Why warm-ups protect studio time
In our roughly 9 m² booth, every bit of tension shows up in the mic. Without preparation, the first hours disappear into «finding» your voice while you pay by the hour (from €109 incl. VAT) or a fixed fee per finished lead (€175). A short, repeatable routine reduces the chance of hoarseness halfway through the chorus.
A warm-up is not a performance: you do not need to sing at full power. The aim is blood flow, flexibility and steady breath support so the engineer can focus on pitch, timing and feel. See the vocal service page for how we work; use contact for questions.
Days before the session
Avoid marathon rehearsals or loud nights out the week before. If you use your voice heavily at work, split it into short blocks instead of one long evening. Lock the lyrics: rewriting in the booth costs more time than any warm-up.
Print or export lyrics with breath marks and tricky words highlighted. Loop the backing track, including intro length and fade. Send tempo (BPM) and a rough mix at least 2 business days ahead so we can prep the Pro Tools or Logic session. If you are unsure about beat rights, read our terms and conditions and email [email protected].
The night before and getting to De Pijp
Sleep beats every same-day hack. Go easy on alcohol; dehydration and reflux show up immediately on mic. Peonscale is in De Pijp, about a 6-minute walk from De Pijp metro station (M52). Trams 1, 3 and 7 serve Ceintuurbaan; from the Stadhouderskade stop it is roughly a 4-minute walk. On-street parking is limited; public transport or cycling works best. We are open Mon–Fri 10–19, Sat 11–17; arrive ten minutes early rather than out of breath.
Pack water, non-menthol throat lozenges if you use them, your own headphones if you prefer them, and the instrumental as 24-bit WAV on a reliable drive or cloud link. Call 020 737 4826 only for urgent day-of issues — we reply to email within 2 business days.
Morning of the session: food and drink
Start with room-temperature water; vocal fold hydration takes hours. Many singers skip dairy and heavy sauces on session morning because mucus can thicken. One coffee is fine for most voices; a full pot right before tracking is not.
Eat something light about two hours ahead: banana, porridge or soup often beat a greasy takeaway. Eating too late presses on the diaphragm; eating too little makes you tire faster on doubles.
A 15–20 minute warm-up structure
Begin with the body: shoulders, neck, jaw. Breathe in for four counts, out for six through the nose. Use lip trills or a soft «ng» siren over a small range, then widen slowly. Add articulation drills for rap or VO: slow tongue twisters, then speed up.
Finish with an easy verse from your song, not the highest chorus first. There is space in the hallway beside our booth to practise quietly while we check the chain. Rappers: practise breath on the beat without shouting — that avoids clipping on the preamp.
In the booth: distance, headphones and breaks
About one hand between mouth and pop filter is a sensible start; step back slightly on hard consonants or screams. Monitor level changes how loud you sing: too loud in the cans and you sing softer than you think; too quiet and you push. Tell us — we will adjust the cue.
Take a silent water break every twenty to thirty minutes. If your voice dries out, we move doubles or harmonies forward and save the highest lines for a follow-up date. That beats forty takes of the same strained falsetto line.
When to postpone
With throat pain, lasting hoarseness or voice loss: stop and see a doctor or ENT. General tips are not medical advice. You can reschedule free up to 7 days before the session under our terms; after that the 30 percent deposit rules apply.
Bandmates adding backing vocals should read planning a band session so everyone shares the same day structure. After tracking we keep project files for 24 months; ask in time if you mix elsewhere.
Before you leave home
| Item | Check |
|---|---|
| Lyrics final | No open verses |
| Instrumental 24-bit WAV | Same tempo as session |
| Water + light snack | No heavy meal right before |
| Warm-up done | 15–20 min, not full volume |
| Booking confirmed | Via contact form or email |
A half day (4 hours) is €389 incl. VAT — enough for most singles if you arrive prepared. We help you pick takes; the engineer flags favourites while you sing.
