The way of recording studios and record labels

[jndietz]

With the dawn of new technologies throughout the 80s, 90s, and today, including digital audio workstations, cheaper equipment, access to knowledge, and the internet, where do you think the music industry is going today? Are recording studios going to begin losing business? Are labels soon to be a thing of the past?

In my opinion, I don't feel that recording studios will necessarily start losing business. Sometimes people want it professionally done, and thats exactly where to go. However, I do feel that record labels are going to be a thing of the past. I feel that with the advent of the internet, that bands can just market themselves just as easily. It may require much more work on behalf of the band, but it can work, in my opinion.

How do you all feel?

 

[pandamonk]

With the dawn of new technologies throughout the 80s, 90s, and today, including digital audio workstations, cheaper equipment, access to knowledge, and the internet, where do you think the music industry is going today? Are recording studios going to begin losing business? Are labels soon to be a thing of the past?

In my opinion, I don't feel that recording studios will necessarily start losing business. Sometimes people want it professionally done, and thats exactly where to go. However, I do feel that record labels are going to be a thing of the past. I feel that with the advent of the internet, that bands can just market themselves just as easily. It may require much more work on behalf of the band, but it can work, in my opinion.

How do you all feel?

Marketting usually takes a lot of money, so labels will always have a place in the music biz.

I think most bands will record a demo themselves, but for the professional touch needed for an album, they will go to a studio. Studios might loe a lot of business, but there will always be a place for them too.

 

[Mindset]

Marketting usually takes a lot of money, so labels will always have a place in the music biz.

I think most bands will record a demo themselves, but for the professional touch needed for an album, they will go to a studio. Studios might loe a lot of business, but there will always be a place for them too.

I think the same.

As a label, within' the past 8 years, we've have had substantial savings in production, and larger profit margins. Some fail to realize that all this change, much of the business will be more profiting. Even with indie musicians flooding more the market because of ease of recording, you'll find that studios will probably see a small increase too.

 

[mikeh]

I've noticed that some of the mid level studios - the studios that charge $25-$40 per hour have lost business as more people attempt to record demos or even full CDs at home.

To off-set this, I've seen more "mastering" houses pop-up that charge lower mastering costs to intice the home studio people - in some cases the quality of the mastering houses: including the rooms, gear and ears of the "engineer" are lacking.

There will always be a need for higher end studios for the national/international artists who don't want to build top of the line home studios - but I think the mid to lower level studios (in particular in large cities where there are a lot of lower level studios) have started to close and will continue to close (although low end studios have come and gone for years - studios try to have the lastest, greatest gear but can't bill enough hours to pay for it).

There will always be labels - as indicated above, marketing and distribution are needed for all the indie releases..............but I think the indie acts/label with have to share more of the costs (less advances, etc.) and tour support will be really limited (tour support has already been cut significantly in the last 10-15 years)

 

[Everybody]

Ive thought about this recently actually as well, I agree that big studios will continue to be fine as, the bigger artists have the money to spend. but lower end studios will be hurt i think to a certain degree.

as for labels, bands do need them to an extent, especially when its a big artist...because they dont know enough people and venues around the US or international to book tours on their own. Yes places like myspace and facebook help a ton to promote new cds, and the band/artist in general...i think (just guessing) there is a lot more that a label does than just that.

 

[Nightfire]

Labels will not be a thing of the past. The way a label is run might completely change however. With the advent of the internet most labels had to agrresively adapt, and are now finding themselves to have to switch directions as online distributions becomes more and more popular. Maybe we will start seeing online-only labels very soon.
In any case, like panda mentioned promotion and distribution always equals money, and labels will always be there to lend that money.

As far as studios go, big bands will go to big studios. Small bands however, might start their own studio for their own purposes (lots of bands already are doing this, ex. Death Cab for Cutie, Sufjan Stevens, Jack Johnson). So the middle range studios will start loosing business (think outboard console like a soundcraft, mackie, digital yamaha mixers etc.) but big studios will always stick around (think Neve, vintage Tridents, etc.)


Mike

 

[jmorris]

With the dawn of new technologies throughout the 80s, 90s, and today, including digital audio workstations, cheaper equipment, access to knowledge, and the internet, where do you think the music industry is going today? Are recording studios going to begin losing business? Are labels soon to be a thing of the past?

In my opinion, I don't feel that recording studios will necessarily start losing business. Sometimes people want it professionally done, and thats exactly where to go. However, I do feel that record labels are going to be a thing of the past. I feel that with the advent of the internet, that bands can just market themselves just as easily. It may require much more work on behalf of the band, but it can work, in my opinion.

How do you all feel?

They are and have been loosing business for the last 15 years.