.

I can take PayPal (3.8% fee), or bank wire ($30 fee per transaction, please contact me for details). If there are follow up sessions, which are not connected time wise, I have to set up from the start and the sliding scale starts over at the beginning. The FTP upload is free but there might be shipping charges for sending CDs/DVDs or hard drives.

It is totally up to you if you want to put any credit on the album, but if you are planning on it, it should read: "Real-amp guitar sound on [insert song title] engineered by Michael Wagener" and it should refer only to the songs that were Real-amped by me.

We should probably talk details on the phone before we get started.

Now, let's make some noise . . .

Michael

email: mw@michaelwagener.com
or call (615) 883 2507