"How much will it cost?" is the first question people ask us, and the most legitimate one. A five-track EP can cost a few hundred euros or several thousand: it all depends on what is recorded at the studio, how well you prepare and what you do yourself. Here is how to build a realistic budget, item by item.
The three main items
Recording is the most variable item. A singer laying vocals over finished instrumentals will need one or two days for five songs. A four-piece band recording everything live, then adding guitars and backing vocals, should plan for three days.
Mixing is usually charged per track. It is the stage that gives the project its sonic identity, so cutting corners here is rarely wise.
Mastering makes the five tracks sit together and prepares the files for streaming, CD or vinyl. At our studio it is included in the mixing + mastering rate.
A worked example
Take a well-rehearsed four-piece pop-rock band recording five songs at the studio. The prices below are our current public rates, including 20% VAT:
| Item | Detail | Incl. VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Recording | 3 eight-hour days | €1,296 |
| Mixing and mastering | 5 tracks | €1,800 |
| Studio total | €3,096 |
That is about €619 per track, all studio costs included. The 30% deposit paid when booking is deducted from the final invoice.
The costs people forget
The studio is only part of the budget. Also allow for:
- Artwork: photography and design, a few hundred euros with a professional. Make sure you hold the rights to the image.
- Digital distribution: distributors charge an annual subscription or a commission on revenue. Compare terms, especially the length of commitment.
- Gear: strings, drum heads, sticks, sometimes hiring a particular instrument.
- Extra musicians: a cellist or backing singers are paid, and their permission to use the performance is put in writing.
- Promotion: videos, social media visuals, press mail-outs. This is often what decides whether the EP gets heard.
Where to save without losing quality
Preparation is by far the best saving. A band arriving with well-rehearsed songs, fixed tempos and gear in good condition records twice as fast. Make a demo of every song, even on a phone, and rehearse with a click.
A hybrid approach works well: record at the studio what needs a real room (drums, the band live, lead vocals) and do at home what copes with a modest room (synths, DI guitars, some percussion). We cover this approach in our article home studio or professional studio.
Days rather than hours: our day rate costs less than eight separate hours, and a continuous day avoids re-doing the set-up.
On the other hand, avoid cutting back on the mix: a good recording badly mixed sounds amateur, while a decent recording mixed well can surprise.
Grants and funding
Support exists for artists and producers, in particular from the Centre national de la musique (CNM), collecting societies and some local authorities. Their conditions (status, broadcast history, deadlines) change regularly: check their websites directly before building your funding plan, and keep your quotes and invoices, which applications often require.
Ask for a precise quote
To price your project, send us the number of songs, the line-up, your demos and preferred dates. Within one business day you receive a written quote including VAT that breaks down every item. Nothing is charged unless it appears in the accepted quote.
