Eric's Studio Rules

My goal as a studio owner, producer, recordist, and mixer is to help you accomplish your musical vision as an artist. I want your time in my studio to be a period of productivity and creativity, and enjoyable for everybody involved, including me.

In order to have a recording environment that cultivates creativity, and because this recording studio is located within my home, I feel that it is important to share with you the following rules. I give you these rules not to sound demanding, but to give you an idea of what to expect and what is expected from you in order to make your experience working at The Cage one that is rewarding for all of us as artists.

So... here you go:

1. No Profanity, Vulgarity, or Explicit Content

As has already been mentioned, The Cage is my personal music-making space, located within my home. I am a Christian, and as a Christian I do not allow my name to be associated with any musical project that contains vulgar, explicit, or profane content.

NOTE: Let me be clear-- this DOES NOT mean that you must be a Christian artist to record here! I work with all sorts of artists of different genres and beliefs. If you have any questions about what I consider profane or explicit, I'll be glad to answer them via email: cagestudio@yahoo.com. However, if you have to ask me which curse words are allowed, the answer is NONE. 

2. No Alchohol, Smoking, Tobacco, or Drug Use is Allowed on the Premises

Do I really need to explain this one? Nah... you know what I'm talking about here! Moving on...

3. If you are a Female Artist, be sure to schedule sessions when my family is home, or arrive accompanied by a male.

I know this may seem like a strange rule, so allow me to explain. The Cage is a home-based recording studio, surrounded by neighbors who know when my family is here, and when I'm home alone. If a female artist, or a carload of female artists, pulls into my driveway and comes into my house when my neighbors know I'm the only one here, how will that look? You know how that will look, don't you? Not a good thing!

I believe that it is best to avoid controversy altogether. Adhering to this rule is what's best for me, for my family, for you, and for your recording project.

4. If you are under the age of 16, you need to be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or some other responsible adult

The reason for this rule is similar to the previous rule, in that it's just best for everybody involved.

I am a huge proponent for young people making music, and I am more than happy to help anyone out with reaching for their musical dreams, regardless of age, race, gender, etc. However, this studio is still a "grown-up" business. There are many decisions and arrangements that need to be made between me and the artist(s) in order for the recording project to be successful, so it is better for everyone if there is another adult involved in those decisions besides just me. Things just run smoother that way.

5. When you arrive for a session, be well-rehearsed and ready to record

I can't tell you how much time I have wasted over the last 20 years with artists who weren't prepared for the session. PLEASE know your songs and know what you want to do before you get here.

Don't get me wrong: If you need guidance with arrangement or production decisions, I'm more than happy to help. I love to experiment and I have a very open mind to anything production-wise that you would like to try. Just make sure beforehand that this is what you want to devote your studio time to, otherwise you'll end up wasting your time and money.

6. Be prepared to pay for the session at the session

This is my only major rule concerning money. It's true that I care more about making good music than I do about making money. However, this is a business, and making money allows me to keep making music.

I believe strongly in the "pay as you go" policy when it comes to charging for studio time, as it tends to hold artists (and me) accountable in the area of money. It's so much easier to focus on your project when we're not having to keep track of how much money you will owe me when it's over, so it's best to pay for each session as it occurs if we are working on an hourly basis.

We accept cash (of course!), checks, and all major credit cards.

NOTE: I do understand the life of a "working musician" and I sympathize with the "starving artist" mentality that many musicians have. So, if you aren't able to pay for the session at the session, we can still go ahead with the scheduled session. Just keep in mind that you WILL NOT have your finished recording OR your master files UNTIL THEY ARE PAID FOR IN FULL!

7. We're not open on Sunday 

As I mentioned before, I am a Christian and The Cage is an in-home business. As a Christian, I have prior commitments to my family and church, so working in the studio is just not an option on Sundays.

8. NO AUTOTUNE!!! 

This isn't so much a rule as it is just a fact. I don't have it and I don't use it. The Cage  is a digital studio, complete with full digital editing and automated mixing capabilities, but Autotune is not an option here. Sorry, but I can't use what I don't have.

For more information about the services we offer here at The Cage, be sure to check out our Studio Rates page.

Do you have any questions about the studio that aren't answered on this website anywhere? Just email us: cagestudio@yahoo.com and we'll help you out!