Band recording
Track your songs together in our live room in Amsterdam, with isolation for drums and guitar amps and space to overdub parts afterward.
Many rock, indie and funk projects feel most believable when musicians play at once and react in the same air. Namdazivo sets up Band recording for that: a live room of about 45 m², adjacent spaces for amplifiers and a control room where Maarten de Vries or Sophie Bakker listens on mains.
You do not have to capture everything in a single pass. Common workflows are live drums and bass, then redo guitars or add keys in a second block. Up to 6 players at once is realistic; larger line-ups need a custom plan. Use plan your band studio budget to align hours and spend.
Process
- 01
Quote
Through contact send set list, line-up and preferred dates. Within 2 business days you receive hourly, day or per-song pricing plus a 30% deposit.
- 02
Soundcheck
Drums on risers, amps behind gobos, DIs for bass and keys: we tune the room before the first take rolls.
- 03
Tracking
Live passes per song, punch-ins where needed, then overdubs in the booth or live room without stopping the rest of the band from working.
- 04
Stems
Labelled multitrack WAVs and a rough mix for reference; retention 12 months under terms and conditions.
Which bands and projects fit
The live room suits duos up to roughly 6 players: indie rock, post-punk, soul, jazz-rock, moderate-volume metal and anything that gains energy from interaction. Fully in-the-box productions without live instruments fit vocal recording or mixing of home stems better.
You can track one song as a trial, spread an EP across days or only commit drums and bass for later home work. Tell us which instruments stay live and which you plan as overdubs when you enquire.
Minimum age 16 applies to everyone on the floor; younger musicians only with written consent from a parent or guardian.
Rooms and signal flow
Our building in Westerpark has 3 recording spaces: the main live room (45 m²), a vocal booth (12 m²) and separate spots to isolate amps so bleed stays manageable. Drums often sit on a riser; guitars may stay in the room or in a nook depending on leakage you want.
We have 24 microphones and enough DI channels for bass, keys and direct guitar. Headphones for click and cues: up to 8 sets at once.
Address: Van Hallstraat 74, 1051 HH Amsterdam. Getting here: From Amsterdam Westerpark station it is about a five-minute walk via Van Hallstraat. Tram 13 stops at De Wittenstraat, roughly four minutes on foot from there. On-street parking is limited; bike racks are right outside the entrance.. Hours: Monday to Friday 10:00–22:00, Saturday 11:00–18:00, closed on Sunday..
Live takes versus overdubs
A typical day starts with drum and bass setup, then full-band passes per song. If a solo does not land, we isolate the amp and redo only that part. Vocals can happen in the booth while the band rests, or on a separate vocal date through vocal recording if voices need to stay fresh.
Clicks and pre-recorded backing are welcome; send tempo map and guide tracks ahead. We align Pro Tools or Reaper sessions with your DAW when feasible.
Sophie Bakker can organise tracks for mix immediately if you book mixing here; otherwise we hand off raw multitracks to your engineer.
What to bring
Instruments, picks, strings and sticks are yours. The studio supplies stands, cables, DI boxes, headphone splits and a basic drum mic kit; special snares or vintage amps travel with you.
- Set list with tempos and structure
- Plan who plays which song and which overdubs are scheduled
- Technical rider if you use amp sims, triggers or stereo rigs
- Contact details for credits and splits
Read plan your band studio budget for realistic hours per song. File naming: mixing file formats guide.
Engineering and monitoring
The engineer works in the control room with sight lines into the live area. Each musician gets a separate cue where possible; smaller line-ups sometimes share a bus. We do not treat phone recordings as masters — everything runs through our digital path at 24-bit, usually 48 kHz.
During soundcheck we listen on nearfields and a second pair for bleed checks. Arrangement feedback is welcome, but creative calls stay with the band; we guard technical quality and take notes.
On request we print a rough balance after tracking so you can judge what still needs mix work at home.
Rates and when each applies
Prices include 21% VAT. Business clients receive invoices with 14-day terms.
| Rate | Amount incl. VAT | Works for |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly | €130 | Soundcheck plus one live song |
| Day (8 hours) | €850 | EP block or full set |
| Base per song | €180 | Fixed scope: rhythm section + 1 overdub |
Per-song pricing applies when scope is fixed upfront (for example drums, bass, rhythm guitar live, one lead overdub). Extra hours or instruments are quoted separately. Compare hourly math: eight hours at €130 exceeds €850, so long days often favour the day package.
Mix and master are not included; see mixing and mastering. Overview: services.
Delivery and next steps
By default each song gets a folder of labelled WAV stems (drums as kit or split by element by agreement), plus a rough mixdown for reference. No proprietary-only format without raw audio — you must be able to continue anywhere.
We keep multitracks for 12 months. Request a re-download within that window if a drive fails. After that we delete unless you buy an extension.
Mixing includes 2 revision rounds when you book that service here; band recording itself has no mix revisions. More reading: guides and FAQ.
Booking, house rules and liability
Book through contact or 020 228 7654. A 30% deposit locks the date. Cancel or move free up to 7 days ahead; later rules are in terms and conditions.
Non-smoking building, no open flames. Damage to studio gear through negligence may be charged to the band under the same terms. Insure your own instruments.
Privacy: privacy policy. Cookies: cookie policy via .
Included
- Engineer for tracking and routing
- Live room and amp isolation spaces
- Drum mic kit and DIs
- Headphones for click and cue
- Labelled multitrack WAV export
- Rough reference mix
- Archive for 12 months on our servers
Frequently asked questions
Can we record everything live in one take?
Yes when arrangement and tightness allow. Many bands choose live rhythm and separate overdubs for solo or vocals — both work in our room.
What does a four-song EP cost?
Plan multiple days or combine the day rate €850 with per-song deals. Send your set list and we return a concrete quote within 2 business days.
Do you supply backline?
Standard mics, stands, cables and DIs. Guitar amps, bass rigs or drum kits usually come from the band unless your quote says otherwise.
Can friends watch?
Small groups in the control room are sometimes fine; on the floor we keep visitors limited for focus and safety. Ask ahead.
How fast do we get files?
Multitracks usually the same day or within 48 hours on long sessions. Huge projects may need overnight processing; we flag that upfront.
Other services
Vocal recording
Guided singing and rap sessions in an isolated booth with tailored monitoring.
€95 · per hour
Mixing
Balance, space and dynamics for singles, EPs and albums, including two revision rounds.
€275 · per track
Mastering
Final polish for streaming and download with controlled loudness and export formats.
€95 · per track
Podcast recording
Multiple mics, a calm table setup and quick edits for episodes and seasons.
€110 · per recording hour
Recording in Amsterdam?
Tell us about your session
A short outline is enough: we reply within 2 working days with a proposed slot and a written quote.