Looking for the best and most famous recording studios in California? Awesome! Read on...
- Bongo Boy Recording Studio
- BlckLBl Studios
- Prairie Sun Recording Studio
- Uprise Recording
- Noise Eater Recordings
- Red Eye Recording Studios
- Mad Muse Studios
- The Village Studios
- Mix Recording Studio
- GoodLove Audio
- 1. Game Plan
- 2. External Hard Drive
- 3. Powerbank
- 4. Snacks and drinks
- Top 10 Recording Studios In California
As the home state for the music recording mecca of Los Angeles, California has a lot of options available for recording studios. And they aren’t only in Southern California.
That’s a good thing because California is a large state covering a diverse geographical as well as a musical landscape. So no matter where you are in the state and no matter what style of music you play, there is a recording studio for you.
Bongo Boy Recording Studio
Bongo Boy Studio is in McKinleyville on the Northern California coast, the opposite end of the state from L.A. With a relaxed, small-town atmosphere in a focused and professional setting, Bogno Boy is the perfect place for bands and songwriters to record and recorded bands like Diggin Dirt.
Google reviewers love head engineer Domonic Romano for giving them a professional big city sound in the heart of the small Humbodlt community. This is why 13 reviewers give the studio an average of 4.8 stars.
Website:
https://www.bongoboystudio.com/
Location:
1873 Cliff Ave, McKinleyville, CA 95519
Services & Cost:
- recording
- songwriting
- music production
- mixing
- mastering
- consultation
- graphic design
- audio preservation
Contact Bongo Boy Studio through their website for prices.
BlckLBl Studios
BlckLbl Studios is located in the state’s capital of Sacramento and offers song and album production under the guidance of a few professional engineers on staff. They don’t have a lot of background info on their website, but they are clearly well-loved.
147 Google reviewers write glowing reports of the professional equipment and all the engineers on staff. They are efficient, friendly, and helpful, which is why the studio has an average of 4.9 stars.
Website:
Location:
2020 Hurley Way Suite 190, Sacramento, CA 95825
Services & Cost:
- production
- recording
- mixing
- mastering
Service | Cost |
Recording with an engineer | $100 for a 2-hour minimum |
Recording with an engineer after minimum | $50 an hour |
Production | $75 an hour |
Mixing and mastering | $25 - $300 |
Full Song Special (with production, recording, mixing, master, and engineer) | $300 |
Full Song Special Plus (with custom beat, engineer, producer, recording, mixing, mastering) | $500 |
If you are located in the Burbank area - Check out our list of The 7 Best Recording Studios in Burbank, CA
Prairie Sun Recording Studio
Prairie Sun Recording Studio is located on a 10-acre ranch in the wine country north of San Francisco. It was founded by Mark Rennick and has played home to many diverse musical legends including Van Morrison, Primus, and Ramblin’ Jack Elliot. Prairie Sun is also home to “The Waits Room” where Tom Waits recorded his album Bone Machine.
With a list of clients like theirs, it’s just icing on the cake that 40 Google reviewers give Prarie Sun a 4.9-star rating. They praise the engineers, the beauty of the setting, and the family-like atmosphere of the studio
Website:
Location:
1039 Madrone Ave, Cotati, CA 94931
Services & Cost:
- recording
- mixing
- mastering
- engineering
- lodging
Contact Prarie Sun through their website for pricing.
Uprise Recording
Owner Michael Cox started Uprise Recoding to serve musicians who aspire to follow their dreams. Located in Sacramento, the studio offers top-of-the-line gear and professionalism in a comfortable environment.
An Average of 4.9 stars is what Uprise Recording has earned from 89 Google reviewers. There are many returning artists in that group, and they all love Michael for his knowledge and expertise.
Website:
Location:
1217 Del Paso Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95815
Services & Cost:
- recording
Service | Cost |
Recording for 1 hour | $85 |
Recording for 2 hours | $170 |
Recording for 3 hours | $255 |
Starving Artist Bundle | $300 for 4 hours of studio time |
Pro Artist Bundle | $600 for 8 hours of studio time |
Rockstar Bundle | $999 for 16 hours of studio time |
Platinum Artist Bundle | $1999 for 32 hours of studio time |
Noise Eater Recordings
Located on the coast in Santa Cruz, Noise Eater Recordings offers their clients a polished sound for the raw emotion that they give to their art. This straightforward studio offers the fundamentals needed to make a great record in a classic California beach city.
Many of the Google reviewers recorded not just one song at Noise Eater but entire albums. They love the passion that the studio has for creating a clean and professional sound. This is why 32 Google reviewers give the studio a solid 5 stars.
Website:
https://www.noiseeaterrecordings.com/
Location:
112 Chilverton St, Santa Cruz, CA 95062
Services & Cost:
- recording
- mixing
- mastering
Contact Noise Eater Recordings through their website for pricing.
Red Eye Recording Studios
Red Eye Recording Studios makes its home in San Jose and offers quality recording services at good rates to everyone from rappers to full bands.
31 Google reviewers give Red Eye 4.9 stars for being the kind of studio that takes time with the artist to get the project done right. Red Eye is on time and professional.
Website:
https://redeyerecordingstudios.com/
Location:
2257 Alum Rock Ave, San Jose, CA 95116
Services & Cost:
- recording
- mixing
- mastering
All services are charged at an hourly rate of $70, including the engineer.
Mad Muse Studios
Mad Muse Studios wants their clients to interact, collaborate, and create, and Mad Muse thinks they are best able to do that in the large open area of their studio. They offer vintage instruments and digital recording equipment.
81 Google reviewers love not only Mad Muse’s recording and music production but their live performance filming. In an area that is highly competitive for recording studios, it says it all that Mad Muse has a solid 5 stars.
Website:
Location:
1015 E 14th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021
Services & Cost:
- recording
- mixing
- mastering
Contact Mad Muse through their website for pricing.
The Village Studios
Also in Los Angeles, The Village Studios has been in operation for 6 decades recording more musical legends than you can shake a stick at. Their vintage equipment goes with the 1920s era Masonic Temple and informs their use of high-end technology.
115 Google reviewers give the studio an average of 4.8 stars. The reviewers love the courteous staff and being able to record in a legendary place with a great historic vibe and knowledgable engineers.
Website:
https://www.villagestudios.com/
Location:
1616 Butler Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Services & Cost:
- recording
- mixing
- live performances
Contact them for pricing.
Mix Recording Studio
With a sleek, space-age look, MIX Recording Studio has a broad presence in the industry recording artists and bands in many genres and working for industry clients such as Sony Music, Epic, and Atlantic.
82 Google reviewers give the studio an average of 4.7 stars for its high-quality sound and the industry knowledge of the engineers. They particularly love working with the engineers who hold nothing back for the benefit of the artist’s vision.
Website:
https://mixrecordingstudio.com/
Location:
539 S Rampart Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057
Services & Cost:
- production
- vocal production
- recording
- mixing
- tuning and editing
- mastering
- beats
- podcasts
- audiobooks
- photo
- video
- consultation
- private events
Service | Cost |
Studio time without an engineer | $49 an hour |
Studio time with Advanced Engineer (includes recording, mixing, mastering, stems) | $74 an hour |
Studio time with Elite Engineer (includes production, development, EP or album mastering sessions) | $84 an hour |
In-studio photoshoot (1 hour and 10 edited photos | $99 |
Artist documentary (1 hour of filming, 2 hours of editing, 3-5 minute video) | $149 |
In-studio music video (includes 2 hours of filming and studio rental, edited and ready the next day) | $349 |
Studio Vlog (includes 2 hours of filming, ready in 2 days) | $175 |
Podcast studio rental | $49 an hour |
Audio podcast (with engineer) | $65 an hour |
Audio and video podcast (with engineer) | $80 an hour |
Livestream audio and video (with engineer) | $95 an hour |
GoodLove Audio
GoodLove Audio believes the potential of the artists they work with. They are curious about different genres and all the possibilities of sound and are passionate about seeing artists achieve the kind of sound they want for their records.
As one Google reviewer put it, “Everyone passed the vibe check.” The 30 other reviewers agree that GoodLove Audio creates a professional and extremely helpful environment that is geared toward artistic success and an end-product that musicians can be proud of. This is why GoodLove has a solid 5 stars.
Website:
Location:
6330 Hollywood Blvd Suite 22, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Services & Cost:
- recording
- producing
- engineering
- vocal booth
- mixing
- mastering
GoodLove Audio offers a 12-hour block of studio time for $360. If you want more details on pricing, contact the studio through their website.
Don't Forget Your Recording Session Essentials...
1. Game Plan
You should go in there with a plan of what you want to achieve. This will make it easier on both you and the engineer, and will help keep things moving along.
2. External Hard Drive
Get yourself an external hard drive. This way, you can take your sessions home with you and have a backup in case something goes wrong.
3. Powerbank
You never know when you're going to need a power bank. It's always better to be safe than sorry!
4. Snacks and drinks
Stay hydrated and fueled up so you can perform at your best.