Why warm-up eats studio clock
In Amsterdam you often reach us by tram or metro. If you only start exercising in the booth, you pay hourly rates while your voice still wakes up. Vocal time starts at €98 per hour; an extra fifteen minutes of warming up shows on your invoice.
At Mordancyedge we run 2 iso booths with guided takes. The more consistent take one sounds, the faster we comp and the fewer revision rounds you need — which matters when projects include 2 included revision rounds on eligible work.
Days before the booking
Avoid long gigs or shouting matches right before your slot. Finalise lyrics at home: nothing costs more takes than rewriting a verse between passes. Print or export lyrics, mark breaths and note where you want softer or louder delivery.
Loop your backing track at a moderate level. Know every intro, break and outro. Send the instrumental via email or bring a tested USB; we keep session archives for 24 months, but we would rather catch a wrong file format before Mon–Fri 10–19, Sat 11–17 on the day.
The night before
Sleep outweighs any exercise routine. A short night shows up in pitch, breath support and patience. Go easy on alcohol; it dries mucous membranes. Very spicy or fatty meals can trigger overnight reflux — awkward for a morning slot in Amsterdam Oost.
Pack lyrics, headphones if you prefer your own, water and non-menthol throat lozenges if you use them. Check directions and hours: Monday–Friday 10:00–19:00, Saturday 11:00–17:00. Closed on Sunday. Sessions outside these hours on request.. Wibautstraat 137 sits between metro Wibautstraat (M51, M53, M54) and Amsterdam Amstel. From metro Wibautstraat it is about a 4-minute walk. Tram 1 stops at Wibautstraat; bus 755 serves the Amstel station side. Street-level entrance with a step-free lobby. Arrive ten minutes early rather than rushing into the booth.
Food and drink on session day
Sip water through the day, not only minutes before singing. Eat lightly about two hours ahead: fruit, soup or a small wrap works well. A full stomach presses the diaphragm; an empty one fatigues you quickly.
Many vocalists skip dairy for two to three hours before recording because milk can thicken mucus. Moderate coffee is fine for most voices; four espressos right before take one makes vibrato unpredictable. Warm herbal tea without mint suits some singers better than ice-cold water.
A practical warm-up sequence
Start outside the booth: roll shoulders, loosen neck and jaw. Breathe in for four counts, out for six through a soft s or f. Move to lip trills and gentle sirens on ng within your comfort range.
Finish with exercises in the song’s tessitura, not the highest chorus first. For rap or spoken word, slow articulation drills then speed up. Ten to fifteen minutes is enough; singing for an hour pre-session can tire you before a long album block.
- 5 minutes: body and breath
- 5 minutes: lip trills and sirens
- 5 minutes: an easy line from the song
Inside the iso booth at Mordancyedge
Our vocal booths are treated for a controlled, dry capture — useful on a busy street like Wibautstraat. Tell us if you want one earcup off to hear yourself in the room; we adjust foldback so bleed into our pool of 28 microphones stays low.
Keep roughly a hand’s width between mouth and pop filter; lean back slightly on hard consonants. Ask for short breaks: silence and water beat twenty tired passes. Planning to hand tracks to a mixer later? Read our stems delivery guide early.
When postponing is smarter
Hoarseness, pain or voice loss after illness: call 020 244 9183 or write [email protected]. Free cancellation applies up to 7 days ahead; inside that window we reschedule together. Medical advice always comes before studio ambition.
On-site minimum age is 16 with parental consent where required. General questions live on FAQ; rates and blocks sit under services.
Checklist
| When | Action |
|---|---|
| Week ahead | Lock lyrics, learn the track, avoid vocal strain |
| Night before | Sleep, route, verify files |
| At studio | Warm-up done, booth etiquette, take breaks |
Ready to book? Use contact with your preferred date. Combining vocals with mix? See Mixing and our privacy policy for data around recordings.
