Vocal recording
Lead lines, doubles and backing vocals in one of our two iso booths on Van Woustraat — with an engineer who sets gain, headphones and microphone choice before the first take.
At Monimiavyra, vocal sessions are about calm and preparation. You hear yourself clearly in the headphones, the booth is dry enough for later mix control, and we spend time on a proper soundcheck instead of hitting record immediately. That suits artists finishing a single, bands adding vocals after a live session, or producers who want a clean demo without fighting room noise at home.
Sessions run in De Pijp, a short walk from metro 52. Hours: Wed–Fri 10–20, Sat 11–16. Minimum age 16 for booking on your own; younger artists need parental agreement. Preparation tips live in our vocal session guide; rates and cancellation rules are in terms and conditions.
Process
- 1
Intake
Send instrumental, tempo, key and references via the contact form or email. We reply within 2 business days with hours or a block quote.
- 2
Setup
The engineer picks mic and pop filter, sets your headphone mix and gain. Allow roughly fifteen to twenty minutes before the first take counts.
- 3
Tracking
Full passes first, then targeted lines for verses, hooks, ad-libs or choir. We flag strong takes in the session.
- 4
Handover
Comping or export of raw takes depending on your package. Files via secure link; we keep archive for 24 months.
Who this service is for
Vocal recording is for singers, rappers, spoken-word artists and bands who need a clear vocal track for release or pitching. Solo acts often bring a beat or stem export; bands sometimes follow live ensemble recording in our 44 m² live room. We do not record anonymous demos for third parties without a rights statement — if that applies, we discuss it before the session.
Long corporate reads fit voice-over and narration in the dedicated booth. If you only need stems balanced, see mixing.
Booth and monitoring
We operate 2 vocal booths in a 3-room facility, active in Amsterdam since 2019. The booth is isolated enough for dry captures; a window keeps eye contact with the engineer. We tailor monitoring: more beat, less reverb, or a subtle room hint if it helps pitch and delivery.
Gain staging happens before recording — healthy levels without clipping so mixing or mastering stays straightforward. 28 mic preamps are available; the engineer picks what suits your voice and genre.
Microphone choices
No single mic works for everyone. At the start we usually compare two or three capsules on the same line: large-diaphragm condenser for detail, dynamic for loud rap or dense mixes, sometimes ribbon if highs feel harsh. You listen with us and we decide together.
For doubles and choir we use consistent track naming (lead, dub L/R, ad-libs) so an external mixer can import quickly. If you want deliberately raw full takes without comping, say so upfront — we block extra time.
What to bring
Bring your instrumental as WAV (ideally without guide vocal) or a project export with clear track names. Lyrics on paper or phone, tempo and key if known, plus one to three reference tracks for vocal tone. Your own headphones are welcome.
- Instrumental or multitrack export
- Lyrics and song structure
- References and delivery preference
- Tuning preference if any (natural vs effect)
Extended checklists are in the vocal prep guide. Water and a music stand are in the booth.
Delivery formats
Default delivery is 24-bit WAV at 48 kHz, aligned from song start, unless your project uses another sample rate — tell us when booking. After the session you get a download link; we can copy to your SSD on request.
| File | Use |
|---|---|
| Comped lead | Drop into your mix |
| Separate takes | If you comp yourself |
| Doubles / ad-libs | Named per track |
Sessions stay on studio archive for 24 months, then deleted unless you extend storage. Back up on your side. Release format questions: release formats and rights.
Rates, VAT and payment
Listed prices are consumer rates including 21% VAT. Business invoicing is available; B2B payment term is 14 days where applicable. On confirmation we ask for a 30% deposit; the balance is due around the session date.
One hour fits soundcheck plus a few passes; a half day usually covers one song with doubles; a full day suits EP vocals or multiple titles. Exact quotes depend on track count and comping — ask via contact or phone.
Revisions and exclusions
Comping and light editing within booked time are part of Vocal recording. Heavy tuning, comping days later, or full mixing are separate work. Mix projects typically include 2 revision rounds per studio rules; re-tracking vocals is billed per hour.
Not included: arrangement, songwriting coaching, video shoots, lyric translation, or mastering — use mastering or your own supplier. Free cancellation up to 5 days before the session; details in terms.
Location and team
Address: Van Woustraat 78, 1074 LN Amsterdam (De Pijp). Metro line 52 (North/South) stop De Pijp; from there it is about a 6-minute walk via Ferdinand Bolstraat to Van Woustraat 78. Tram 3 runs along Van Woustraat; from the Van Woustraat stop it is roughly a 2-minute walk. From Amsterdam Centraal, metro 52 towards Zuid takes about 15 minutes. Parking in De Pijp is limited; public transport or bike is easier when you can.
Vocal sessions are usually led by Ruben Smit (recording engineer) or scheduled with Mieke van der Berg. Questions: FAQ or email. Privacy: privacy policy.
Included
- Engineer for booked time
- Microphone choice and pop filter
- Personal headphone mix
- Gain staging before recording
- Basic comping within session time
- WAV export via secure link
- Session archive for 24 months
FAQ
How long for one song?
For a typical single with hook doubles, plan two to four hours. If the booth is new to you, the half-day block (€325) is often smoother than two separate hours.
Can someone sit in the control room?
One or two guests is normal. Larger groups distract quickly — mention it when booking via contact.
Do you provide a rough mix?
A quick balance for home listening is possible if time allows. A finished mix is mixing at €185 per track offline or studio hourly rate.
What if I am ill on the day?
Can you record small choir parts?
Two or three backing singers can work in booth or live room by arrangement. Larger groups fit live ensemble recording better for space and monitoring.
Other services
- 02
Live ensemble recording
Drums, bass, keys and guitars together in the live room; space for re-amping and multiple headphone mixes.
€125 · per hour (engineer included)
- 03
Mixing
From multitrack to stereo mix; in the studio or from delivered stems with clear naming.
€185 · per track (offline)
- 04
Mastering
Final loudness and EQ for streaming and download; one revision round included per our studio rules.
€72 · per track
- 05
Voice-over and narration
Audiobook excerpts, corporate voice-over or dubbing in a quiet booth with timecode sync on request.
€78 · per hour
Recording in De Pijp?
Let's plan your session
Tell us briefly what you want to capture: within 2 working days you receive a proposed slot and a written quote, with no obligation.