More Demand in future for Mixing Engineers? or less?

[WhiteNite007]

What do you guys think? Will there be more or less demand for Mixing engineers in 5, 10, 20 years?

I really enjoy recording and mixing, but if this is something I want to do for the future, I want to make sure there is a future for it

 

[Chili]

I can only give an opinion.... I think there will be more demand for music, but that demand will be filled by the project studios where the engineer is also the primary musician.

 

[Lt. Bob]

I can only give an opinion.... I think there will be more demand for music, but that demand will be filled by the project studios where the engineer is also the primary musician.

sad to say I believe that it's a shrinking field. Too many people don't care or even think about sound quality anymore plus the music industry as a whole is crashing. CD's are getting ready to be a niche market like LP's and everyone is getting into viral internet stuff. There's just so much competition for the masses' entertainment dollar that music isn't what it was even 10 years ago and now it's accelerating so, though I'm no expert, I would doubt that studio engineer would be a career with much future ...... lot's of people that can do it compared to the few spots that may be available and the remaining viable studios.

 

[c7sus]

I think video or film is a much more viable gig in the long run compared to audio.

The demand for content seems to be growing, and the broadcasters and movie studios are huge multinationals with shitloads of money-- IF you can break into that league. Otherwise, I'd expect to starve just as much being an indie film guy as an indie audio guy.

Pretty much the exact opposite of where music is heading. Not that there isn't demand for new music, just that everybody seems to want music to be free and for now are willing to pay for video content. Maybe sometime during this current generation that business model changes, and video is expected for free too. My 15-year-old geek kid thinks the entire world should run on Linux and Ubunto and everything should be free. When I ask him how he's supposed to make a living if everything is free he just shrugs.



Another avenue might be lighting design. It's not Tuesday night at CBGB's anymore. Stage productions are bigger than ever. Maybe not the greenest gig, but maybe you're the guy that developes portable solar and wind generators that can run a lighting system on the road.

Good luck.

 

[Seafroggys]

As I've been saying, with the way everything is going with music becoming free (and expected to be free) the entire "industry" (or scene or what have you) will implode. It cannot sustain itself.

While it will be going that route for a few more years, I think sometime people will realize that you're going to have to pay for quality....since quality takes so much time, effort, and capital investment. It just hasn't hit that rock bottom point yet.

 

[rockstudio]

I agree that video is a great field to go into. I've done some video work before and made awesome money.

As far as mixing, I think there will be more possibility than many people think. Sure, project studios are springing up everywhere and a lot of bands are recording their own stuff. But most of those bands don't have a clue what to do once they finish tracking everything. There is definitely a good niche available for people that can take those raw tracks and make them presentable. It's all about knowing what the market needs, getting the word out about your talents, and keeping your clients happy.

Just like people tend to send their tracks away for mastering - many project studios will start sending their tracks away to get a better final mix.

 

[darrin_h2000]

sad to say I believe that it's a shrinking field. Too many people don't care or even think about sound quality anymore plus the music industry as a whole is crashing. CD's are getting ready to be a niche market like LP's and everyone is getting into viral internet stuff. There's just so much competition for the masses' entertainment dollar that music isn't what it was even 10 years ago and now it's accelerating so, though I'm no expert, I would doubt that studio engineer would be a career with much future ...... lot's of people that can do it compared to the few spots that may be available and the remaining viable studios.

The video is a nice way to go if you wanna make music for yourself...it might even help if you set your songs to porn...who knows who is up there in the music industry is sitting in his office masterbating...lol.

I know it seems alot like that anybody who is a musician can have access to a program and can hook up a mic to thier soundcard nowdays...but it is still a small percentage that can do this well...that still leaves plenty of musicians to record in our own studios...forget working for the big ones...Im related to Lee Hazlewood and all that has gotten me was a few internships in a studio and radio station.

 

[nate_dennis]

Maybe this isn't wholly on point but . . . .

The state of the recording industry is only a reflection of the state of American "culture." The masses want only what is "hot" and they want it yesterday. Everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING, is cotton candy/cookie cutter bullshit. There is no staying power with anyone in "popular" music or culture. Very few people even remember who was "in" or "hot" a month ago, much less a year ago. Listening the crap that gets airplay, watching the films that get the awards, looking at the magazines that used to be really on point is just depressing. This mentality has permeated every aspect of our culture's mentality. "We" (I say that as a country, not neccissarily each individual here) prefer to buy things cheaply four and five times than buy it once and have it last. We'd rather everything be instantanious and cheap and shitty than wait and get something that will be worth our time and money. It just really makes me sad that we have come to this.

With all of that being said.... There are still some people who really prize artistic excellence and work and effort. I believe there always will be. But the proportion of that group the whole is depressingly small. The few engineers who get in with the "big boys" and work on Britney Spears' next "album" will be paid well, but the rest of us will likely just work on our own stuff and hope there is someone to hear it.

 

[darrin_h2000]

It started going downhill in the early 80s with Mtv...looks became important and musicianship suffered...and for artists that won alot of grammys like Christopher Cross...thier carreers were over.

So A&R changed from who can be a viable investment for alot of years turned into who they can make a quick buck off of for a few months.

 

[Seafroggys]

Maybe this isn't wholly on point but . . . .

The state of the recording industry is only a reflection of the state of American "culture." The masses want only what is "hot" and they want it yesterday. Everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING, is cotton candy/cookie cutter bullshit. There is no staying power with anyone in "popular" music or culture. Very few people even remember who was "in" or "hot" a month ago, much less a year ago. Listening the crap that gets airplay, watching the films that get the awards, looking at the magazines that used to be really on point is just depressing. This mentality has permeated every aspect of our culture's mentality. "We" (I say that as a country, not neccissarily each individual here) prefer to buy things cheaply four and five times than buy it once and have it last. We'd rather everything be instantanious and cheap and shitty than wait and get something that will be worth our time and money. It just really makes me sad that we have come to this.

This is old news, though. People have been saying this since 1999.

There is always a backlash though. We just don't know how long it will take and what will be the result from it.

 

[dastrick]

No person on this earth knows for sure what the future will hold. If this is something that you love to do, then go for it. Just remember that it won't come for free (meaning you'll have to work & work hard for it). And don't expect to become a millionaire (at least not overnight). If you're good at what you do and market yourself well, then you'll be successful. And successful doesn't always mean that you have a 25,000 sqft mansion and drive a Lamborghini.