Even with the abundance of software and hardware available to create your own recordings at home, there comes a time when you're ready to take your music to the next level. Recording studios may seem intimidating to the musician who is taking the leap, but the reality is that there are high quality, low cost recording studios that can make the transition painless.

Once you've made the decision to book studio time, you need to find a studio that will give you the support you need to create great recordings. Word of mouth recommendations can be helpful, but they're not always reliable. It's worth your while to do the legwork and check out each facility to see what it has to offer. Here are some things to keep in mind while making your decision:

Acoustics: A music studio should have top of the line acoustics. This means that there should be an elevated soundstage and high ceilings, as well as several isolation rooms.

Engineering: A sound recording studio should provide highly skilled and trained professional engineers to help you achieve the optimum quality of your recordings. At the minimum, the engineer should be proficient in monitoring and metering, controlling signal paths, assigning tracks, and mixing.

Equipment: Equipment varies by recording studio. Some Southern CA recording studios, for example, offer at least two mixers, over a half dozen outboards, a wide variety of software, over a dozen different types of microphones, quality monitoring equipment, and a variety of amps. Although it may seem like a minor point, it's important that the sound recording studio use high quality cables. If they don't, it could have a detrimental effect on the recording.

Musicians and Instruments: Many state of the art recording studios have a variety of new and vintage keyboards, guitars, and percussion instruments available for use, as well as accessibility to professional musicians who can help you create the sounds you desire.

Cost: As a whole, musicians don't have a lot of disposable income, so it's important to find recording studios that have reasonable rates. Some Southern CA studios, for example, have low introductory rates of $40 an hour or less. In order to avoid unwanted surprises, be sure to ask about minimums, as well as extra equipment charges.

References: Every reputable sound recording studio should be able to provide you with a client list, as well as phone numbers for references. You should also ask to listen to samples of recordings from the studio. Try to find a sample that is comparable to what you are trying to achieve, and ask questions about what was involved in that recording process. It will give you a good idea of what to expect when you go in to record.