Do You Make Money off ur Studios?? Hop In

[anppilot]

Ok, check this out. I'll be honest.

I've been recording on and off since I was 18 and there is NO, (repeat) NO NO NO getting rich out of this home recording thing.

NOW, if you want to make extra money? SURE GO FOR IT.

HOWEVER, since the price of studio equipment isnt too bad these days, more & more musicians and bands are buying their own equipment and recording their own stuff. Its cheaper in the long run for them.

BTW, this is with no channel strips or mic pres

This is relying on the digi003 and plugins for efx, xompressors, yada yada yada.

Example:

Building your own DAW (NEWEGG.COM) = $ 1500
single monitor 19" = $ 250
Protools LE = $ 1200
Studio Monitors Event 20/20 = $ 300
Amp Mackie FR800 = $ 260
Keyboard workstation Roland Fantom X8 = $ 2800
Drum production studio Roland MV-8800 = $ 2300
Decent Synthesizer Access Virus TI = $ 2200
Basic Cheap Mic for vocals Rode NT1 = $ 200
Basic Mic for acoustic guitar Rode NT5 (PAIR) = $ 400
Mic stands, speaker stands, work desk, cables = $ 1000
*******************************************
TOTAL: = $ 12410

Btw, the DAW is a 2.4GHZ, 3GB RAM 2X200GB HD


Please forgive me if I'm forgetting anything. This is just a ABSOLUTE MINIMUM basic setup for doing something decent.

This is without purchasing a acoustic guitar, electric, guitar efx boxes, mixing board.

You can use the digi002 from protools to send your drum machine, synth and keyboard into.

THIS is a BAREBONZE MINIMUM studio

Check out the link to my studio and you will see where $42,000 dollars went QUICK and I am a very very decent home studio, and even with $42,000 invested I only charge $30-$35/HR.

Studios with $100K+ plus charge $60+ here in dallas.

I REALLY hope this helps you gain a perspective.

Peace Out.

DJironsword
The Mixing Pad
Dallas, TX

PS, SonicAlbert, you and I usually see eye to eye on things, would you agree with me on my synopsis?

 

[pipelineaudio]

I dont know that those keyboards are "absolute necessary bare minimum"

but yeah to the rest.

Here in AZ we have hundreds of kilobucks in gear and are lucky to get 30 an hour...ghetto here

 

[Steve Henningsgard]

single monitor 19" = $ 250
...
Keyboard workstation Roland Fantom X8 = $ 2800
Drum production studio Roland MV-8800 = $ 2300
Decent Synthesizer Access Virus TI = $ 2200

I really wouldn't call these things absolutely necessary man. Sweet and most likely worth the money? Most likely! Necessary? Nope. (P.S. that's a little high for a 19" these days )

 

[DavidK]

I really wouldn't call these things absolutely necessary man. Sweet and most likely worth the money? Most likely! Necessary? Nope. (P.S. that's a little high for a 19" these days )

For me, bare minimum would be:

1 mic: $200

Audio interface: $200

Software ( Ntrack, Reaper, Cakewalk Home) <$200

Monitors $300

A keyboard and/or softynths: $500

$1400, leave $100 for cables. If you had great IDEAS and some skill, you could make something worth charging money for with that. The key is skill, which of course take years to get. Actually, many m-audio cards come with some LE software so that saves $200 bucks.

My all-purpose computer was 500 with everything (15" monitor). I do incredibly complex music. It would ne NICE to have a bigger monitor but mine works fine, and I wear glasses.

 

[HangDawg]

I started recording other bands about 5 years ago. Since then I've always been working on something with someone. Just when I think I'm going to run out of work, bang here comes something else. It is all word of mouth for me. But, you have to have something to offer. Around here, there's no place to go to record metal and thrash type shit. I'm into that kind of stuff therefore I do a pretty good job and people know it. I'm cheaper than the other studios close by. I charge $15/hr and don't normally charge for setup and things like getting the right tone/mic placements and whatnot. This saves them money and they don't feel rushed trying to get decent sounds which is my job anyway. So basically I charge when the red light comes on and any editing and mixing. Oh, I don't mind if they drink beer and other light partying. People like coming to my studio. Oh, and I can play guitar, bass, drums, and I can help with arrangements, write and sing harmony vocal parts and lots of other things that make it worth that $15/hr.

So, you see what I'm getting at. Equipment alone will not do much of anything to draw customers. You really have to provide a comprehensive service.

 

[brendandwyer]

i started on a tascam 424 cassette recorder. I learned how to make decent records with a couple sm57's and the 424 mixing down to a tape deck.

If i had $1500 i would buy an adat, a mackie 16 channel split mixer, and with the $400 left over, 2 sm57's and a Rode nt1.

then, get a friends band over and LEARN how to record.

Do not think about charging anyone for anything. Make that decision MUCH later. Learn HOW to record audio well, then worry about recouping your investment

 

[brendandwyer]

i started on a tascam 424 cassette recorder. I learned how to make decent records with a couple sm57's and the 424 mixing down to a tape deck.

If i had $1500 i would buy an adat, a mackie 16 channel split mixer, and with the $400 left over, 2 sm57's and a Rode nt1.

then, get a friends band over and LEARN how to record.

Do not think about charging anyone for anything. Make that decision MUCH later. Learn HOW to record audio well, then worry about recouping your investment

wierd! I just so happen to be selling a Mackie 1604 vlzpro 16 channel split mixer...........HOW STRANGE

 

[HangDawg]

i started on a tascam 424 cassette recorder. I learned how to make decent records with a couple sm57's and the 424 mixing down to a tape deck.

If i had $1500 i would buy an adat, a mackie 16 channel split mixer, and with the $400 left over, 2 sm57's and a Rode nt1.

then, get a friends band over and LEARN how to record.

Do not think about charging anyone for anything. Make that decision MUCH later. Learn HOW to record audio well, then worry about recouping your investment

What about monitors. Hmmm

 

[brendandwyer]

What about monitors. Hmmm

thas ok, i thought he had $1000, so he's actually got $500 for a pair.

 

[brendandwyer]

thas ok, i thought he had $1000, so he's actually got $500 for a pair.

hell i used to mix on headphones....not great, but you make due with what you have

 

[shackrock]

When I was in highschool, I had about a grand and I set up a little studio in my parents basement. The room sucked, and it was dirty and there was cat poop all over the place. I cleaned up the best I could, put carpet on the walls, and made it look liveable. haha.

Anyway, by my senior year in highschool (and esp over the summer) I was making 15-20/hr off highschool bands, and usually got a band in to do at the least a track every weekend.... It started out once every other month, and I was doing it for free. If it was good, people told their friends, and that was the best thing I could do.

So - start out free to show people that the studio doesn't suck. Get a popular band with lots of friends IN OTHER BANDS (who cares about fans at this point, haha.)...over the next couple months you'll get people actually calling/emailing you. Tell them you charge 20/hr, but you can give discounts for a ton of hours. Tell thme you'll mix half off, or bettter yet - for free (hell, you need the practice anyway).
But lemme tell you, you'll record a ton of crappy bands, just suck it up if you want to record and it's about the money. To this day, I've only recorded 3 bands that I think were actually good.

anyway now I've been away at school for 3 years, and I'm still getting emails from kids in my hometown to record... I plan on going back for a week and recording 4 full albums for bands when summer comes.... that sounds good to you doesn't it? ha

 

[DamnYankee]

i have $1500 to invest in equipment right now..and i plan to employ a junior sound engineer who i will pay a percentage of wat he engineers

If you want to be a pro and charge, you're going to need two things:

1. great gear
2. great skill

Why? So you compete with the other studios in town.

$1,500 is alot of money. However, $1,500 won't buy you a Neumann U87 mic - a staple of any professional studio. Heck $1,500 MIGHT be able to buy ONE dbx 160 compressor or maybe ONE UREI LA2A (again, standard gear in professional recording studios). True, these now come in software versions, but they are VERY expensive.

So back to your original question (which is actually very complex): I would recommend the following...

1. READ, READ, READ: there are alot of expert posts in here regarding equipment, gear, room acoustics (IMPORTANT!), & techniques. Plus there are books at your library. Learn everything you can FIRST. It's a cheap way to get an education and in the long run, will help you spend your gear dollars wisely.

2. Purchase the best mics/gear that you can afford - and I'm going on a soap box here:

You don't need to waste your money on a collection of 30 mics. Use that money to purchase the tried & true studio gold standards: AKG 414 (toms, cymbals/overheads, guitar cabs), EV RE-20 or AKG D-12/D-112 (kick), EV RE-18/Sennheiser 421 (toms, guitar cabs), Neumann K84/K184 (overheads, acoustic stuff), Neumann U-87 (vocals), EV RE-15 (vocals/acoustic guitar), etc. Don't go out and buy drum kit mics or Shure 57s/58s - use that money for the above mics (besides, the Shure 57/58s are designed for PA systems - not recording studios tho some highly skilled engineers - such as those in here - have used them with success). Remember the general rule with mics: the flatter the frequency response, the better & more versatile the mic.

(One last word on mics: The above mics can be pricey and there are some less expensive mics in the parent lines as well as chinese/russian knockoffs that sound VERY good. There are even some mics you can mod (prodigy-pro.com) that are as good as or better than their real McCoy counterparts. Again, do your homework before you purchase, but no matter what: buy the best mic you can afford because with mic recording: it all starts with the mic.

Secondly, let's talk CABLES. You don't need to buy expensive Monster, Mogami, or Canare mic/guitar/patch cables with Neutrik ends. American made Belden cables with Switchcraft ends set the cable standard decades ago and are MUCH cheaper and equal in quality - so don't get sucked into paying extra for a designer cable brand.

An off brand cable line that's excellent quality and extremely affordable is manufactured by Mark & Liz at www.audiopile.net. I recently purchased a 24 channel Mic snake to patch between my 24x8x2 console and 24 track deck that was comparable to the designer brand names - right down to the 22 gauge copper wire - at 1/5th the cost. Mark & Liz provide outstanding customer service that you won't find anywhere else.

3. Master your gear and perfect your recording skills with your own music FIRST. That includes learning room acoustics. Nothing worse than getting a bad name out in the community that you're a hack...and you'll never overcome that reputation.

4. Once you get your skills down, then offer to record a free song (or two) for some friends who have bands. The more bands you offer, the more your name gets out there.

Note: One other piece of gear I'd seriously consider is a good inkjet printer that can print directly onto white inkjethubbed CDs (some models listed here... http://www.proactionmedia.com/cd_dvd_printers.asp). For best quality, only purchase Taiyo Yuden or Verbatim; you can pick them up cheap at supermediastore.com or meritline.com (http://www.meritline.com/verbatim-52x-cdr-media-94904.html). This way, you can create a professional looking Demo CD and print it directly on the CD with the band's name, song, recorded by ______ (your studio) and produced/engineered by ______ (your name). Your new printer will probably have a basic CD label software program but I would seriously opt for Acoustic CD-Labeling software (http://www.acoustica.com/cd-label-maker/). Professional silver inkjet hubbed CD printers are several thousand dollars and out of your price range right now.

So...buy the best gear you can, master it, get an inkjet printer that allows for CD labelling directly onto white inkjet CDs, design a Demo label, record a song or two for your friends' band - give some to hand out, get your name out there (CD label helps!), and be on your way.

Good luck...

 

[Robert D]

If you want to be a pro and charge, you're going to need two things:

1. great gear
2. great skill

But I thought he was doing Rap?

Ok, there's a third element that's a little more obscure, but can get jobs despite a meager equipment list. Some engineers/producers are just really good at making good things happen in their studio. It's a combination of infectuous enthusiasm, a real love of what they're doing, a real interest in what the artist is doing, and supplying a creative environment. It's like "man, they don't have all that much gear, but when I go there the shit just happens". But this does require having the skills and gear to capture that magic when it does happen.

 

[DamnYankee]

But I thought he was doing Rap?

...and R&B and Soul. And contrary to his thoughts of recording only vocals, there isn't ONE serious artist/band that's going to seek his services if they walk in to find only a laptop and a mic hanging from a mic stand. They'll laugh their asses off as they turn around and walk right out the door.

Ok, there's a third element that's a little more obscure, but can get jobs despite a meager equipment list. Some engineers/producers are just really good at making good things happen in their studio. It's a combination of infectuous enthusiasm, a real love of what they're doing, a real interest in what the artist is doing, and supplying a creative environment. It's like "man, they don't have all that much gear, but when I go there the shit just happens". But this does require having the skills and gear to capture that magic when it does happen.

True, environment plays a role for both the artist and the engineer. Let's say YOU are the artist getting ready to cut a record. You visit various studios to see what they offer for your recording dollar. You see very nice studios and then you go to Studio "X" where it's comprised of only a laptop, a small mixer, and a mic hanging from a mic stand. Would Studio "X" be inspiring to you as an artist? Secondly, would you think that setup would be inspiring to an engineer? I know I wouldn't give Studio "X" any serious consideration...

Bottom line is: Ya gotta have the right tools to do the job, and most of it ain't found in a laptop.

 

[DavidK]

...and R&B and Soul. And contrary to his thoughts of recording only vocals, there isn't ONE serious artist/band that's going to seek his services if they walk in to find only a laptop and a mic hanging from a mic stand. They'll laugh their asses off as they turn around and walk right out the door.

High school kids are generally not considered "serious artists", yet they have money too.

 

[Steve Henningsgard]

High school kids are generally not considered "serious artists", yet they have money too.

They have *more* money, 'cause their parents pay for everything! I love recording high-school bands. They usually suck balls, but they've got the money, they're easy to please, and they present interesting challanges that are very helpful when it comes to people that *should* know what they're doing, but don't

 

[pipelineaudio]

you better GET serious about high school kids as artists, because thats about all thats left

"working musicians" are a dying breed. Ours died almost ten years ago.

 

[mrhotapples]

I'd like to say that I'm working on a very, very basic set up...

Firepod ($500)
Sm57 ($90)
AudixI5 x2 ($90)
CAD M177 x2 ($100)
MXL 990 x2 ($40)
Sonar PE 6 ($500)
Drumagog Platinum ($330)

I make 600-1500 on each project. Most of my plugins are free and I don't have monitors. I have excellent ears and excellent sensibility about mixing and sound, and that's how I get by. Instinct!

In the end, I don't think what I do is all that great either. It's amateur.

Even if you hire an engineer, he's going to have to be damn good. I've found that just because someone is or has gone to school for recording doesn't mean they know what to do when it comes time to do it. A lot of those kids would shudder at using anything that wasn't the stuff they trained on at Full Sail.

I guess what I'm saying is that you're better off finding another way to make money or, if you REALLY want to get into it, spending that 1500 on a decent 2 channel preamp, a few mics and SOME BOOKS!

You'll upgrade your knowledge first, your skills second, and your equipment last unless you are the type to randomly run into money.

 

[brendandwyer]

you better GET serious about high school kids as artists, because thats about all thats left

"working musicians" are a dying breed. Ours died almost ten years ago.

i agree with this.

One interesting thing that's happening in and around my studio is that there is a growing group of artists and musicians that are sort of centered around my place. (on reflection this sounds like ego, but i assure it's really not. I wasn't even aware of it until someone pointed it out two days ago )

So i think that as an engineer you can also coax a scene out of nothingness if there are people interested to begin with.

For instance, i deal with a lot of post high school, punk/hardcore bands. Mostly because ten years ago, i was fairly well known in my punk/hardcore band. So, now we get these bands in here, and i can call on a list of maybe 6 or seven guys who will come in and do session work with these bands.

Granted, it's not a lush market place, it's an old mill town, but we've got a cool place, and people seem to want to be around it.

So i don't know, i guess that's OT, but i believe you can create a climate for musician ship in the most unlikely places.

 

[pipelineaudio]

One interesting thing that's happening in and around my studio is that there is a growing group of artists and musicians that are sort of centered around my place. (on reflection this sounds like ego, but i assure it's really not. I wasn't even aware of it until someone pointed it out two days ago )
.

This is cool, and you know the next step: You gotta build a club man!

Anytime you can glue different bands to each other, its a powerful thing. We used to have some rehearsal studio complexes in town that were like giant families, and it was great.