Terms and Conditions
Apollo Studio – recording, mixing and mastering services
These Terms and Conditions (hereinafter “Terms”) govern the contractual relationship between the operator of the Apollo recording studio (hereinafter the “Studio”) and the client ordering recording, mixing and mastering services (hereinafter the “Client”). By submitting an order, confirming a booking, or paying a deposit, the Client fully agrees to these Terms.
1. Subject of the Terms and Basic Definitions
The Studio provides music recording, mixing and mastering services, either as individual hourly services or as pre-defined packages (each a “Package”). A Package is a bundle of services with a precisely defined scope (number of tracks, time frame, number of revisions) provided for a fixed price. For the purposes of these Terms:
- Track – an individual audio channel (an instrument, voice, or group of microphones) that forms part of a recording and is processed separately during recording, editing and mixing.
- Session – a continuous period of time (typically one day) during which recording or another agreed activity takes place at the Studio’s premises.
- Revision – an adjustment to an already delivered mix or master based on the Client’s feedback.
- Overtime – time spent working on a project beyond the hours included in the price of the relevant Package.
2. Pricing and Packages
A current overview of all Packages and their prices can be found on the Pricing page. The following provisions govern the exact scope and rules of each Package.
2.1 Basic Package (Add-on)
The Basic Package is a comprehensive service for a Client who supplies their own finished backing track and needs one additional track (e.g. vocals, rap, a solo instrument) recorded and mixed into it. The price of the package is based on the number of hours required for recording, tuning/editing and mixing – 1 hour of recording, 1 hour of tuning/editing and 1 hour of mixing, totalling 3 hours, calculated at the Studio’s hourly rate. Mastering of the resulting track is included as a bonus service beyond these 3 hours – if the Client is not interested in it, it will not be performed, but the price of the package will not be reduced accordingly. This package is particularly suited to rappers and solo artists.
2.2 Single Standard Package
The Single Standard Package is designed for recording one song with a standard band line-up – ideal especially for pop-rock and rock bands. It includes a precisely defined, fixed list of 21 tracks:
- Drum kit – at least 12 tracks (including room microphones)
- Bass guitar – 1 track
- Guitar 1 and Guitar 2 – 2 tracks
- Arrangement guitar – 1 track
- Lead guitar – 1 track
- Keyboards (verse section) – 1 track
- Keyboards (chorus section) – 1 track
- Lead vocals – 1 track
- Backing vocals – 1 track
This list represents the Studio’s standard workflow and is binding for determining the scope of the Package. The number of drum kit tracks is set as a minimum (12) and is not transferable to other instruments or vocals – reducing the number of microphone channels used on the drums does not entitle the Client to a corresponding allocation of tracks to other instruments or vocals. The Single Package includes 8 hours of recording and 8 hours of post-production (mixing), totalling 16 hours, calculated at the Studio’s hourly rate. Mastering is included as a bonus service beyond these hours – if the Client is not interested in it, it will not be performed, but the price of the package will not be reduced accordingly.
2.3 Album Package
The Album Package corresponds to ten times the scope of the Single Standard Package (10 songs with the same standard line-up) with a 10% discount on the total price. All rules applicable to the Single Standard Package (fixed track list, minimum number of drum tracks, time frame per song) apply equally to each song within the Album.
2.4 Folk Ensembles, Chamber Groups and Orchestras
For recording outside the standard band line-up (e.g. folk ensembles, chamber groups, vocal ensembles, orchestras), the Studio offers the Small Ensemble and Large Ensemble Packages. The category is determined solely by the total number of tracks (instruments and vocals combined), regardless of how they are divided between instruments and vocals:
- Small Ensemble – up to 10 tracks in total, 8 hours (4 hours recording + 4 hours post-production)
- Large Ensemble – 11 to 20 tracks in total, 16 hours (8 hours recording + 8 hours post-production)
Mastering is included in the price of both packages as a bonus service beyond the stated hours – if the Client is not interested in it, it will not be performed, but the price of the package will not be reduced accordingly. Line-ups outside this range (e.g. other musical formations, electronic production, larger ensembles) are subject to an individual price quote.
2.5 Online Mix Package
The Online Mix Package is designed for Clients who supply their own recorded tracks (up to 21) remotely, without the need for recording at the Studio’s premises. The price of the package is based on 8 hours of post-production work (mixing), calculated at the Studio’s hourly rate. Mastering is included as a bonus service beyond these 8 hours – if the Client is not interested in it, it will not be performed, but the price of the package will not be reduced accordingly.
2.6 Online Mastering
The Online Mastering Package is a standalone mastering service for one song, provided remotely.
3. Time Frame and Overtime
Each Package has a set time frame (number of hours) stated in the price list. This time is allocated to the project as a whole and cannot be reallocated according to the progress of individual sessions.
- Unused time does not carry over. If not all allocated hours are used within a given session (day), the remaining time is forfeited and does not carry over to a subsequent session or another part of the project.
- Overtime. Any time spent working on the project beyond the hours included in the price of the Package (regardless of whether it involves additional recording, re-recording individual parts, discussion, or other activities) is charged at a rate of €25 (incl. VAT) per commenced hour.
4. Scope of the Package and Extra Tracks
A Package represents a precisely defined, fixed scope of services (number and type of tracks) and is not a freely combinable set of options. Changing the composition of instruments or vocals compared to the standard list (e.g. swapping drum tracks for additional vocals) is not considered an equivalent substitution within the Package.
- Extra track. Any track beyond the scope of the Package (e.g. an additional instrument, voice, or microphone channel) is charged at €50 (incl. VAT) for Packages that include recording, or €25 (incl. VAT) for the Online Mix Package (where recording is not applicable). The price of an extra track covers its complete processing (recording and mixing, or mixing only for the Online Mix Package) regardless of the time actually spent on it during the session.
- Drum kit. The number of drum kit tracks is set as a minimum (12 tracks including room microphones). At the Client’s request, additional channels beyond 12 are charged as extra tracks.
5. Revisions
Each Package includes 2 revisions, covering both the mix and the master jointly. A revision means adjustments to volume, effects, tuning and other fine-tuning changes that do not alter the overall character and consistency of the mix. A request for a fundamentally different mix concept (a new mix) is not considered a revision.
Since any change to the mix requires a new master, a mix revision automatically includes the corresponding adjustment to the master within the same revision – the Client is not charged for it as a separate, additional revision.
Requests beyond the 2 revisions included in the price of the Package are charged at a rate of €25 (incl. VAT) per hour.
6. Scope of a Song
Package prices apply to one song with a maximum length of 5 minutes. Material exceeding this length, or containing several separate musical pieces joined together within a single submitted track or file, is not considered a single song. Such material will be assessed and charged as multiple separate orders corresponding to the actual number of songs.
7. Summary of Additional Charges
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Extra track beyond the package (packages including recording) | €50 incl. VAT |
| Extra track beyond the package (Online Mix – no recording) | €25 incl. VAT |
| Overtime beyond the package’s agreed hours | €25 incl. VAT / hour |
| Revision beyond the 2 included revisions (mix and master combined) | €25 incl. VAT / hour |
8. Booking and Payment Terms
A recording date booking, or the commencement of work on an online package, becomes binding once the order is mutually confirmed and the deposit is paid based on the issued deposit invoice. The deposit amount, balance payment, and cancellation terms vary depending on the type of package:
| Package Type | Deposit | Balance | Cancellation Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Package, Single Standard, Small Ensemble, Large Ensemble | 30% of the package price upon booking confirmation | 70% on the day of recording | Free cancellation or rescheduling up to 7 days before the agreed date; cancellation within a shorter period forfeits the deposit |
| Album | 40% of the package price upon booking confirmation | 60% on the day of recording | Free cancellation or rescheduling up to 7 days before the first agreed date; cancellation within a shorter period forfeits the deposit |
| Online Mix, Online Mastering | 50% before work begins | 50% before the final file is delivered | Not applicable (no on-site booking involved) |
The balance is payable in cash or by bank transfer no later than the day of recording, or before delivery of the final output for online packages. The final output (a mixed and mastered song at final quality) is delivered to the Client only after the full agreed amount has been paid.
9. Artistic Nature of the Work and Responsibility for the Quality of Source Material
Recording, mixing and mastering are creative artistic activities in the sense of producing a work, not a craft-based service with a pre-guaranteed, precisely specified outcome. The Client chooses the Studio based on the sound engineer’s existing body of work, references, and artistic sensibility, and by making this choice, the Client accepts that the final sound is a reflection of the engineer’s creative judgement. The exact resulting sound (e.g. a specific tone, spatial quality, or character of the mix) therefore cannot be technically guaranteed in advance.
The quality of the final work is fundamentally influenced by the quality of the source material, particularly the musical performance of the performers (intonation, rhythmic precision, playing technique, condition of instruments). The sound engineer is able, through recording, editing, mixing and mastering, to correct, refine, mask, or reduce many shortcomings in the source material, but is not able to fully compensate for the quality of the musical performance itself. The Studio is not responsible for shortcomings in the final work resulting from the quality of the supplied source material or the performers’ performance.
To prevent misunderstandings, the Client is required to provide the Studio, in writing, before recording begins (or before mixing begins for online packages), with a specification of their expectations – in particular, reference recordings or artists whose sound they wish to approach, and any elements they wish to avoid. This agreed specification serves as the binding basis against which revisions under Section 5 of these Terms are assessed. A revision means an adjustment moving towards this agreed specification, not a request for a fundamentally different artistic concept.
Withdrawal from the contract by the Client after the agreed work (recording, mixing or mastering) has already been carried out does not entitle the Client to a refund of the deposit or any amount already paid, and the Client is obliged to pay for the work carried out to date. Dissatisfaction with an artistic result that matches the agreed written specification and standard genre conventions is not considered a defect in performance entitling the Client to withdraw from the contract or receive a refund.
10. Final Provisions
These Terms are valid and effective from the date of their publication. The Studio reserves the right to unilaterally amend these Terms; the current version is always available on the Studio’s website. Matters not covered by these Terms are governed by the relevant generally binding legal regulations of the Slovak Republic.