FAQ
What services do you perform?
How do I schedule a recital recording?
How do I schedule a recording session?
How far in advance do I need to schedule my session/recital recording?
How do I buy a copy of a School of Music performance?
How can I make a copy of my own recording?
What are your rates?
What forms of payment do you accept?
Why aren't your services free for BU students/staff/faculty?
Where can I do a recording session?
Do you do remote recordings?
Do you offer sound reinforcement (PA systems)?
How long will it take to get my recording?
Can I get a rush request?
Will you ship my recording?
What kind of equipment do you use?
Can you edit my performance with a computer?
Do you do bulk (mass) tape/CD duplication?
Do you do mini-disc/analog reel/ and other specialized production formats?
Can you do multi-track recordings?
Do you do video production?
Can you extract audio froma DVD?
Do you do graphic design?
Do you rent out your equipment?
Do you permit outside engineers to use your facilities?
Do I have to be affiliated with BU to use your services?
What are your hours?
Where are you located? How do I contact you?
How do I contact the Scheduling, Piano Technician, and Stage Crew Offices?
What services do you perform?
We provide acoustic recording services (predominantly classical music), sound reinforcement, CD and cassette duplication, and audio editing. We also sell recordings of School of Music concerts. These are available to BU affiliates for educational purposes only.
How do I schedule a recital recording?
Once you have scheduled your recital with the Scheduling Office, call or email us with the date of the performance. We will add it to our schedule and assign a recording engineer. A fee of $90 must be paid 2 weeks before the recital date or we WILL NOT record the recital.
How do I schedule a recording session?
To schedule a recording session, contact us to setup a time.
How far in advance do I need to schedule my session/recital recording?
Recital recordings: Payment of $90.00 at least TWO WEEKS prior to your recital. If you cannot make this deadline, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to find an engineer for your recital.
Recording sessions: The sooner the better as we cannot guarantee there will be open time slots available in the Concert Hall for the dates you want.
How do I buy a copy of a School of Music performance?
Please stop by the College of Fine Arts Recording Studios to order a recording or send us an email telling us which performance you would like to order. Payment is due at the time of ordering. You may purchase a copy of a School of Music performance only if you are affiliated with the university.
How can I make a copy of my own recording?
Please bring your original master tape to the College of Fine Arts Recording Studios. We can accept CD, DAT, MiniDisc, Flash Recorder or cassette masters. Payment is due at the time of ordering.
Please bring any documentation that refers to the timings of your original master. An additional mastering fee may apply to extremely labor intensive projects.
Without explicit written consent from all concerned parties, the College of Fine Arts Recording Studios does not duplicate material protected by intellectual property laws.
What are your rates?
Please see our Rates page.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept Visa, Mastercard and checks made out to "Boston University". If you have exact change, we can also accept cash. Sorry, we DO NOT accept Terrier Cards.
Why aren't your services free for BU students/staff/faculty?
The College of Fine Arts Recording Studios is a semi-independent entity within Boston University. The vast majority of our budget is generated from our fees.
Our rate for recording sessions for BU affiliates is $50.00 per hour, reflecting a $30.00 per hour discount. Furthermore, we believe that our $90.00 recital recording rate is very reasonable for the Boston area.
Where can I do a recording session?
Our recording sessions are done at the College of Fine Arts Concert Hall located at 855 Commonwealth Avenue. If the Concert Hall is not available, we can do recordings in the Marshall Room which is located on the second floor.
Do you do remote recordings?
Depending upon your needs and our availability, we may be able to record at venues other than those listed here. Please contact the Recording Studio Manager for special rates.
Do you offer sound reinforcement (PA systems)?
The College of Fine Arts Concert Hall has a small PA system, which our clients can utilize. A fee will apply. Please contact the Recording Studio Manager for rates.
We can also do small sound reinforcement projects outside of the Concert Hall. This usually involves equipment rental and absolutely requires at least two weeks notice. Please contact the Recording Studio Manager for rates.
How long will it take to get my recording?
Recitals and Duplications: We strive to finish your project in a reasonable amount of time. Duplications and requests for Boston University recordings generally take 2-3 business days. Recital packages are usually completed within 2-3 business days after your recital. If you are working with a tight deadline and need your recording faster, we may be able to accommodate you for an additional fee. Please contact the Recording Studio Manager for rates.
Session Recordings: If you are interested in doing a recording or editing session, please do not assume that you will receive a finished product on the day of your session. Generally, finished products require 2-3 business days to complete. If you are working with a tight deadline, we may be able to accommodate you for an additional fee. Please contact the Recording Studio Manager as soon as possible prior to your session.
Can I get a rush request?
Yes. Please contact us for current rates.
Will you ship my recording?
Yes we can ship recordings. All we need is an address.
What kind of equipment do you use?
Please see our Equipment page.
Can you edit my performance with a computer?
Yes. The fee is $50.00/hour, which includes the editing fee only. We calculate our hourly fee in 1/4 hour increments only. Please call or stop by the studio to arrange an editing session with us.
Do you do bulk (mass) tape/CD duplication?
We can do bulk orders. If you need more than 500 CD's, we will usually refer you to a quality, local audio duplication facility.
Do you do mini-disc/analog reel/ and other specialized production formats?
We can transfer from any of these formats. The final production format will only be CD.
Can you do multi-track recordings?
Yes. Please let us know prior to your session if you intend to do multi-track recording as there is a different fee for this type of recording.
Do you do video production?
No. We do not perform video production of any kind.
Can you extract audio from a DVD?
We can extract audio from non-encrypted DVDs. Bear in mind that audio from a DVD is compressed, like an MP3. While audio quality is relatively high on a DVD, it's not comparable to CD audio.
Do you do graphic design?
We print labels and cards for your CD's. They can include any text that will fit on one label or on one panel of an insert. We can currently do some high-quality graphics or color on your project, but on a limited scale.
If you are interested in recording with us and would like to utilize high-quality cover art, we can refer you to a local audio graphic design company.
Do you rent out your equipment?
No. We do not rent any equipment.
Do you permit outside engineers to use your facilities?
No. We do not permit non-CFA Recording Studio employees to use our equipment or facilities.
Do I have to be affiliated with BU to use your services?
No. We offer recording sessions and duplication services to the general public.
What are your hours?
Our office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 PM.
Where are you located? How do I contact you?
The Recording Studio is located at Boston University College of Fine Arts, 855 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215. After you enter the building, our door is located on the first floor at Room 189. We are near the Concert Hall on the mezzanine level.
Our office hours are 10am to 5pm, Monday through Friday. You can contact us at (617) 353 - 3375. Our email address is cfarec@bu.edu.
How do I contact the Scheduling, Piano Technician, and Stage Crew Offices?
See our Contact page.