OUR POLICIES
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DEFINITIONS
For the purpose of interpreting our policies, the following definitions should be kept in mind.
CONSULTATIONS
We consider a consultation to be any interaction with an individual or group that pertains to business within the scope of the services we offer. This includes in-person meetings, phone calls, video calls and conferences, text messages, emails, or other electronic communications.
CHANGE ORDER
We consider a change order to be any amendment made to an existing work contract, agreed upon between Speed of Sound and a customer/client. A change order may or may not affect the completion date of a project and/or the cost to the client.
CONTRACT
We consider a contract to be any written or unwritten agreement regarding services being provided to a client and/or the compensation that is to be provided by the client to Speed of Sound, signed or not signed. It could also be considered a session that was booked over the phone.
WEEKDAY vs. WEEKEND vs. SAME-DAY
We consider weekdays to be between the hours of 6:00am Monday and 5:00pm Friday, and we consider weekends to be between the hours of 5:00pm Friday and 11:59pm Sunday. We consider a same-day session to be any session time reserved to begin less than 24 hours after the time deposit or initial payment for the session is submitted to Speed of Sound.
“SPEED OF SOUND”
The term “Speed of Sound” refers to the company SPEED OF SOUND LLC, Misha Olson, its owner(s), and its employee(s) (including interns).
“YOU”, “CLIENTS”, “THE CLIENT”, “CLIENTS”, “WE”
The words “you,” “client,” “clients,” and “the client” are used interchangeably and could refer to a specific person, group of persons, or any representative of a person or group of persons. The term “we” could mean Speed of Sound only, or it could refer to Speed of Sound and a client. The term “our” refers only to Speed of Sound.
PROJECT COMPLETION
A project is deemed completed when Speed of Sound provides notice to the client that that project has been completed. For audio production, completion occurs prior to masters, mixes, or any other project contents, materials, or components being transferred to the client.
1. GENERAL POLICIES
1.1 SERVICE POLICY
By enlisting or engaging Speed of Sound for any service, you acknowledge that you have read and understand, and agree be bound by, all of our our policies during and after the course of any services provided to you by us, and to pay any and all fees for any services we provide to you. Sessions booked over the phone, in person, or by email, messenger, text, or other electronic means are considered an engagement of service. By signing any contract with us, you agree to be bound by the terms of that contract in addition to all of our policies, except in places where that contract may deviate from our regular policies as listed on our website. In that case, the provisions of that contract which diverge from our regular policies shall precede. For more information on policies and fees, please read below.
1.2 PROVIDING SERVICES TO MINORS
Speed of Sound believes in and encourages the development of musical proficiency and creativity in children. In order for Speed of Sound to provide services to a minor, a parent or guardian must first sign a consent form allowing Speed of Sound to provide those services. That parent or guardian will also be required to sign a contract assuming financial responsibility for services provided to their child.
Speed of Sound assumes no responsibility or liability for a minor, legal or otherwise. This includes, but is not limited to, injuries that a minor may incur on or off Speed of Sound’s premises during or after the course of any services rendered to that minor.
NO SERVICES ARE PROVIDED FOR A MINOR WITHOUT SIGNED CONSENT FROM A PARENT OR GUARDIAN
1.3 CANCELLATION POLICY
Speed of Sound requires that clients provide written notice of cancellation by the following deadlines.
STUDIO: 48 hours for weekday sessions, 72 hours for weekend sessions.
REMOTE RECORDING: 30 days
LIVE RECORDING: 14 days
LESSONS: 24 hours
LIVE SOUND: 30 days
DJ and/or event entertainment services: 90 days.Minimum deposit is still required and nonrefundable. See the rest of our policies for more information regarding deposits required for services.
Post-deadline cancellation and/or no-show is subject to billing for the entire cost of the session.
No-show fees for sessions related to flat rate studio projects are outlined in 2.9.
If repeated cancellations become a concern, you will be contacted via the contact information you provided to Speed of Sound regarding attendance expectations. If cancellations continue after this contact is sent out, you will continue to be billed for cancellations and may be denied services in the future.
1.4 SAME-DAY SERVICE POLICY
Same-day scheduling for services is subject to availability. Please see our miscellaneous fee schedule in 2.9 for same-day service minimums and hourly rate.
1.5 CHANGE-ORDER POLICY
If, at any point during the course of services, either we or the client deems it necessary to implement changes, both parties may enter into a bilateral agreement to modify the original agreement.
Any proposed changes to the project can be agreed upon either verbally or in writing. A verbal agreement will be considered binding.
Changes may affect the overall cost of the project and the timeframe required for completion.
If applicable, incurred change-order fees will be communicated to the client. These fees will be reflected on the bill under the category of “Smooth Sailing Surcharges.”
1.6 DAMAGE TO PROPERTY
Any damage to property or equipment owned or rented by or otherwise in the possession of Speed of Sound, its owners, employees, or interns which is caused by a client, guest, or visitor (whether on Speed of Sound’s premises or not) must be immediately paid for (at a rate of new replacement cost + $50 acquisition fee) by the client. Payment for damaged property is subject to our payment policies. Refusal to pay for damaged property may result in the pursuit of civil action or criminal charges.
1.7 THEFT OF PROPERTY
Theft of property is a crime. If a client or guest steals property belonging to or otherwise in the possession of Speed of Sound, its owners, employees, or interns, the client responsible for that property’s safe return or new replacement. If the property returns damaged, the client will be required to pay for a new replacement for that property as outlined in 1.5. Payment for stolen property is due immediately and is subject to our payment policies. Refusal or failure to return or replace stolen property may result in the pursuit of civil action and/or criminal charges.
2. PAYMENT POLICY
2.1 PAYMENT REQUIRED
Unless otherwise agreed upon in writing, full payment for service is required immediately upon the completion of the service provided, on the day the service was provided.
2.2 FLAT-RATE SERVICE
A flat rate (cost) for a project or event may be agreed upon. This may mean either a singular fee for the entire service, or a per-component fee. A flat rate must be stated in a signed contract, otherwise our standard rate may be billed for the entirety of that service. In the event of a flat rate, a certain amount of the total cost may be due as a nonrefundable deposit prior to any time being reserved on our calendar, and/or prior to any work being done.
2.3 DEPOSITS
Unless otherwise specified in a signed contract, the minimum deposit for services is 50%. Deposits must be paid prior to any time being reserved on our calendar.
2.4 CARD-ON-FILE REQUIREMENTS
Speed of Sound reserves the right to require card-on-file at any time for any service(s).
2.5 PAYMENT FOR CONSULTATIONS AND ESTIMATES
Your first consultation appointment is always free (limited to 30 minutes maximum), regardless of whether you hire Speed of Sound to perform services for yourself or your company/organization. All subsequent consultations will be billed to you at our standard rate. Consultations which take place outside of our office will be subject to travel fees as outlined in 2.9.
2.6 PAYMENT FOR CUSTOM SHOP SERVICES
Unless otherwise stated in a signed contract, payment for custom shop services is required in full prior to any physical materials related to those services being released to you. Should you request a custom design from Speed of Sound but later decline to have us build you the product, a design fee will be billed to you for time spent on the design and any of its revisions (as outlined in 2.9). If this design or product is part of a live event project, it may appear on your total bill as “custom shop.”
2.7 PAYMENT FOR AUDIO PRODUCTION SERVICES
Audio production services are subject to our regular payment policies as outlined under section 2.
Payment is due in full before any component of a project will be transferred to you. If a fixed price for a project has been agreed upon (see 2.3), full payment for the entire project is required before any materials from that project will be released to you.
Speed of Sound does not charge for revisions as long as those revisions are covered under terms of a signed contract. Otherwise, revisions are charged to you as outlined in 2.9.
Hourly sessions require deposit to reserve time (2.4) and must be paid in full before any from that session will be released to you.
2.8 STANDARD RATES
AUDIO PRODUCTION: $50/hr, 2hr minimum billing
AUDIO FORENSICS: $70/hr, $250 minimum billing
LIVE SOUND REINFORCEMENT: $600/day + travel fee (see 2.9)
REMOTE RECORDING: $500/day + travel and lodging (see 2.9, remote recording policies)
LIVE MIXING (FOH): $350/day + travel, lodging, and per diem (see live mixing)
LIVE MIXING (MONITORS): $350/day + travel, lodging, and per diem.
2.9 RATES AND MISCELLANEOUS FEES
AUDIO PRODUCTION
Standard Rates
Hourly rate: $50 per hour
Minimum session billing: $100
In-House Mastering: $40 per song
Remote Recording: $500/day + travel and lodging
Studio Day Rate: $600 per day
Same-day sessions:
Hourly rate: $100 per hour
Minimum billing: $200
Holiday sessions
$150 per hour
$450 minimum billing
Cancellation or no-show fee for studio sessions:
BEFORE cancellation deadline: 50% of total service cost
AFTER cancellation deadline: 100% of total service cost
Cancellation or no-show fee for studio session booked on flat rate projects:
BEFORE cancellation deadline: no fee
AFTER cancellation deadline: 50% of total session hours x standard rate.
LIVE RECORDING
Non-Traditional Recording Setup: $100
FULL SET RECORDING AND MIXDOWN
30min or under set: $600
30-60min set: $1000
60min+ set: $1200
Stems Only: $100 (if bundled with sound or mixing package; $150 if standalone)
AUDIO FORENSICS
Standard requests
Hourly rate: $70 per hour
Minimum billing per request: $250
Transcript billing: $30 per minute of audio
Transcript minimum billing: $50
Same-day & rush requests:
Hourly rate: $140 per hour
Minimum billing: $400
Transcripts: $60 per minute of audio
Transcript minimum billing: $100
Court Appearances:
$250 per day (if paid 14+ days in advance)
$350 per day (if paid 7-13 days in advance)
$500 per day (if paid less than 7 days in advance)
$750 per day (if not paid in advance)
LIVE SOUND
Standard Rates (add travel, lodging, and per diem for all)
Minimum billing for reinforcement: $600/day
FOH Mixing: $350/day
MONITOR Mixing: $350/day
Both: $400/day
A1 Rate: $450/day
A2 Rate: $300/day
Add-On Service Minimums
Lighting: $200 per day
DJ / Emcee: $350 per day
Outside Vendor Fees:
Service charge: $25 per item
LESSONS
30min: $40
60min: $60
CUSTOM SHOP
Labor: $40/hr
Design fee: $200 per unfulfilled design
MISCELLANEOUS FEES
AUDIO PRODUCTION
Flash drive with digital copies of your songs: $40 each
Flash drive with session data / stems of your songs: $40 each
Burned “Master” CD of your recording(s): $20 each
Post-session preparation of stems and/or incomplete session mixdown for hourly sessions: $20 per song
Estimates: $50 per unfulfilled estimate + $25 per revision
Debit/Credit card convenience fee: 5% of invoice amount unless card-on-file
Facebook Pay convenience fee: 5% of the invoice amount.
Travel fee: $3 per mile round-trip (based on our address as starting point)
NSF fee $30
2.10 MAKING PAYMENT FOR SERVICES
All payments must be in the form of US dollars. Speed of Sound accepts payment in the form of check, cash, debit/credit cards, Square, Venmo, Cashapp, Facebook Pay, and Apple Pay only. Transactions made by card or Facebook Pay are subject to an additional convenience fee as outlined in 2.9. Checks should be made out to Speed of Sound and must be fully processed by our financial institution before payment will be considered completed.
NOTICE REGARDING PAYPAL
At this time, Speed of Sound is not accepting payments via PayPal. The reason for this is because PayPal has made it more difficult for small merchants like ourselves to receive funds. We are hoping that this will be temporary, and will re-amend these policies if we are able to accept PayPal again.
2.11 FAILURE TO MAKE PAYMENT FOR SERVICES
If you cannot make payment, you must contact Speed of Sound to discuss a payment plan with us within 7 days of receiving your bill. Otherwise you will be subject to the following:
1) After 7 days of no payment, a $50 non-payment fee will be applied to your bill.
2) After 30 days of no payment, an additional $100 non-payment fee will be applied to your bill.
3) For every 30 days of non-payment, an additional $100 non-payment fee will be applied to your bill.
Failure to make payment may result in a civil case (lawsuit) being against you by Speed of Sound.
In the state of Iowa, theft of services is a crime. As explained in Iowa Chapter 714, theft of services occurs when an individual:
“Obtains the labor or services of another...by deception. Where compensation for goods and services is ordinarily paid immediately upon the obtaining of such goods or the rendering of such services, the refusal to pay or leaving the premises without payment or offer to pay or without having obtained from the owner or operator the right to pay subsequent to leaving the premises gives rise to an inference that the goods or services were obtained by deception.”
Failure to make payment for services may result in criminal charges being pressed against you.
Refusal to pay (or any attempt to circumvent our payment policies) will be considered failure to make payment.
Additionally, in the event of an audio production project, failure to make payment for a period of 90 days may result in forfeiture of all legal rights to any and all generated materials and components of that project, including (but not limited to) intellectual property and sale / distribution rights, to Speed of Sound.
Exception to this policy may be made in the event of an NSF (bounced) check (2.12)
2.12 NON-SUFFICIENT FUNDS (NSF) POLICY
Returned checks (also referred to as NSF or “bounced”) will be subject to a returned check fee as outlined in 2.9. This fee will be added to your bill and a new bill will be sent to you. A returned check will also be considered as failure to make payment and will render your bill as immediately subject to our policies regarding failure to make payment as outlined in 2.11.
Every state has varying procedures in the event of an NSF check. However, in the state of Iowa (as of August 2018), writing a bad check is a criminal offense. If your check bounces and you do not pay us in full within 10 days of receiving notice of your check being NSF, Speed of Sound may press criminal charges against you. After 30 days of non-payment following a bounced check, Speed of Sound may pursue civil action against you.
2.13 PAYMENT HISTORY CONSIDERATIONS
Your payment history with Speed of Sound is taken into consideration when it comes to booking future sessions and/or projects with us. If we have experienced problems with you making payment for our services or you have a history of problems making payments for the services of other studios / engineers, we may require 100% advance payment for all services.
2.14 CASH PAY
Cash pay is considered a privilege and is offered only at our discretion.
2.15 ROYALTIES FOR AUDIO PRODUCTION
Speed of Sound reserves the right to collect on any royalties we are entitled to at any time. It is the client’s responsibility to understand what royalties may be owed.
2.16 SMOOTH SAILING SURCHARGE
Smooth Sailing Surcharges may appear on your final bill for more complicated jobs. These are charged at Speed of Sound’s discretion. You agree to pay these fees if they appear.
2.17 NO REFUNDS FOR SERVICES
There are no refunds for any of our services, listed or otherwise. All transactions are considered final.
3. AUDIO PRODUCTION POLICIES
Any project which enlists our audio production services will be subject to our audio production policies and fees, as well as the rest of our general policies. Unless otherwise specified (in an contract), audio production fees will be billed at our standard hourly rate. This includes (but is not limited to) time spent doing any of the following in relation to an audio production project: setting up for recording, recording, editing, mixing, mastering, any other post-production work, revisions, and listening.
For more information on Audio Production rates, see 2.8
3.1 PROJECT TYPES DEFINED: “STUDIO”, “LIVE”, and “REMOTE”
Any audio production project may fall under one of two categories.
STUDIO projects are considered to be more in-depth and generally involve tracking individual components (or instruments) of a project one-at-a-time in a studio environment. This generally allows a cleaner recording experience that allows more flexibility during post production. Multiple takes are generally used for each element to ensure an adequate number of performance options to choose from during post production to ensure that only the most favorable performance makes it into the final product. You may choose to track multiple elements simultaneously during a studio project if you wish.
LIVE projects are considered to be less in-depth. The method of “initial” recording in a live project is limited to tracking every element simultaneously, for the entirety of the recording session. Live recording sessions are limited to ONE day, and unless specified in a signed contract, and are also limited to ONE take per song. Live projects do include mixing and mastering work, but do not include post production work. You may choose to re-track any elements of your project during post-production. Re-tracking and additional post-production work will be subject to additional fees.
REMOTE projects are considered as any non-music recording work that occurs outside of the studio. Remote recording projects are typically billed on a day rate basis but can be billed hourly, or bundled with studio post production work (editorial and mixing) and billed on a project basis.
3.2 DEFINITIONS:
“Recording” is defined here in verb form as using microphones and/or other audio equipment to capture a live sound, or using any midi controller to write midi data, and in noun form to mean a captured audio or midi element that can then be played back.
“Editing” is defined here as any manipulation of a source sound. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to: pitch correction and/or pitch shifting, time alignment, phase alignment, trimming, comping, and “chopping” up parts of a recorded sound or arrangement and “sliding” or “moving” those parts around to fit a certain pattern, or moving midi notes around.
“Mixing” is defined here as the process of combining individual tracks or elements of a recording to create a cohesive and balanced stereo mix. It involves adjusting the volume levels, panning, equalization, and adding effects (such as reverb or delay) to each track to achieve a well-blended and sonically pleasing result.
”Mixdown” is defined here as exporting a session from a DAW in the state it is currently in when the mixdown is requested. Mixdowns are considered to be an “as-is” export, sometimes referred to as a “snapshot.”
“Mastering” is defined here as the final stage of the production process to prepare and finalize the overall mix for distribution. Mastering involves tasks such as equalization, compression, saturation, limiting, and other final touches to achieve optimal volume output and balance across the frequency spectrum.
Speed of Sound does not master to vinyl, or for vinyl. If you want your mix mastered to or for vinyl, we will provide you a non-mastered mixdown of each of your songs to take to an outside mastering engineer.
Speed of Sound is not a mastering studio. While we provide basic mastering services in-house, we strongly suggest that you take advantage of our partnership with Mystery Room Mastering, billed at $80 per song, to have your material mastered at what we feel is a more industry-standard quality for distribution.
“Post production” is defined here as the stage of the production process in which any editorial work is done. Additionally, post production may involve the introduction of elements not originally captured during the initial recording stage of the project. These elements may include audio clips/samples or additional instruments via midi or recording. See below for a more in-depth explanation of post production vs mixing.
“Snapshot,” “Mixdown,” and “Export” can be used interchangeably here to describe the rendering of content in an “as is” state that is typically incomplete.
3.3 USE OF NON-ORIGINAL AUDIO
You may request for Speed of Sound to introduce audio clips and audio samples into your project.
This includes (but is not limited to) television, movie, radio, and any other audio clips you wish to have included in your project.
You accept full legal liability and responsibility for any copyright, trademark, or intellectual property conflicts that may arise (for either you or us) that may result from the usage of non-original audio.
Speed of Sound may insert non-original audio at our own discretion.
3.4 CONTENT USAGE POLICY
Any content created for your project entirely by Speed of Sound (the “Content”) is the property of Speed of Sound. Such content may include (without limitation to) the following: any content that was revised, rewritten, rearranged, rerecorded, or recreated by us, and/or additional elements introduced to your project by us during the production process.
You are granted a non-exclusive, revocable license to use the content for free under the following terms and conditions:
This content remains our exclusive property. This policy does not transfer any ownership rights to you.
If you wish to exclusively own the rights to this content and prevent us from licensing it to others, you may purchase the full rights to that content from us at a rate of $1000 per song.
We reserve the right to terminate the license at any time if you fail to comply with the terms of our content usage policy.
You will not modify, sublicense, or transfer the rights under this license without Speed of Sound’s prior written consent.
You will comply with all applicable laws and regulations in the usage of this content.
This policy is governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of Iowa.
3.5 SNAPSHOTS / MIXDOWNS / EXPORTS FOR HOURLY SESSIONS
If a full mix of your song cannot be completed during your booked hourly session, you may request a snapshot (rough mixdown or “as-is” export) of your project to take with you. This must be requested during the booked time so that it can be completed before the end of your session. If you request this after your booked session, there will be a fee for this service as outlined in 2.9. You must also specifically request a snapshot (or rough mixdown or as-is export). We reserve the right to apply an audio watermark to any snapshot mixes to ensure they are not used for distribution, as this would compromise our reputation for quality.
A request for your song to be sent to you after your session without watermark will be considered a request for full post production, mixing, and mastering, after which you will be billed for the time it took to do this.
3.6 AFTER YOUR PROJECT IS FINISHED:
Speed of Sound is proud to continue providing certain services to clients after a project is finished at no extra cost to the client. These services include:
STEMS
You may request processed stems from a project at any point after a project is completed and they will be provided to you for a fee as outlined in 2.9.
Should you want raw, untouched, and/or unedited stems, we do ask that these be requested before a project begins, as edits may be permanently rendered “printed” to the source audio and raw / untouched audio may be difficult to recover.
Post-completion requests for raw, unprocessed stems and/or takes will be subject to our standard hourly rate for the length of time it takes to recover this audio.
ADDITIONAL FORMATS
Mixdowns and masters are typically provided as WAV 48kHz 24bit or MP3 48kHz 320kbps by default.
You may request any additional format at any point for no extra cost.
Where we can, we will attempt to create the additional formats via a full export of the original project to ensure quality.
If for any reason this cannot be achieved, these new formats will be provided via a conversion of the current highest quality mixdown or master we have available for your project.
File conversion may compress, artifact, or otherwise cause some loss in quality to occur in the new format.
3.7 DATA SECURITY AND PROJECT STORAGE
Speed of Sound makes reasonable effort within our means to ensure secure and safe storage of project data.
We cannot 100% guarantee data safety or security.
Should your data become lost or corrupted due to human error or equipment failure during an active project, Speed of Sound will guarantee the completion of the already-completed scope of your project for no additional charge (even if re-tracking is required).
Should your data become stolen or breached by a third party, Speed of Sound assumes no legal, financial, or other responsibility for what happens with that breached or stolen data.
Should your data be lost or corrupted due to equipment failure or disaster after a project is completed, we assume no responsibility for the replacement or recovery of that data.
3.8 LYRICAL APPROVAL CAVEAT
Speed of Sound reserves the right to reject any project, in part or in full, at any stage of development or work, based on realized lyrical content, to ensure alignment with our core values. Material recorded at Speed of Sound must not promote concepts that are not acceptable in today’s culture or are otherwise incongruent with the values we promote. Such concepts include (but are not necessarily limited to) genocide, racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, sexual exploitation, religious and/or political totalitarianism, and slavery.
Pre-Deposit: If you are not sure if your lyrics would be approved, lyrics should be submitted to us by the client for approval before a project begins.
Post-Deposit: If you do not submit your lyrics for approval prior to paying deposit on your project, you acknowledge that we may still reject those lyrics later on. Any lyrics rejected post-posit must be changed by the client before any additional work will be done on the vocal portion of that project. Please remember that your project deposit is nonrefundable. Alternatively, Speed of Sound can release the instrumental or instrumental stems to the Client. Content containing lyrics will be kept by Speed of Sound and may be used in other projects (such content would be obscured to the point of being illegible) but not published.
3.9 LIVE RECORDING
Speed of Sound’s live recording services are designed with live gigs in mind. However, you aren’t necessarily limited to just recording your gig.
We would consider a live (full group) recording not done at a gig to be “non-traditional.” You can do your live recording in any location of your choosing. In this case, a NTRS (non-traditional recording setup) fee + travel fee will apply (see 2.9). This is to account for the additional time and equipment required to set up for the recording. NTRS fees may be waived in favor of a barter scenario, but such barter must be approved by Speed of Sound.
Depending on the accessibility of the location (physical as well as financial [rental/reservation fees, parking, etc. etc.]), there may be an access fee applied to your bill. You are financially responsible for all associated costs for our access to the location.
Studio post-production options are available for live recordings and are billed at our standard hourly rate.
3.10 DAY RATE SESSIONS
You may choose to pay a flat fee per day for use of Speed of Sound’s studio, as opposed to hourly. Day rates are subject to availability and must be paid in full before the day begins. Day sessions run 9am to 10pm. You must allow a minimum of one hour for break. The day rate for use of the studio can be found under 2.9.
3.11 TIME CAPS
Time caps are implemented on flat-rate projects to ensure fair pay for Speed of Sound’s engineers. If the initial scope of the project is satisfied within the time cap, then any time spent beyond the time cap must be requested by the client and will be billed at our standard hourly rate. The client is responsible to pay for this time.
3.12 OUTSOURCING POLICY
We reserve the right to outsource specific tasks or components of your project to third-party service providers, subcontractors, or affiliates.
The client is obligated to pay for any outsourced services as part of the overall project cost. Outsourced services are subject to our payment policies.
We will take necessary measures to ensure the confidentiality and security of your information when outsourcing tasks. Third-party providers will be required to adhere to confidentiality agreements where applicable.
We will maintain responsibility for the overall quality and delivery of the project. The client can expect that outsourced tasks will meet the same standards as in-house services.
3.13 RENTAL OF OUTSIDE EQUIPMENT
We reserve the right to rent tools and equipment required for your project that we do not have in-house.
The client is obligated to pay for any rented equipment as part of the overall project cost. Rented equipment is subject to our payment policies.
By entering into a contractual agreement with Speed of Sound, the client implicitly consents to the potential renting of tools and equipment for the project.
We will maintain responsibility for the overall quality of the rented equipment. The client can expect that the rented equipment will meet the same standards as in-house equipment.
3.14 STUDIO EXPECTATIONS AND RULES
We have certain rules and expectations for anybody entering the studio. To encourage clarity, we prefer to be transparent regarding these expectations. Our studio rules are as follows:
No alcohol, no illegal drugs, no weapons allowed on premises. If these enter the studio with you, you will be required to immediately forfeit the full cost for your session or project to Speed of Sound and will be asked to leave the premises.
No smoking or vaping inside. You will have to go outside for this. Doing so inside will end your session and you will have to immediately forfeit the full cost for your session to Speed of Sound.
Equipment is for engineer use only. Unless directed by the engineer, do not touch the equipment.
If you break or damage it, you buy it. You will be held 100% liable for damage to anything on the premises, you will be charged the new replacement cost (including shipping, tax, and/or applicable labor) for such item(s), plus an additional $50 acquisition fee.
Full payment for your session is required before you can leave the premises. Unless previously discussed with the owner, leaving the premises without making full payment for a session will be considered theft of service.
Sessions start and end at the scheduled time. Missed time due to being late or leaving early, or for any breaks taken by the client, will not be refunded. If you wish to extend your time, you may pay per-hour for that extension, and payment must be received before the end of your session time.
Maximum 2 guests. Unless previously discussed, you are only permitted to bring two guests to your session. Speed of Sound reserves the right to deny guests entry to the premises, or to ask guests to leave.
Guests must arrive when you do. Late entry for guests will not be permitted.
Sessions are first-paid, first-reserved. If you want to schedule a session time, you must pay a 50% deposit for that time.
You are responsible for your guests. You will be held liable for any rules your guest(s) violate or any damage to or theft of any property belong to Speed of Sound or its employees as outlined in 1.5. Guests are expected to not interfere with the recording and production process.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated. If your song is a cover, you must specify that before recording. Otherwise, we will default to treating your work as plagiarized. Plagiarism will result in you immediately forfeiting the full cost of the project to Speed of Sound, with no project data being released to you.
Illegal activity will not be tolerated. If you or your guest engage in any illegal activity during the course of services (whether in the time before, during, or after a session), you will be required to immediately forfeit the full cost of your session or project to Speed of Sound, will be asked to leave the premises, and will not be permitted to return.
Session media will only be released on full payment. No media from your session will be released to you until your session or project has been paid for in full.
We are not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items. Your personal items are your responsibility, not ours. Personal items left on premises longer than 90 days will become property of Speed of Sound.
Take your trash with you when you leave.
No unnecessarily loud music in the parking area. The studio is located in a residential neighborhood. Please be respectful of our neighbors.
Policy contract. By entering the studio, you acknowledge that you have read and understand all of our policies and agree to be bound by them during and after the course of any services provided to you.
3.15 STUDIO SAFETY & DISASTER POLICY
Speed of Sound takes safety seriously, especially in event of a disaster. If a fire is detected, or a smoke alarm goes off, immediate evacuation of all clients and guests is required. In the event of high wind, derecho, or tornado, immediate shelter in the safest part of the building is required. Re-entry to the studio and extension of session time due to safety-related issues is at the discretion of the engineer. If a client or guest fails to comply with safety expectations & disaster protocols, the session will be immediately terminated and the full cost of the reserved session time forfeit to Speed of Sound.
3.16 NOTICE REGARDING THC
In the state of Iowa, recreational marijuana is still illegal. As a general rule, marijuana and other THC-containing products are not permitted in the studio at this time.
4. AUDIO FORENSICS & EVIDENCE SERVICES
4.1 ABOUT OUR AUDIO FORENSICS & EVIDENCE SERVICES
Speed of Sound provides audio forensics & evidence services for attorneys, law enforcement, buinesses, and individuals. Audio forensics can be a difficult process, and results are not guaranteed. While we can provide transcripts for voice recordings upon request, these are based on our interpretation of the recording, to the best of our understanding.
4.2 RATES & PAYMENT FOR AUDIO FORENSICS & EVIDENCE SERVICES
All audio forensics & evidence services rates and fees can be found under 2.8
4.3 PROCESSING TIMES & RUSH FEE
Standard processing time for audio forensics is 7-10 business days per request. Rush processing is available and is typically completed in 1-3 business days. Rush processing costs double our regular rate (see 4.2).
If you request a rush on a forensic project, you must pay the rush rate, regardless of any change in your situation that would affect or negate your need to have the processing rushed.
4.4 COURT APPEARANCES
You can request that we appear in court to testify in relation to your case. Our testimony includes expert witness to our work. Any court appearance on our part in relation to our case will require payment. If not paid in advance, this cost will be billed to you afterward. Please review our fee schedule for associated costs. A court appearance requested less than 48 hours in advance may require a subpoena.
4.5 AUDIO FORENSICS & EVIDENCE SERVICES FEE SCHEDULE
Rates for Audio Production services can be found under 2.8
4.6 DISCRETION & CONFIDENTIALITY
We understand that cases requiring audio forensics & evidence services are generally sensitive in nature. As such, we guarantee 100% discretion and confidentiality on our part, except where required for legal purposes. Speed of Sound will not disclose any information regarding you, your recording, or the contents of your recording to any outside party except where expressly requested by you, or by your legal counsel on your behalf, (in a deposition or court hearing, for example) or as otherwise required by law.
4.7 DATA SECURITY & STORAGE
We store all data on our own private server for an indefinite period of time. Should you require access to data you previously submitted to us, please send us a request. By storing your data with us, you indemnify Speed of Sound against any liability, legal or otherwise, which may arise in the event of catastrophic data loss or security breach.
5. LESSONS POLICIES
5.1 INDIVIDUALIZED APPROACH
Our individualized approach to education involves gathering a baseline for a student’s current skill level and customizing lesson plans to meet that level in a direction the student wants to go in. For purposes of our lessons, we determine baseline skill level at our discretion and reserve the right to decline to teach material that is beyond what a student is currently capable of playing.
5.2 ATTENDANCE EXPECTATIONS
Students are expected to attend lessons. Our cancellation policy for lessons can be found under 1.3. Repeated cancellations or no-shows may result in being dropped from our schedule.
6. CUSTOM SHOP POLICIES
6.1 RATES AND PAYMENT FOR CUSTOM SHOP SERVICES
All labor is billed hourly. This rate can be found under 2.8.
6.2 RETURN POLICY FOR CUSTOM SHOP PRODUCTS
All custom shop sales and services are final. Speed of Sound has a no-return and no-refund policy for custom products made in our shop. If a custom product is made by a third party, you can contact that third party to inquire about their return policies, but we will not accept returns to Speed of Sound for custom-made products.
7. LIVE SOUND REINFORCEMENT SERVICES
7.1 GENERAL POLICY AND INFORMATION
Speed of Sound provides live sound reinforcement services on a reservation-only basis. Our rate is variable depending on event but our minimum is $600 per day plus expenses (travel is a minimum expense) and includes an engineer. Speed of Sound’s live sound reinforcement services are SOUND ONLY. Speed of Sound, by default, does not provide lighting services or DJ services as part of our sound packages. Any agreed upon rate for sound, in writing or otherwise, will be for sound reinforcement only. A signed contract may be required for any lighting or DJ provisions and will cost extra. Reservation can be considered as any written agreement of a date. Reservation requires deposit. Add-ons such as lighting, DJ, emcee, and other services are available. See 2.3 for more information on rates for items related to Live Sound.
7.2 EQUIPMENT PROVISION
Access to Speed of Sound’s equipment for live sound or DJ or other event purposes is exclusively limited to Speed of Sound and is subject to Speed of Sound’s rates and polices.
7.3 OUTSIDE VENDOR FEES
In the event that Speed of Sound is required to provide any piece of equipment, software, personnel, etc. for an event that would be outside the scope of what was initially agreed upon, you may be charged an outside vendor fee as outlined under 2.8
8. OTHER
8.1 COMMUNICATIONS POLICY
At Speed of Sound, we prioritize the confidentiality, security, and integrity of all communications, including electronic correspondence. Building upon our commitment to transparency and quality service, we have incorporated the following provisions into our communication policy:
In addition to verbal communications, we reserve the right to record and store electronic communications, including but not limited to emails, phone calls, text messages, and other digital exchanges. These recordings are maintained securely to the best of our ability and are subject to the same policies regarding discretion and confidentiality as other recorded communications.
Unless explicitly authorized by a client, personal information disclosed via emails or other electronic communications will not be released or made available to non-company entities or individuals except as required for legal purposes. By engaging with Speed of Sound, clients acknowledge and consent to the recording and storage of electronic communications for the purposes outlined in this policy.
Recorded electronic communications may be used at the discretion of Speed of Sound for the same purposes as other recorded communications, including quality assurance, training, dispute resolution, compliance with legal obligations, and enhancing security measures within our premises.
Speed of Sound is committed to maintaining the confidentiality and privacy of recorded electronic communications. Access to these recordings will be strictly limited to authorized personnel and will not be disclosed to third parties except as required by law or with explicit consent.
Clients have the right to request access to their recorded electronic communications and to request the deletion or correction of any inaccuracies. Such requests should be submitted in writing to and will be addressed in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
8.3 SURVEILLANCE
Speed of Sound reserves the right to audio and video surveillance on premises.
Clients should assume they are under audio and video surveillance while on the premises.
8.4 POLICY & RATE CHANGES
Speed of Sound reserves the right to make any changes to our policies, globally or individually, for any reason.
Your active projects will remain immune to rate and fee changes until the end of those projects.
Any new project will be held to our newest rate, even if you have active projects happening under an old rate.
8.5 ANTI-PIRACY POLICY
Speed of Sound takes an anti-piracy stance in all of our dealings with the public.
We do not support or condone acts of piracy, copyright infringement, trademark infringement, impersonation, misrepresentation, misappropriation, or fraud by our clients.
You are responsible for ensuring all materials submitted to us by you are properly licensed.
8.6 RIGHT TO SEVER / RIGHT TO REFUSE
Speed of Sound reserves the right to refuse service and business to anyone, at any point in time, for any reason.
Speed of Sound reserves the right to sever services to anyone, at any point in time, if we deem the reason to be justified either per our policies or by our standard of ethics.
8.7 USE OF IMAGE AND OTHER MATERIAL
By engaging in services with Speed of Sound you agree to the following:
For all of our services except for forensics, Speed of Sound may use your project, event, product, or other materials (in part or in full) as well as your image (picture or video) for marketing and promotional purposes.
Reviews published on Google, social media, or other websites may be used for promotional purposes.
Testimonials and reviews pertaining to forensics & evidence services will only be published with your consent, and your name will never be used (unless specifically requested; your initial may be used, however).
8.8 HEADINGS & TITLES
Headings, titles, and other “catch phrases” on this website are meant for illustrative purposes only and are not to be taken into consideration when interpreting these policies.
8.9 DISCRETIONARY RIGHT IN INTERPRETING POLICIES
Speed of Sound reserves discretionary rights in the interpretation of our policies.
8.10 POLICY AGREEMENT
By engaging Speed of Sound for any services, you agree to be bound by all of our policies during and after the course of any services provided to you.