The Breakdown
We run at $45.00 hourly rate and offer 10 hour blocks of time at $40.00 per hour for recording,mixing, mastering.
What we do best is listen... actually listen to the client's style, lyric and mood then set about creating the music bed that most appropriately shines the light on the artist's vision. So many producers tend to think that it's all about themselves... their music or beat, leaving it up to the client to work within the confines of their format. We actually stylize a soundscape to support your performance.
Many of our clients bring their own background music on CD or Zip drive, and they are astounded when they hear a real musician playing along with live instruments to enhance or even transform their track. If your music is all programmed and the only 'live' aspect is your voice, there is no real marriage between the two, no matter how perfect the mix is. If you introduce even just one other live element, an acoustic guitar for instance, you bridge the vocal and the music in a way that draws in the listener.
We also assist with lyric content. Everything from cutting down on the syllable count in rap verses when it interferes with staying on a rap flow, to when the poetry in a singers song needs an outside ear to help clarify or streamline the pace without tampering with the original intent of the composition.
When we do make suggestions (or even straight out write hook lines for people), we don't start pulling out contracts or P.A copyright forms negotiating our cut... we never have because we'd rather you get your songs out there and get some recognition rather than letting the music sit on a shelf while the lawyers and agents work it out. Music ideas have to go public in a timely fashion and this principle keeps our clients coming back time and again.
Mastering
The art of enhancing and compiling your final product for radio play and sale. If you have several songs in a collection, then we balance each of them to create a linear CD so the listener at home doesn't have to adjust the volume or level of bass from track to track.
Many people bring us tracks they've recorded at home studios. We inform them that mastering enhances your project, so it may also enhance any flaws overlooked in the recording process. Whether street mixtape or a sensitive songwriter demo, try to get you're mix right and Knock Hard will take it from there.
Beginners Luck
If you need vocal coaching, you're in luck. We work with singers at all levels and can help you on the road to a singing career that doesn't involve the need for Autotune, lip syncing live or an ear nose and throat doctor on tour with you. We'll show you how to stay on pitch and deliver your vocals with emotional phrasing and potent projection while making sure you protect your
instrument.
We've turned some of our clients into session vocalists who get paid to sing on other client's records.
We've shown even shy singers how to harmonize and overdub their voice to create a tour de force they never would have thought possible
