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Recording

Recording studio in Silver Spring, MD for bands and solo artists.

A private tracking room running 24 mic preamps, enough to record a full band playing together in one take. Minutes from the DC line, with free off-street parking and a private ground-level entrance.

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Full bands, tracked live

24 mic preamps: a PreSonus Quantum HD 8 feeding a Focusrite Scarlett OctoPre and a PreSonus DP88 over ADAT. Enough for a fully miked kit plus bass, two guitars, keys, and a scratch vocal, all at once.

What gets recorded here

  • Full-band live tracking with isolation for the loud sources
  • Multi-mic drum recording, close mics plus room
  • Lead and backing vocals, comping and tuning included in the session
  • Electric and bass guitar, direct or amped, with Axe-Fx III and Eleven Rack reamping
  • Acoustic guitar, keys, and additional instrumentation
  • Overdubs and punch-ins on projects started elsewhere

Vocal sessions

Bring an instrumental and leave with a comped, stacked, and tuned vocal. Editing and tuning happen in the session.

The vocal chain and headphone mixes are set up before you arrive.

What is available in the room

26 microphones, 24 mic preamps, amps, headphones, and instruments, all available in house. Bringing your own is fine, with 48 hours notice so the room is patched for it beforehand. Full equipment list.

First time in a studio

Say so in your first message and you will get an estimate of the hours your project needs, plus what to bring, before you book.

A fully miked drum kit in the treated tracking room at Empowered Recordings recording studio in Silver Spring, Maryland

Session facts

Location
Silver Spring, MD, private studio by appointment
Parking
Free, up to two vehicles
Load-in
Ground level, no stairs
Hours
11am to 9pm, Mon to Sat
Raw multitracks
Always yours, no charge
Also serving
Washington DC, Takoma Park, Bethesda, Wheaton, Rockville, Hyattsville, College Park, Arlington

Track record

Records made here.

The Obsessives recorded Manners here in 2014. Near Mint Records reissued it, the band was signed, and they toured nationally. Bleary Eyed tracked Cherry Blossoms here in 2015, released on an independent label. Opposite Tiger recorded Insulting Flora here in 2025. Those records belong to those bands.

The same room, the same mics, and the same attention go into a first single as into a fifth album. There is one engineer here and he is the one on your session, start to finish.

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Common questions

Questions about booking studio time.

Can a full band track live in the room?
Yes. A PreSonus Quantum HD 8 runs into a Focusrite Scarlett OctoPre and a PreSonus DP88 over ADAT, for 24 mic preamps. That is enough to mic a full kit and still have channels left for bass, guitars, keys, and scratch vocals, so bands play together and keep the takes that have the feel rather than assembling a performance one overdub at a time.
How many hours should we book for a single song?
For a rehearsed band tracking one song live with overdubs, plan on a half day. For a solo artist doing vocals over an existing instrumental, two to three hours is usually plenty. If you are not sure, describe the project and you will get an honest estimate rather than an inflated one.
Do we need to be fully rehearsed before we come in?
It helps and it saves you money, but it is not required. Some projects arrive finished and just need capturing. Others need arrangement work in the room. Say which one you are so the session gets planned correctly.
What do we walk away with?
Raw multitracks are yours at no extra charge, always. If the project is mixed here you also get final masters, and stems on request.
Do you provide session musicians or production help?
Yes. Production input, arrangement work, and instrumentation are available when a project needs it. Guitar, bass, and keys can be tracked in-house.
How long does it take to record a song?
A solo vocal over an instrumental is often two to three hours. A full band tracking one song live usually wants half a day. Mixing is typically a few hours per song on top.
Do I need to be ready before I book?
Arrangements settled and parts rehearsed will save you the most money, since studio time spent writing is studio time you are paying for. If you are still working things out, say so and the session can be planned around it.
What are the studio hours?
11am to 9pm, Monday through Saturday. The studio is closed Sundays. Sessions run by appointment, so the start time is whatever gets booked inside those hours.
Is there parking, and what is the space like?
There is free off-street parking for up to two vehicles and a private entrance at ground level with no stairs, leading straight into the studio. If you are arriving in more than two cars, say so ahead of time.

Book a session.

Tell us who is playing, what the songs are, and when you want to be finished.

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