faq
Good questions.
about us
Paradise is the plan.
Paradise Recording is a boutique recording studio in Santa Monica — plants, pink neon, and a signal chain we're actually proud of. Studios in LA tend to come in two flavors: sterile and expensive, or someone's garage. We wanted the third thing — a place you actually want to hang out in, with gear that holds up against anything uptown, at a price that doesn't require a label advance.
One studio, booked whole — the Rainforest vocal room, the Rock live room, the control room and the lounge — with an in-house engineer on every recording session, posted pricing with no haggling, and zero judgement about what you're making. We believe the best sessions happen when you feel welcome.
Booking
- How far in advance can I book?
- Up to 90 days out. Same-day sessions are possible when the studio is open — just check the booking page.
- How do I reschedule?
- Click the reschedule link in your confirmation email any time up to 48 hours before your session. After 48 hours, email us and we'll do our best.
- What's your cancellation policy?
- Cancel at least 48 hours before your session for a full refund. Inside 48 hours the session is non-refundable, though we may credit it toward a future booking.
- Do you require a deposit?
- No separate deposit — your full session rate is charged at the time of booking. That locks the studio — nobody else can grab it while you're deciding. Every rate is posted on our rates page.
The session
- Is an engineer included?
- On a recording session, yes — always. Every one has an in-house engineer who knows the building and all the gear, at no extra charge. Rehearsals and bring-your-own-engineer bookings are priced without one.
- Can I bring my own engineer?
- Yes — pick “Rent the Room” when you book and the whole studio is yours at $40 an hour with the recording rig live and no staff engineer on the clock. Give us a heads up beforehand so we can walk them through the patchbay.
- What about my stems / files?
- We hand off session files on a thumb drive or via a WeTransfer link at the end of your session. Multitracks included.
- Can I eat/drink in the studio?
- Water and covered drinks, yes. Food in the lounge, yes. Sticky fingers on the gear, please no.
Logistics
- Where do I park?
- Street parking on 4th and Broadway. Metered until 6 pm; free overnight. There's a public lot one block east.
- Is the studio accessible?
- Suite 219 is one flight up and the building has no elevator. Please let us know in advance if you have any access needs and we'll do what we can to make it work.
- Do you allow smoking?
- Outdoors only, please — there's a bench out front. No smoking of any kind inside the studio.
- Hours?
- We're open 9 am to 2 am every day of the week.