Lowtone Recorders Detroit
Lowtone Recorders is two rooms in Eastern Market - we opened them in 2011 to "keep the tape rolling"
Tracking & Mastering
What We Do
We record Detroit's bands, rappers and choirs live in one room, the way they sound on a good night
Services
Tracking with an engineer Day lockouts Mixing Mastering Production & beats Rehearsal rooms
We record the whole band in one room, live & on tape
Book a session
4.9
x318 reviews
SINCE
2011
TWO-INCH TAPE
x24 tracks
Open to bands, rappers, choirs and podcasts.
Book a session
2 rooms • 2 rehearsal lockers • 312 records released
The Rooms
Two rooms, one building
An old cold-storage building in Eastern Market: thick brick, no windows on the live room, and a 22-foot ceiling that does half the work.
Room A
The live room
1,100 square feet of brick and wood, three isolation booths, a 1962 upright piano, and the whole band in each other's sight lines.
From $85/hr
Room B
Mix & master suite
A treated, quiet control room with analog outboard and a big pair of monitors, where every mix and master gets finished.
Mixing from $350/song
Downstairs
The Lockers
Two rehearsal rooms with backline and a PA, by the hour or locked out for the month before a tour.
$25/hr / $450/mo
Rates
Priced by the hour
Every session comes with a house engineer. A 25% deposit holds your date, and you can move it free with 72 hours' notice.
Book a session
01
Tracking
Room A with a house engineer, 3-hour minimum
$85/hr
02
Day lockout
10 hours in Room A with an engineer and the tape machine
$650
03
Mixing
Per song, two rounds of revisions included
from $350
04
Mastering
Per song, or $400 for an EP of up to six songs
$90
05
Production & beats
Produced from your demo up, per song
from $500
06
Rehearsal
The Lockers, backline and PA, or $450/mo locked out
$25/hr
07
Podcast & voiceover
Up to four mics, edited and delivered the same week
from $60/hr
The Gear
Real tape, real desk, real room.
A two-inch 24-track tape machine, a 48-channel analog console, tube preamps, ribbon mics and a plate reverb. Digital too, at 96 kHz, whenever you'd rather.
Two-inch 24-track tape
48-channel analog console
Tube mic preamps
Ribbon mics
Plate reverb
1962 upright piano
Vintage drum kits
96 kHz digital rig
Process
From first call to final master
Four steps and one engineer from load-in to the last master, with nothing on the bill you didn't book.
01
Pick a date
Book online, or call or text. A 25% deposit holds the room; the rest is due on session day.
02
Free prep call
Twenty minutes with your engineer about the songs, the players and the sound you're chasing.
03
Session day
Load in from the alley dock, set up, and track live in Room A. The coffee's on us.
04
Mix & master
Mixes back in seven business days, two rounds of revisions, masters ready for streaming and vinyl.
Since 2011
The room keeps count
Fifteen years of first EPs, gospel records, rap tapes and rock bands, most of them tracked live on the same floor.
15
years in Eastern Market
4,100
sessions tracked
312
records released
4.9
stars from 318 reviews
Artists
What the artists say
4.9
x318 reviews
From bands, rappers, choirs and podcasters who've booked the rooms.
“We tracked a whole EP live in two days. It sounds like us on a good night, which is all we wanted.”
Tasha, Corktown
Five-song EP, Room A
“The masters are loud without being tired. Three records here and I'm not going anywhere.”
Deshawn, Hamtramck
Mixing and mastering
“Rented a Locker for six months before our tour. Best $450 a month the band ever spent.”
Ruben, Mexicantown
Monthly rehearsal lockout
FAQ
Before you load in
Anything else? Call or text (313) 555-0163. An engineer picks up, not a call center.
Call or text
Do we need our own engineer?
No. Every session comes with a house engineer. You're welcome to bring your own; tracking then drops to $65/hr.
What should we bring?
Your instruments, fresh strings and heads, and a few reference tracks. Amps, a drum kit, the piano and every cable are already here.
How long does an EP take?
Most five-song EPs track in two days and mix in about a week. We map it out together on the free prep call.
What if we need to reschedule?
Move your date free with 72 hours' notice. Inside 72 hours, the deposit stays with the room.
Can we record overnight?
Yes, by arrangement. Overnight lockouts run 11pm to 7am; call or text and we'll set one up.
Do you record podcasts and voiceover?
Yes, from $60/hr in Room B, with up to four mics, edited and delivered the same week.
Book
Hold the room
Pick what you need, a day and a start time. We'll text you to confirm within the hour while we're open.
Call or text (313) 555-0163
hello@lowtonerecorders.com
2930 Riopelle St, Detroit, MI 48207
Request a session
Request my session