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Welcome to the That Little Studio blog — practical recording, production and studio advice from a professional Los Angeles recording studio.

If you’re looking for reliable information about Los Angeles studio recording, preparing for a session, getting better vocal takes, improving your mixes or producing music on a budget, you’ll find straightforward guides here designed for independent artists, singers, songwriters and producers.

Our articles cover the real-world side of recording music in LA. In our Vocal Recording Session Guide, we explain how to prepare before arriving at the studio, what to bring and how to get the best possible vocal performance. If you’re researching studio recording in Los Angeles and trying to understand what you should expect to pay, our LA Studio Rates: Real Costs guide breaks down recording studio pricing and what can affect the final cost of a session.

We also share practical production and engineering advice, including Pro Tools session tricks that can speed up your workflow, plus guidance on how to prep your mix before sending tracks to a mixing engineer. For independent musicians working with smaller budgets, our Indie Production on a Budget articles explore ways to achieve professional results without unnecessary studio time or expense.

Lastly there's tips on recording vocals over existing music, producing and preparing backing tracks, organizing session files and using backing tracks for recording and live performance.

Whether you’re booking your first professional session or already have experience with studio recording in Los Angeles, our goal is to help you arrive better prepared, work more efficiently and leave with recordings you’re genuinely excited about.

Browse the latest articles below for recording tips, production advice, Pro Tools techniques and practical guidance from That Little Studio — your resource for better Los Angeles studio recording.

All Posts

Vocal Recording Session Guide in Los Angeles (4–6 Hour Plan)

Vocal days that deliver: a singer’s guide to nailing takes in 4-6 hours You do not need a marathon to get a single across the finish line. With a calm room, the right mic, and a focused plan, one vocal day can capture the performance you hear in your head and move it toward a streaming-ready release. At That Little Studio in Los Angeles, most vocal singles are tracked and comped in 4 to 6 hours, then mixed with your notes and mastered in-house. This guide walks you through wh

philsurteesmusic

Jun 296 min read

LA Studio Rates, Real Costs: What $100–$150 Per Hour Actually Buys You

Don't spend recording studio time watching the clock! Rates can feel like a shell game. You see $60 per hour on a directory, call to book, and learn it is room-only with no engineer, off-peak hours, and mixing is extra. As an owner-operator in Los Angeles, I want you to budget with eyes open. Let’s make the numbers plain so you can compare offers fairly and choose the workflow that gets you finished, not just started. At That Little Studio, my headline is simple: $100 per hou

philsurteesmusic

May 216 min read

Pro Tools sessions that move: Session setup tricks for faster takes, happier performances

A smooth session is not an accident. It is the sum of a dozen small choices that keep the band in flow and the engineer out of your way. In Pro Tools, smart prep turns stop-and-go days into momentum days where you leave with more takes, better comps, and a first mix you cannot stop replaying. Planning your session in the recording studio makes for a happier, more valuable and less stressful session. At That Little Studio in Los Angeles, we live in Pro Tools daily for live tra

philsurteesmusic

Apr 167 min read

From stems to stream-ready: How to prep your mix for fast revisions, mastering, and release

If you want fast, confident mixes and a smooth path to release, preparation is everything. Great prep saves you days of back and forth, gets first passes closer to the record you hear in your head, and keeps mastering drama to a minimum. At That Little Studio in Los Angeles, we work hands-on with artists to turn solid prep into quick turnarounds. Many projects get first mixes within a couple working days, followed by up to three revision rounds, alternate and clean versions a

philsurteesmusic

Mar 127 min read

Indie production on a budget: smart ways to get release-ready tracks without losing the vibe

You do not need a giant budget to make a record you are proud of. You need intention, a focused plan, and a room where performance and speed can live side by side. The trick is keeping the live feel that makes indie and alt tracks tick, while trimming the parts of the process that waste time and money. At That Little Studio in Los Angeles, we run hybrid workflows that prioritize the take, then fill the gaps with targeted overdubs and fast approvals. The result is a release-re

philsurteesmusic

Feb 236 min read

Live To Tape In Los Angeles: How To Nail A Tight, Musical Take And Leave With A Mix You Love

Our live recording room is cozy, comfortable and warm sounding. Perfect for intimate jazz sessions, but also very capable of recording bands - indie, rock, alternative... If you love the energy you get on stage, live to tape is your friend. It preserves the pocket, the push and pull, and the musical conversations that make a take feel alive. At That Little Studio in Los Angeles, we help jazz ensembles, rock bands, and singer songwriters capture that feel quickly, cleanly, and

philsurteesmusic

Jan 216 min read

Demo In A Day Vs Weekend EP: Which Recording Workflow Fits Your Project And Budget?

You have songs ready to go and a window to record. Do you capture everything in one focused sprint, or stretch across a full weekend and build it up? This guide breaks down That Little Studio’s most popular packages, what they include, who they fit, and exactly how a day flows so you can book with confidence and stay on budget. Before we dive in, a quick note on pricing clarity. Every price below includes the studio, the engineer, post-session mixing, up to three mix revision

philsurteesmusic

Jan 77 min read

How Much Is Studio Time In LA Right Now? Real Rates vs. “Teaser” Deals, What’s Included, And Where Your Money Actually Goes

You want to book a studio in Los Angeles and actually know what you will pay. Not the headline number that looks tidy in a listing, the real, all-in cost with an engineer, proper rooms, mixes that land on streaming, and a clear timeline. This guide breaks down current LA ranges, the difference between room-only and engineer-included pricing, why pro studios cost what they do, and how to build a realistic budget without surprises. I will also put That Little Studio’s full card

philsurteesmusic

Nov 6, 20256 min read