Cost to Hire A Nashville Music Producer, Nashville Session Musicians and Recording Studio Rates
Posted: July 4, 2018 Filed under: Studio Services | Tags: Recording Studio Rates Nashville Leave a commentHow much does it cost to record your music with a Nashville Music Producer/Studio?
To have a project produced you’ll pay for some or all of the following:
- Studio Time: $75 to $150 per hour (this may or may not include the engineer and producer frees)
- Studio Session Musicians: $50 to $300 per song (the lower end usually covers one part by an experienced session musician but who does not necessarily qualify as a “name” player, guitar by a “name’ player encompassing several parts (acoustic, electric, etc.) may land at the higher end of that scale.
- Studio Session Singers: $100 to $450 per song, most sing their own harmony or bgvs (background vocals) included.
- Backup vocals only start at $75 per song.
- An Audio Engineer: $50 to $150 per hour
- Music Producer: Set fee per project, negotiable according to number of songs and scope of work.
- Our studio, Nashville Trax, does follow these rates, mostly toward the lower end, as affordable as we can make it for you, and engineer/producer fees are included:Nashville TraxThese Recording studio rates in Nashville reflect prices that are are current as we write this.
Figures are ballpark and may not be accurate for every studio or musician, but most do fall within the listed parameters..
Nashville Trax Engineer Mixing
Nashville Area Record Your Songs, Boat, Tour Travel Package!
Posted: May 17, 2018 Filed under: Music Industry News, Nashville Session Musicians, Studio Services Leave a commentNEW! Nashville Trax, and Play it Again Demos is now offering this exciting package deal this summer, starting May 1st through October 30th!
- Have your songs recorded professional or record your vocals professionally
- Meet your music producer and one or more of the Nashville Trax A Team session musicians… watch them play on your project! Get pics and autographs!
- After sessions enjoy a relaxing boat ride or rides on one or both of the two large Nashville area lakes Old Hickory Lake and/or Percy Priest Lake)! Choose pontoon, wake, fish and ski all beautiful, new, high power boats, Water toys such as tubes, skis, Lilly pad, Big Mable) included!
- Enjoy a tour of the area’s most significant sites: Broadway where bands play almost 24/7 year ’round! See Music Row where the real music biz happens! Experience the world famous Opryland Hotel! More!
- Options are available with or without a rental vehicle and hotel.
If you’ve never been to the greater Nashville area and want to experience a slice of what it’s all about, this is the way to do it! Everything from finding a great hotel to locating the iconic Nashville area sights is handled for you!
Interested? e-mail nashtrax@bellsouth.net NOW for your package quote!
Nashville Icon, Mike Curb, Showers High Praise on The Swansons, in Vegas, accepting Country Album of The Year. Cut @ Nashville Trax!
Posted: April 4, 2018 Filed under: Client News, Client News, Music Industry News, Studio News, Testimonials | Tags: Bill Watson, Curb Records, Mike Curn, The Swansons, Word Records Leave a commentThe Swansons had quite a night in Las Vegas this past Saturday, April 7th, 2018!
Opening the evening with a live performance, winning the “Country Album of the Year” award for the Nashville Trax produced, Country This and being singled out several times by the legendary Mike Curb of Curb Records in Nashville, during his acceptance of his Lifetime Achievement Award.
Mike Curb’s contributions to country radio and The Nashville Music Industry are far too numerous to mention here but he has written Billboard charting hit songs for everyone from The Four Seasons to The Osmonds to Hank Willians Jr, Tim McGraw, Chris Young, The Judds, Kenny Chesney and dozens more. The Four Seasons Curb-produced “Oh What A Night” was the very first single in music history to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 and remain for over a full year.
He founded Curb Records which now also owns the world’s largest Christian label, Word Records.
Here is one instance of several where Mike mentions The Swansons.
Could a deal with Curb Nashville be in the works?
Nashville Trax producer, Bill Watson, produced Country This and is currently producing The Swansons’ follow up album. Update 2-17-19: Mr. Watson is now several songs into producing The Swanson’s third country album done at Nashville Trax.
e-mail: nashtrax@bellsouth.net
Interested in having your record produced?
Contact Mr. Watson direct at 615-319-8616
Nashville Mix Engineer
Posted: January 12, 2018 Filed under: Home Music Production, Studio Services | Tags: Nashville mix engineer Leave a commentTracks are done and you’re seeking a Nashville mix engineer? Nashville Trax offers the highly skilled talent you need to make your mix sound fantastic!
Simply use Dropbox, We Transfer or some other file sharing service to deliver your tracking files to us, we upload, mix, and return your stereo mix.
Yes, it’s that simple! Prices start as low as $150 for a mix with only a handful of tracks.
For additional information please text us at 615-319-8616 or call the same number. Or e-mail nashtrax@bellsouth.net. Please make it clear your interest is in having us mix tracks you’ve already recorded.
We can also add additional instruments at this time. Need extra percussion? Bass guitar? Pedal steel? Let us know and we can add what you need prior to mixing!
Additional information on our mixing service
Your Mix CAN sound Professional!
Country Artist Cole Tomlinson Records First Single @ Nashville Trax
Posted: January 1, 2018 Filed under: Client News, Music Industry News, Now Tracking Leave a comment
16-year-old Cole Tomlinson, about to sing on his first single.
“Mr. Watson, I cannot express enough how pleased we are with the outcome. The sound is exactly what Cole wanted and you tapped into that. He can’t wait to work with you more and see where the other songs go as well. Thank you for making this process so easy!“-(Cole Tomlinson’s mother, Heather)
Even though he’s only sixteen, Cole Tomlinson is no novice. An accomplished singer, songwriter and guitarist he decided early that music was his focus. He played over 100 live shows in his native Georgia in 2017 and has visited Nashville many times to participate in songwriter’s nights.
After carefully researching the many possibilities, he decided he wanted to do his first record @ Nashville Trax with producer Bill Watson. And so he did. “Dirt Road Princess” releases in early 2018.
Here’s a sample*:
Musicians:
Electric Guitars: Brent Mason
Bass Guitar: Bill Watson
Drums: Jim Riley
Fiddle: Jenee Fleenor
Wurlitzer Keyboard; Steve King
Vocals and Acoustic Guitar: Cole Tomlinson
Produced by Bill Watson, Nashville Trax
Looking to do your first radio release and like what you hear? e-mail us at nashtrax@bellsouth.net
* Dirt Road Princess © 2015 Cole Tomlinson is provided as a demonstration of production values only. Any other use violates U.S. and International copyright law. Requests for copies by program directors for radio rotation and requests by other parties interested in recording or performing this song in TV, film or other commercial use should be e-mailed to nashtrax@bellsouth.net and will promptly be forwarded to the songwriter and/or publisher.
Background Vocals For Your Project
Posted: August 10, 2017 Filed under: Studio Services, Uncategorized | Tags: background vocals, Jim and Jaime Riley Leave a commentIn Nashville, we call them “bgv’s” which is short for “background vocals”. Two of the best were in Wednesday, Jim and Jaime Riley, pics below, adding bgv’s to three Swanson songs, the final touch before moving the songs on to mixing.
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While they can be somewhat costly, bgv’s can really make a song special; consider putting them in the budget of your next demo, single or album.
The songwriter this session was for, Joe Finley texted session producer/engineer, Bill Watson: “Hey Bill, heading to the airport and just listened to the rough mixes with background vocals, needless to say I’m in tears!! # Grammy”
We can add bgv’s to projects recorded wholly at Nashville Trax or even add them to songs in progress at other studios.
E-msil nashtrax@bellsouth.net or call 615-319-8616 for additional information or to book a session.
The Swansons To Perform With The Nashville Trax A Team LIVE SHOW at Rev-el-ry.
Posted: August 9, 2017 Filed under: Client News, Client News, Music Industry News, Studio News, Testimonials, Uncategorized | Tags: Brent Mason, Jenee Fleenor, Los Angeles, Nashville, nashville trax recording studio, show, The Swansons Leave a comment
ATTENTION Singer/Songwriters!! What better way to give your band a career boost than an album, video and show package featuring the same Nashville Trax A Team musicians who played on your album?
You get a stellar album recorded, mixed and mastered, footage of your rehearsal, your first single promoted on social media platforms and all footage from a two camera crew of the show that you can use for promotion for years to come!
A single release and vid starting under $2,000, yes, really! Complete 10 song album/show/video packages start as low as $15,000 and 20 song deluxe packages top out at under $45,000! Payment options are available. Get a quote TODAY: nashtrax@bellsouth.net
Note that the complete Nashville Trax A Team Players are only available to play live on release party shows playing your album of at least 10 songs and subject to the player’s schedules.
Here’s a Nashville Trax A Team rehearsal Tuesday evening, 9-19-17:
And footage from the show on 9-22-17:
The Nashville Trax A Team: The sound of guitar on country radio for the last couple decades, Brent Mason: guitar; Rascal Flatts long time drummer, Jim Riley; Steve King (Keith Urban) keys; Nashville Trax producer, Bill Watson, bass guitar and band leader; Jenee Fleenor (Blake Shelton & The Voice) fiddle and mandolin; Steel guitar legend Mike Doucheete, all backing the highly entertaining, high octane Joe and Angie Finley of The Swansons!
Joe and Angie: The Swansons
The Swansons have achieved considerable notoriety in the Los Angeles area. They have pop/rock albums out, winning awards and have built a large fan base. But after starting their latest recording project they felt the urge to “go country”. They wanted a country album and wanted to do it in the Nashville area. After careful research, they decided Bill Watson of Nashville Trax was the best choice to produce them.
The album was started about six months ago and 18 songs have been cut.
This is their first country live performance, announcing their turn toward country music and releasing their new music to the public. Some of the musicians who will back them on the show:
Nashville Session Guitar Player, Brent Mason at Nashville Trax Recording Studio
Jenee Fleenor, fiddle, mandolin, vocals
Band leader, Bill Watson, and his ’78 Fender Precision Bass Guitar
Jim Riley Playing the studio drum track to The Swansons song, Getting Ready 5-16-17
Jim Riley Cymbal swells
Footage clip from the show, 9-22-17:
Valentine © 2017 Joe Finley of The Swansons, published by Listen Again Music (BMI).
Los Angeles Band, The Swansons 1st (and 2nd) Country Album In Progress At Nashville Trax!
Posted: June 15, 2017 Filed under: Client News, Music Industry News, Now Tracking | Tags: Joe and Angie, The Swasons Los Angeles Leave a commentDay One of a full week lockout to cut vocals on 14 songs for the band that won The Producer’s Choice Award, Best Band In Los Angeles, 2017, The Swansons:
The Swansons meet The Nashville Trax A Team. Left: The Swansons with our fiddle player, Jenee, Middle: guitarist Brent Mason, producer & bassist Bill Watson, Joe Finley of The Swansons, Right: Joe plays Brent Mason the new song he wrote during his stay here.
Joe Finley of The Swansons trades stories with long time Rascal Flatts drummer, Jim Riley. Here telling Jim, he has sometimes been mistaken for Rascal Flatts’ lead singer, Gary LeVox.
Day One: Angie Finley meets Nashville Trax producer Bill Watson. Time to add Angie and Joe’s vocals to the songs Mr. Watson has been cutting music tracks on for several months. “Playing over 2,000 live shows I learned there’s a vast difference between a ‘danceable’ song and the next level,” says Watson, “The tunes on this album are the prized ‘pull ’em out of their seats’ dance tunes every artist wants to cut and radio loves. People are going to dig this album!”
Be sure to pick up a copy of The Swansons country album when it’s released in late Summer/early Fall of this year!!!
Update 3-6-18: We have already started The Swanson’s album #2 and have about 5 sides tracked!
Ready to cut your own “for real this time” album? e-mail: nashtrax@bellsouth.net. Or call producer Bill Watson @ 615. 319. 8616.
Should You Have A Demo, A Master, A Single or an Album Produced?
Posted: June 7, 2017 Filed under: Client News, Songwriting and Career Promotion, Testimonials | Tags: Demo or Master?, radio airplay royalty check Leave a comment
Dan Thompson’s first quarter U.S. radio airplay royalty check from Sound Exchange for the single Miles and Miles produced by Bill Watson at Nashville Trax, It did even better overseas.
“My first royalty check for the Miles & Miles release in the US… This is for one Quarter.. Miles & Miles was played over 1000 times per week in the US… it did really good.. Thanks for the great work Bill!” – Dan Thompson
Your song is finished, now what? You aren’t capable of producing a professional quality recording on your own so you need a demo produced.
Or do you need a master? But if a master, how do you get it on the radio?
They seem to have the same basic steps, what’s the difference between a master and a demo anyway?
You’re confused. Let’s clear that up!
As this time the cost to have a four to six piece band with a session singer demo produced at Nashville Trax is $750 to $1,400.
Each song production is unique but, in general, the higher price point may include background vocals, more instruments, better musicians and more time spent on the mix. A demo mix requires between 45 minutes to about 3 hours of mix time.
You’d do a demo if initial cost is a huge issue and the song will be used mainly to pitch to music publishers and other A & R industry professionals.
Some of our clients have assembled demos into an album and burned it on a CD but in most cases they aren’t true airplay quality. If you want radio airplay you really need to let us know that upfront, bite the bullet, and invest the additional money to ensure we deliver that.
Some of our clients have successfully attracted investors with a demo. For example, client Chad Barnes of Phoenix Arizona was able to interest an investor in putting $5,000 into his song “Cowboys” based on the initial sketch recording Bill Watson made of the tune. As the full blown production progressed he was able to interest an investor to put up an additional $100,000, presumably for promotion and distribution.
A master suitable for radio airplay typically lands at about $2,500 but could be much lower or higher depending on the same factors detailed above for demos.
While a demo might have one of our A Team musicians on it, a master has only our A Team musicians. Your master may also have a more intricate arrangement; doubling and stacking of tracks (the musician physically playing a part multiple times to thicken the part) as well as a more detailed mix requiring up to 10 hours of mix time.
You’d do a master if you are making an album for release and intend to get radio airplay.
Nashville Trax is a music production facility, we do not go beyond that role; however, we have witnessed the previous successes of our clients over the years and once your demo or master is produced we have a network of companies who can handle your next step effectively.
That list includes music publishing companies; song pluggers; music promotion companies, concert promoters; distributors who can obtain major label distribution for your album or single; and yes, we can connect you with the same radio promotion team that obtained radio airplay for our client Dan Thompson.
Read more about Dan Thomson’s album and single releases this article opened with:
Dan Thompson’s “Miles And Miles” Makes The Country Radio Most Added Prime Mover Chart!
Miles and Miles by Dan Thompson Gaining Traction On Radio, including on the BBC!
Mastering Studio Nashville
Posted: June 5, 2017 Filed under: Home Music Production, Music Industry News, Studio News, Studio Products | Tags: Mastering Studio, Mastering Studio Nashville Leave a commentSeeking a mastering studio in Nashville? Nashville Trax is now offering it’s stellar mastering services to all comers, regardless of where your project was recorded or mixed.
For more information or order, visit Nashville Trax
The Nashville Trax A Team
Posted: May 18, 2017 Filed under: Now Tracking, Samples of Our Work, Testimonials Leave a commentWelcome to Nashville Trax! Yes, we are located in the Nashville, Tennessee area and we are the home base of the incredible Nashville Trax A Team detailed below.
Scroll down this samples page and you’ll find numerous samples of work we did for many different clients.
We produce Country, Contemporary Christian, Bluegrass, Folktronica, Southern Gospel, Americana, Rock, Blues, Hip Hop and Pop music!
Whether you need a demo of your song, a master, a performance track, a session quality instrument track added to a project you are producing, mastering of your mix, or even an entire album produced, the Nashville Trax A team, featuring our best players, is available at a price lower than you might think.
Read what one of our current clients e-mailed to Nashville Trax’ music producer (B. E. Watson):
“These tracks are smokin’ hot, Bill!!! This album is going to ROCK country style!!! Thanks man!!!! Wow!!!!!!” -Joe Finley, front man for The Swansons, regarding the tracks posted below.
And from client Mike Martin of the Sacramento, California area:
“Hi Bill, I have been playing my CD with the four songs you recorded for me and everyone is amazed at the quality of recording as well as the musicianship. You make records and even demos that are radio ready in my opinion and I just wanted to say thank you for all your work.”
The Swanson’s album, Country This, produced by Bill Watson right here at Nashville Trax won The Producer’s Choice Awards “Best Country Album” in April of 2018. The Swansons also cut their second award album here, “BAM” in 2019, and here in 2021 we’re finishing mixing and mastering on The Swanson’s album # three!
Here’s our A team- we call them The Hitmakers- on a music-only track intended for the Swansons’ album:
Something’s Better © 2017 Joe Finley, published by Listen Again Music (BMI):
Drums: Jim Riley (Rascal Flatts)
Bass Guitar: Bill Watson (Nashville Trax producer)
Acoustic and Electric Guitars: 10 times Music Row Session Guitar Player of the Year, Hall of Famer, Most recorded guitarist in history, Brent Mason
Harmonica: Mike Douchette (Tammy Wynette, George Jones, ZZ Top)
Mandolin: Jenee Fleenor(NBC’s The Voice fiddlist/Blake Shelton’s fiddlist, 2019 CMA Musician of The Year 2020/2021 CMA Musician of The Year.
Banjo: Aaron McDaris (with the #1 award winning bluegrass artist Rhonda Vincent)
Engineered, Arranged, Produced and Mixed by Bill Watson
The Swansons, who perform live shows and have their own band, have also started playing selected live shows here in Nashville and other locations with The Nashville Trax A Team, such as the 2018 Producer’s Choice Awards show in Las Vegas with the musicians who contribute on their albums : The Swansons, Brent Mason on guitar, Jenee Fleenor on fiddle, Bill Watson on bass guitar and Jim Riley on drums.
Would you like a quote on your project using these musicians?
Contact:
nashtrax@bellsouth.net Att: B.E. Watson, A Team quote.
Here’s the first single, releasing to radio in 2018: “Valentine” with Joe and Angie singing lead; Bill “B.E.” Watson on bass guitar; Jenee Fleenor fiddle; Brent Mason, guitars, Jim Riley, drums; Steve King, keys, Jamie and Jim Riley, background vocals:
The Nashville Trax A Team is comprised of session veterans such as Jenee Fleenor, who plays fiddle and mandolin for major label country artist, Blake Shelton.
She was also the fiddle player on John Pardi’s 2016 Billboard #1 country hit “Head Over Boots” as well as the fiddle player on the #1 followup song by Jon Pardi that was certified gold for sales and streaming of 500,000 copies “”Dirt On My Boots” which features Jenee’s playing throughout.
She is the 2016 CMA Touring Musician of the Year, 2020 CMA Musician of the Year, 2021CMA Musician of the Year as well as the fiddle player for the popular television show, The Voice.
In fact, Jenee turned down Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler’s offer to tour with him (to support his country album) but she is doing selected Steven Tyler dates…and guess what? Hire us and she’ll definitely play on your project!
The Swansons:
And here’s a quick rough mix of a three piece rockabilly jam with Brent Mason on guitar, Jim Riley drums and Bill Watson on bass guitar. More instrument parts have since been added; be sure to pick up a copy of The Swanson’s album (produced by Nashville Trax, intended for release November/December 2017) to hear the full mix:
Same song, same rhythm, track, but with Jenee, Mike, Joe and Angie Finley and other members of the A team on board, and EQ and effects applied to the tracks:
Here is our A Team playing that same song with The Swansons on their Nashville live debut/CD release party, 9-22-17:
The foundation rhythm section players: Jim Riley, Drums; Bill “B.E.” Watson, Bass Guitar; Brent Mason, Rhythm & Lead Guitars:
Some of the other A team tracking and overdub players we use:
“One of the best memories of my entire life!! Thanks to you and your crew of ‘Hitmakers’ Bill Watson!! Thanks again!
“- Songwriter Joe Finley of The Swansons.
Would you like a quote on your project?
Contact:
nashtrax@bellsouth.net Att: B.E. Watson, A Team quote.
Something’s Better, Valentine and I Need Your Love are all © 2017 Joe Finley, published by Listen Again Music (BMI). Posted for demonstration of production values only. Any other use is a violation of U.S. and International copyright law.
Christian Group, Dads and Daughters, Adds Sponsors, Website And Records 1st Single
Posted: May 17, 2017 Filed under: Christian, Client News, Music Industry News Leave a commentThe Nashville based Christian group, Dads and Daughters, has added Nashville Trax and Play It Again Demos to their growing list of sponsors.
Nashville Trax is providing free studio time and free space for the band’s web page:
Play It Again Demos is providing free management for the group.
Look for their first single to be released in September of 2017.
While they do receive free studio time to record this Dads and Daughters original song, they are donating 100% of all profits from the single to Christian charity. Yet they must pay for the studio musician fees and CD manufacturing costs. Therefore donations at their website noted above are welcome.
A Songwriting & Recording Blog 