Ask for engineer recommendations from New York City recording artists and write a list of these engineers to contact. Attend live music shows in New York and ask for advice from artists making music similar to yours. Connect with NYC recording artists via social media websites for engineer referrals, too.
Call New York City recording studios. Ask for the names of the engineers on staff and on what recording projects they have recently worked. Listen to albums recorded by these engineers and add the names of your favorites to your list of engineers to contact.
Check alumni listings for New York City audio engineer schools. New graduates might be less expensive to hire and have more time to take on new recording projects like yours. Listen to recordings they have engineered and add names of those who impress you to your recording engineer contact list.
Browse websites of organizations like the Audio Engineer Society for listings of New York City recording engineers. Listen to some of the completed recording projects for these engineers. Do the recordings sound professional to you? Do the songs sound clear, without background noise? Does the mix of instruments and vocals sound balanced? Add the engineers whose work you like the best to your contact list.
Contact the recording engineers you have gathered on your list. Ask for their rates, the names of recent clients, their availability and their recording studio recommendations. Ask if they have their own recording studio space and ask for their discographies, which are lists of all the recording projects completed throughout their careers.
Compare the information you received from each recording engineer who interests you. Determine which engineer best suits your music, budget, schedule and your personality. Meet with a few of the top engineers on your list to have a face-to-face dialogue about your project and your preferences. The engineer with which you have the best rapport would likely be the one you enjoy working with the most.
Hire your New York City recording engineer. Agree on any terms that are important to you both, like price per song or per hour, before you get started recording music together. Discuss whether or not a written contract is preferred, if you are paying for the making of the album yourself.