TexRoadkill
Audio Bum
Mossberg- No gear is ever obsolete there's just always something better.
M
Mossberg
New member
Ok, I agree. How about we just say Past it's Prime!
I know guys I work with that can still get good sound off of blackface ADATs.
Hell in my project studio, I still get a great mix off of my 2 cascaded Tascam TM-D1000s.
Its all about making shit work for you.
I know guys I work with that can still get good sound off of blackface ADATs.
Hell in my project studio, I still get a great mix off of my 2 cascaded Tascam TM-D1000s.
Its all about making shit work for you.
C
chessparov
New member
Great thread guys!
Even though I intend (at least now) to do "this" as a hobby,
this is fascinating reading, although helping at a certain local
studio might be fun to learn more about higher level recording.
Even though I intend (at least now) to do "this" as a hobby,
this is fascinating reading, although helping at a certain local
studio might be fun to learn more about higher level recording.
P
postalblue
New member
i think i'll go for it, guys!!
a friend of mine has a commercial rehearsal studio, and he wants to turn it into a recording studio. he already has a bunch of gear, and the studio is pretty decent, actually too good for rehearsal only. he doesn't have much experience with recording, so we'll invest in a basic setup, and do cheap recordings of local bands until we have enough experience, and good enough gear to charge decent prices. also we're going protools.
adriano
a friend of mine has a commercial rehearsal studio, and he wants to turn it into a recording studio. he already has a bunch of gear, and the studio is pretty decent, actually too good for rehearsal only. he doesn't have much experience with recording, so we'll invest in a basic setup, and do cheap recordings of local bands until we have enough experience, and good enough gear to charge decent prices. also we're going protools.
adriano
J
JuSumPilgrim
New member
If theres no issue as far as being compatible with other studios then pro tools is a huge waste of money. I dont know where the knowledge level of the average musician is in brazil or their expectations as far as "serious" gear, but theres so much great gear you can get that will get you much further than the price for PT. Studios do it here bec they need compatibility with musicians and other studios. Not bec its great software or bec its a great system. I would sooner use a PC loaded with cubase, CEP, wavelab, waves & stein plugs etc with a delta 1010 and have money left over for some mics and pres than break the bank with pro tools. At this point its the same as buying a car bec it "looks cool."
P
postalblue
New member
i agree with you totally.
we're only getting protools because of compatibility issues.
i have used it a lot though, and like it. my home setup is a pc with cwpa 9 and a direct pro. i like protools' editing better though.
adriano
we're only getting protools because of compatibility issues.
i have used it a lot though, and like it. my home setup is a pc with cwpa 9 and a direct pro. i like protools' editing better though.
adriano
Michael Jones
New member
This is interesting because, I'd like to take a stab and doing this on a more professional level. But, I see some obstacles:
1.) I don't think I could do this out of my house, and I'm not sure I'd want to.
2.) That means having to rent or lease some space.
3.) We all know that location is key!
4.) Less than "prime" commericial space, in my area leases for about $10 - $15 a square foot. (per month)
5.) so if I had say a 600 sq. ft. tracking room, and a 200 sq. ft. control room, thats 800 sq. ft.
6.) I'll need some general office space, and a reception area. Add , say, another 200 sq. ft.
7.) Add some comfortable surrounds, i.e. a lounge, at let's say 300 sq. ft.
8.) We're up to 1300 sq. ft. at a cost of $13,000 - $20,000 a month! Let's say you could shop around and cut in half the high end of that monthly cost. Thats $10,000 a month for lease space.
9.) We'll assume utilities are included in that cost. That means I have to net $10,000 a month, just to break even on lease space. That doesn't include money for advertising, new equipment, perks, and other unforeseen variables. So lets up our "break even" analysis to say $11,500 a month.
10.) Now the idea is to make a living, not break even, so we need a profit here somewhere. 20% is not an uncommon profit margin for a business. That brings us up to $13,800 a month; we'll round up to $14,000.
11.) So to run this business, AND make a profit, I need to net $14,000 a month.
12.) There's 52 weeks in a year, and 12 months in a year. That's an average of 4.33 weeks per month. Let's say you could be open 14 hrs a day, 6 days a week. That's about 364 hrs a month.
Lets say you could fill the space with clientel 75% of that time. That's 273 hours, per month, of billable time. Divide that by $14,000 and you get (drum roll please), $51.28. That's what you'd have to charge, per hour, for your studio time.
Seems like a lot. And that's assuming you could bill 10.5 hrs a day, 6 days a week, doesn't seem likely.
And you'd only net about $35,000 a year.
13.) Guess I'd better look for some cheaper space! Something around $3 a sq. ft.
1.) I don't think I could do this out of my house, and I'm not sure I'd want to.
2.) That means having to rent or lease some space.
3.) We all know that location is key!
4.) Less than "prime" commericial space, in my area leases for about $10 - $15 a square foot. (per month)
5.) so if I had say a 600 sq. ft. tracking room, and a 200 sq. ft. control room, thats 800 sq. ft.
6.) I'll need some general office space, and a reception area. Add , say, another 200 sq. ft.
7.) Add some comfortable surrounds, i.e. a lounge, at let's say 300 sq. ft.
8.) We're up to 1300 sq. ft. at a cost of $13,000 - $20,000 a month! Let's say you could shop around and cut in half the high end of that monthly cost. Thats $10,000 a month for lease space.
9.) We'll assume utilities are included in that cost. That means I have to net $10,000 a month, just to break even on lease space. That doesn't include money for advertising, new equipment, perks, and other unforeseen variables. So lets up our "break even" analysis to say $11,500 a month.
10.) Now the idea is to make a living, not break even, so we need a profit here somewhere. 20% is not an uncommon profit margin for a business. That brings us up to $13,800 a month; we'll round up to $14,000.
11.) So to run this business, AND make a profit, I need to net $14,000 a month.
12.) There's 52 weeks in a year, and 12 months in a year. That's an average of 4.33 weeks per month. Let's say you could be open 14 hrs a day, 6 days a week. That's about 364 hrs a month.
Lets say you could fill the space with clientel 75% of that time. That's 273 hours, per month, of billable time. Divide that by $14,000 and you get (drum roll please), $51.28. That's what you'd have to charge, per hour, for your studio time.
Seems like a lot. And that's assuming you could bill 10.5 hrs a day, 6 days a week, doesn't seem likely.
And you'd only net about $35,000 a year.
13.) Guess I'd better look for some cheaper space! Something around $3 a sq. ft.
Last edited:
P
postalblue
New member
i'm in a different situation, i'm glad to say. the building where my business partner runs his studio belongs to his grandma, so he doesn't really pay ANY lease/rent AT ALL. cool, huh?
anyway, even if we had to pay for that, it's a lot cheaper here. we could rent a 1000sq/foot here for like $1000! however, importing the gear costs A LOT.
adriano
anyway, even if we had to pay for that, it's a lot cheaper here. we could rent a 1000sq/foot here for like $1000! however, importing the gear costs A LOT.
adriano
J
JuSumPilgrim
New member
Home studios have cut in pretty significantly to commercial studios market so the old model isnt really going to be viable unless you can offer something really compelling like say your butch vig or something. Otherwise, its about bang for the buck. I would look into ways of expanding an area in your house to make that a studio. If youre doing local stuff and can charge reasonable rates youll build a following if your work is informed and good. Actually, it has to be really, really good. And then youll attract bigger and better and if you find a niche market like in my area ethnic music, jewish music, russian music, etc along with the typical rock/pop fare then the people doing it are doing to make money, not to pass around to their friends. It becomes much more of an issue of ---can you get X quality? Can you do more than engineer? If you can and for a reasonable price then its viable. If you have to pay for commercial space its alot less viable. Many studios are struggling now as the band demo days are numbered.
Michael Jones
New member
Yeah, that would seem to make more sense business wise. But, peak hours for a studio are from 5:30pm to 10:30pm (that's when all your "day-jobbers" are getting off work, and are wanting to do something musically.) Thats kind of late for doing something out of your house, what with a wife and 2 kids and all. That's why I wouldn't want to try to do it out of the house. Plus, there are deed restrictions against running a business out of your house, particulary a commerical business thats open to the public. And that doesn't even begin to mention fire codes. ingress and egress, liability and insurance for running a business like that out of your home.JuSumPilgrim said:
So, commercial lease space is really the only way to go if you're going to be open to the public.
TexRoadkill
Audio Bum
Michael- Is Austin really that expensive? I lived up in East Texas and Shreveport, LA for awhile a few years back and that area was pretty cheap. Cant you rent a house there for around $800/month or less?. You could convert that into a studio.
I'm not sure if Austin would be a good market or not. You would definately have a lot of potential clients but I would imagine there are a lot of small studios around there also.
I'm not sure if Austin would be a good market or not. You would definately have a lot of potential clients but I would imagine there are a lot of small studios around there also.
J
JuSumPilgrim
New member
Michael Jones said:
It depends on the area you live in and it depends how you go about it. There are plenty of doctors, psychologists, accountants, etc who work out of their homes, have offices in their homes etc. If you build your studio from the ground up and soundproof it or go direct in alot then noise isnt that much of an issue. If you book by appointment and dont have random people milling about the premises then it doesnt disturb the peace and its all good. I guess it really depends on the size and scope of your studio. Also there are some really nice studios (who only book major acts) in very rural areas where there are farms and what not.
T
trebles
New member
"Great topic guys"
Some very valid points indeed across the board.
In context to the original question, about people and how much money they make, i think the poll score is reflecting pretty much a true and accurate account of how it is moneywise and if anything its probably a tad more then what the majority earn.
Alot of people knowing nothing about any of this sometimes view it as an easy job where all people do is party and make money.
Well i know its nothing like that at all, essp if you want to make serious money there will always be fools who think otherwise but put them out there where they have to really compete and many would fold in the first month if not the first week.
Renting space for people who think they want to achieve it all on a beer budget is a dream.
Their wasting their time they would be better served in a government paid job with their 4 to 5 week a year holidays etc etc.
I myself know very little about the recording business, how i found my intrest in all this was through collecting guitars and buying and selling gear.
For many years now i also spent alot of time going to gigs photographing bands, and my intrest grew from there ive been the biggest fan of many musos who were struggling and sometimes going nowhere what grew from that was a love to assist some of these guys out, and for me maybe be proud of the work i did for them and if any of this assisted them in their musical conquests then id feel i would have achieved something.
Now for the real world. . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . .
Yep not much you can do accept get smart or get out of business, no two ways about it.
While my love for the above may still be there, i know i aint no millionaire so to achieve my goals i need a smarter game plan.
There are many many people out there doing miracles and pulling rabbits out of hats for very little money a week so why are they doing it?
If its for money they need some serious medical attention because only a speck of a percentage are making serious money sitting in the studio and this those people are N A M E S the big guns.
So whats left for the rest of us then?
Its true we all have to think harder, be that little more creative then the next person and offer something a little more magical in the eyes of our clients so we too can with some luck and alot of hard work capture that niche market that oneday may allow us to also be a success.
But it may not all be what we all think it will be.
Flexibility and balance in all we do along with creativity, and a flare for what we do or what we are willing to do, i feel will take each one of us to that next level.
but where ever that level may be is only something each one of us knows.
Im still in the build up stage of acquiring gear, but the gear im acquiring isnt the kind that goes out of fashion very quickly, a good kit of mics will still be good in twenty years if you bought wel,l used them well, and looked after them well.
Choice of gear is important but being realistic is also important too.
How i decided to achieve this was to say ok im nowhere near ready to even open doors to anyone as im still building it all up, so i slowly look for good mics at give away prices and wait for the gear i want to come to me.
I do not ever play into the hands of the sales robot, i just sit and wait the impatient ones who bought all the good gear and cant use it when they need the cash always present themselves, my restraint works well for me because i then have the money saved to buy cash deals, and when i do it iam as hard as nails i pay the least possible to get that piece of gear and i,ll be damed if i sell any of it before i have got every ounce of life out of it all.
thats what the best bang for buck solution for me is.
Also dont be pennywise and pound foolish.
when money is required to be spent on a piece of gear thats going to do justice to your enviroment or your work, and also give your client something back in return spent it then, because timing in all of this is also crucial it could be just the improvement or the piece of gear you required to take you to that next level, which may give you that much needed competitive edgeover the compertition.
KNOW YOUR PRODUCT KNOW YOUR GAME.
So after all is said and done what am i doing, well saving money buying only what i know will last me for many years to come.
yes there will be gear that is not in that equation that i still have to have but that gear wont be bought untill i have bums on seats or clients through the door.
There is no point buying the latest digital wiz bang desk if you aint ready to open doors yet, because when you are that desk will be a dusty relic which has been passed by very quickly thankfully older tried and true gear i dont feel falls into the same pattern,and if your clever and you save your money you can make a killing.
Restraint does set you free and this has served me very well indeed.
Saw an add the other day in the trading pages a guy had a whole kit of gear to sell digital recorder mics you name it he had it i went to meet him, had a beer with him talked a bit looked at his mics talked the talk and waited for his reply, i ended up walking out of there only bought two sm 57,s from him but what did they cost me umm 35usd a piece brand new with cases so bargains are out there you just got to be selective and wait for the deals to come to you.
Know when to say yes, know when to say no.
YOU GOTTA TO KNOW WHEN TO HOLD EM KNOW WHEN TO FOLD EM KNOW WHEN TO WALK AWAY KNOW WHEN TO RUN HAHAHA
a lil like that old tune hey
))
Getting back to the topic now, there is a place for everyone in this market who is willing to think a little and employ some common sense and that has to be from ground up.
There is no point building a shitty studio that sounds bad then trying to fix it as you go, just like they say dont fix it in the mix get it right to start with use the correct mic the correct technique do what works.
I know in time i will get there because its something i believe in and i too have said lots of dumb things in my pursuit of knowledge, ive probably pissed off many great minds too.
but i aint ashamed of any of it. if in the end i learnt something essp if i was wrong and changed my game plan because i listened and learnt.
there is never any shame in saying hey i dont know can you show me, but it is always a great shame for those who wont ask because they are the ones who will never know and many of them will be none the wiser either.
while i am just a beginer that ok its all a learning game and the day i say i dont want to learn no more is the time i know its game over for me.
this is just my spin on all this just something more to add to this intresting thread
takecare all.
kind regards
Wayne
Melbourne Australia
Some very valid points indeed across the board.
In context to the original question, about people and how much money they make, i think the poll score is reflecting pretty much a true and accurate account of how it is moneywise and if anything its probably a tad more then what the majority earn.
Alot of people knowing nothing about any of this sometimes view it as an easy job where all people do is party and make money.
Well i know its nothing like that at all, essp if you want to make serious money there will always be fools who think otherwise but put them out there where they have to really compete and many would fold in the first month if not the first week.
Renting space for people who think they want to achieve it all on a beer budget is a dream.
Their wasting their time they would be better served in a government paid job with their 4 to 5 week a year holidays etc etc.
I myself know very little about the recording business, how i found my intrest in all this was through collecting guitars and buying and selling gear.
For many years now i also spent alot of time going to gigs photographing bands, and my intrest grew from there ive been the biggest fan of many musos who were struggling and sometimes going nowhere what grew from that was a love to assist some of these guys out, and for me maybe be proud of the work i did for them and if any of this assisted them in their musical conquests then id feel i would have achieved something.
Now for the real world. . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . .
Yep not much you can do accept get smart or get out of business, no two ways about it.
While my love for the above may still be there, i know i aint no millionaire so to achieve my goals i need a smarter game plan.
There are many many people out there doing miracles and pulling rabbits out of hats for very little money a week so why are they doing it?
If its for money they need some serious medical attention because only a speck of a percentage are making serious money sitting in the studio and this those people are N A M E S the big guns.
So whats left for the rest of us then?
Its true we all have to think harder, be that little more creative then the next person and offer something a little more magical in the eyes of our clients so we too can with some luck and alot of hard work capture that niche market that oneday may allow us to also be a success.
But it may not all be what we all think it will be.
Flexibility and balance in all we do along with creativity, and a flare for what we do or what we are willing to do, i feel will take each one of us to that next level.
but where ever that level may be is only something each one of us knows.
Im still in the build up stage of acquiring gear, but the gear im acquiring isnt the kind that goes out of fashion very quickly, a good kit of mics will still be good in twenty years if you bought wel,l used them well, and looked after them well.
Choice of gear is important but being realistic is also important too.
How i decided to achieve this was to say ok im nowhere near ready to even open doors to anyone as im still building it all up, so i slowly look for good mics at give away prices and wait for the gear i want to come to me.
I do not ever play into the hands of the sales robot, i just sit and wait the impatient ones who bought all the good gear and cant use it when they need the cash always present themselves, my restraint works well for me because i then have the money saved to buy cash deals, and when i do it iam as hard as nails i pay the least possible to get that piece of gear and i,ll be damed if i sell any of it before i have got every ounce of life out of it all.
thats what the best bang for buck solution for me is.
Also dont be pennywise and pound foolish.
when money is required to be spent on a piece of gear thats going to do justice to your enviroment or your work, and also give your client something back in return spent it then, because timing in all of this is also crucial it could be just the improvement or the piece of gear you required to take you to that next level, which may give you that much needed competitive edgeover the compertition.
KNOW YOUR PRODUCT KNOW YOUR GAME.
So after all is said and done what am i doing, well saving money buying only what i know will last me for many years to come.
yes there will be gear that is not in that equation that i still have to have but that gear wont be bought untill i have bums on seats or clients through the door.
There is no point buying the latest digital wiz bang desk if you aint ready to open doors yet, because when you are that desk will be a dusty relic which has been passed by very quickly thankfully older tried and true gear i dont feel falls into the same pattern,and if your clever and you save your money you can make a killing.
Restraint does set you free and this has served me very well indeed.
Saw an add the other day in the trading pages a guy had a whole kit of gear to sell digital recorder mics you name it he had it i went to meet him, had a beer with him talked a bit looked at his mics talked the talk and waited for his reply, i ended up walking out of there only bought two sm 57,s from him but what did they cost me umm 35usd a piece brand new with cases so bargains are out there you just got to be selective and wait for the deals to come to you.
Know when to say yes, know when to say no.
YOU GOTTA TO KNOW WHEN TO HOLD EM KNOW WHEN TO FOLD EM KNOW WHEN TO WALK AWAY KNOW WHEN TO RUN HAHAHA
a lil like that old tune hey
))Getting back to the topic now, there is a place for everyone in this market who is willing to think a little and employ some common sense and that has to be from ground up.
There is no point building a shitty studio that sounds bad then trying to fix it as you go, just like they say dont fix it in the mix get it right to start with use the correct mic the correct technique do what works.
I know in time i will get there because its something i believe in and i too have said lots of dumb things in my pursuit of knowledge, ive probably pissed off many great minds too.
but i aint ashamed of any of it. if in the end i learnt something essp if i was wrong and changed my game plan because i listened and learnt.
there is never any shame in saying hey i dont know can you show me, but it is always a great shame for those who wont ask because they are the ones who will never know and many of them will be none the wiser either.
while i am just a beginer that ok its all a learning game and the day i say i dont want to learn no more is the time i know its game over for me.
this is just my spin on all this just something more to add to this intresting thread
takecare all.
kind regards
Wayne
Melbourne Australia
Michael Jones
New member
ROFL! I screwed it up!TexRoadkill said:
It's $20 per foot per year! not per month. 2000 sq. ft. is about the minimum size you can lease for a commericial site.
that's about $770 a week or roughly $3300 a month.
Austin hails itself as the "Live Music Capital of the World"
And right now, with SXSW going on, studios are booked solid. So there is a good market here for it.
$50 to $75 an hour is the going rate for studio time around here.
So with everything else being equal, a 2000 sq. ft. studio would have to book 50 hours a month, and charge $100/hr, or book 100 hours a month and charge $50/hr. to be profitable. (sorry, that makes more sense now)
I think you could make more money, if you could offer rehearsal space, equipped with PA's, and offer studio time, as a side line to that. Rehearsal rooms here go for anywhere from $10 to $40/hr.
I know what you mean about booking time, the right way, out of your home. I do run a home bisuness right now. Though not audio related, and not open to the public. What worries me about booking acts at a home studio, is the liability. If you open your home to clientel, your insurance rates go through the roof!
P
postalblue
New member
just thought i'd bring this to the top again, in case anyone else wants to share their experiences.
T
Tnglwd_Stu
New member
Plymouth, England.
A small project studio based around two black faced ADAT's and a Soundcraft Studio console provides the setting for our tale.
It all began back in '98, when a freshly qualified young Sound Engineer, namely my good self, went to see a Mr.Bill Bates of a charitable organisation called The Prince's Trust.
The table was set. On one side a loan manager, the other a potential studio owner.
"Can I have a few pounds (stirling obviously) to invest in a small business", I enquired rather greenly.
"What is the business," came the reply.
"A recording studio!" I continued.
"Hmm," said Bill, "Every other studio we've funded so far hasn't lasted a year, go away and put together a business plan and we'll talk."
'Not lasted a year?", I thought - 'I'll show you'
So I went away, networked all my musician friends and club/venue owners, created loads of interest, worked on the studio idea every spare moment I could and put together the most comprehensive business plan I could. Not bad for a nineteen year old!
Before I knew it I was suited up and at the official loans meeting with the Prince's Trust board. I managed to get £5K out of them. This was because of my sheer determination and enthusiasm for the project, they told me later.
Anyway armed with that £5K I managed to buy all the gear required for a sixteen track project studio. Desk, ADATS, mics, leads, wall boxes, amps, outboard, mastering - eveything. Of course I had a bit of construction on the sound proofing side which I funded and built myself before I started chasing loans for equipment, and a fair ammount of soldering was undertaken!!!!
Anyway, the studio still exists four years later.
www.tanglewoodstudio.co.uk
I set it up as a studio for young musicians and that's exactly what it still is offering good quality recordings at a competive (and affordable) price. I have added to it over the years and I have never once met the bloke who funded it - HRH The Prince of Wales - Prince Charles
Stu
A small project studio based around two black faced ADAT's and a Soundcraft Studio console provides the setting for our tale.
It all began back in '98, when a freshly qualified young Sound Engineer, namely my good self, went to see a Mr.Bill Bates of a charitable organisation called The Prince's Trust.
The table was set. On one side a loan manager, the other a potential studio owner.
"Can I have a few pounds (stirling obviously) to invest in a small business", I enquired rather greenly.
"What is the business," came the reply.
"A recording studio!" I continued.
"Hmm," said Bill, "Every other studio we've funded so far hasn't lasted a year, go away and put together a business plan and we'll talk."
'Not lasted a year?", I thought - 'I'll show you'
So I went away, networked all my musician friends and club/venue owners, created loads of interest, worked on the studio idea every spare moment I could and put together the most comprehensive business plan I could. Not bad for a nineteen year old!
Before I knew it I was suited up and at the official loans meeting with the Prince's Trust board. I managed to get £5K out of them. This was because of my sheer determination and enthusiasm for the project, they told me later.
Anyway armed with that £5K I managed to buy all the gear required for a sixteen track project studio. Desk, ADATS, mics, leads, wall boxes, amps, outboard, mastering - eveything. Of course I had a bit of construction on the sound proofing side which I funded and built myself before I started chasing loans for equipment, and a fair ammount of soldering was undertaken!!!!
Anyway, the studio still exists four years later.
www.tanglewoodstudio.co.uk
I set it up as a studio for young musicians and that's exactly what it still is offering good quality recordings at a competive (and affordable) price. I have added to it over the years and I have never once met the bloke who funded it - HRH The Prince of Wales - Prince Charles
Stu
P
postalblue
New member
nice tale, stu. is it true? 
just kidding.
see, i'm trying really hard to avoid getting in debt to get my studio into business. if i can't avoid it, i'll just wait until i have enough gear/cash to start. i figure with the gear i already have, i can start recording people i know just to raise some people to reinvest on the studio, and then when i have a decent enough setup, i'll start networking and promoting and shit.
just kidding.see, i'm trying really hard to avoid getting in debt to get my studio into business. if i can't avoid it, i'll just wait until i have enough gear/cash to start. i figure with the gear i already have, i can start recording people i know just to raise some people to reinvest on the studio, and then when i have a decent enough setup, i'll start networking and promoting and shit.
TexRoadkill
Audio Bum
Michael- That sounds a little more reasonable for rent prices. I didnt think Austin was in the same price range as Tokyo
Stu- That's great you've been able to stay in business. But how do you make a living charging 10 an hour? How long did it take you to break even and are you making much in the way of profit?
Stu- That's great you've been able to stay in business. But how do you make a living charging 10 an hour? How long did it take you to break even and are you making much in the way of profit?
T
Tnglwd_Stu
New member
I have been ale to stay in business mainly because I run the studio from my house and don't rent commercial premises.
To break even took me less than a year, although I didn't pay back the Prince's Trust for the 3 years as their interest rate is 3%, which is less than inflation.
My secrets/tips are:
1. I have no credit cards, only debit cards = no monthly card bills.
2. I don't just record bands. I do any work I can get.
Here is a small list of things I've recorded at Tanglewood Studio:
• Obviously - Bands, soloists, duets, and other musos.
• Voices for vocal actors' portfolios
• Voice-overs for multimedia
• Voices for computer game characters
• Meditation and relaxation audio
• Training material
• Talking books
• Radio Commercials
3. I know a massive amount of people.
- Word of mouth is still the most efficent form of advertising.
Anyway the answer is I make a comfortable profit, with which I am able to run a car, buy CD's, DVD's and such like and still put some away for a rainy day.
Business is cyclical - meaning one month will be great with more work than you can handle, the next not enough work - the secret is to have a strategy for the 'dry' periods - I use them to market and network.
You need to make the gear you've got do as much as possible - see my little project list above.
I'll say it again 'Network, network, network!" Go to every gig, music event, acost anyone who looks like they may need to record and give them a flyer or a business card (a photocopy will do) - when I first set up the studio I was lucky enough to find a load of those plastic keyfobs in an abandoned house - I spent hours taking out the paper in the middle and replacing them with a little printout of my own design with my busines name and phone number on them - I still see people with them on their keys or gig bags today!
Anyway - enough rant from me. >;-)
To break even took me less than a year, although I didn't pay back the Prince's Trust for the 3 years as their interest rate is 3%, which is less than inflation.
My secrets/tips are:
1. I have no credit cards, only debit cards = no monthly card bills.
2. I don't just record bands. I do any work I can get.
Here is a small list of things I've recorded at Tanglewood Studio:
• Obviously - Bands, soloists, duets, and other musos.
• Voices for vocal actors' portfolios
• Voice-overs for multimedia
• Voices for computer game characters
• Meditation and relaxation audio
• Training material
• Talking books
• Radio Commercials
3. I know a massive amount of people.
- Word of mouth is still the most efficent form of advertising.
Anyway the answer is I make a comfortable profit, with which I am able to run a car, buy CD's, DVD's and such like and still put some away for a rainy day.
Business is cyclical - meaning one month will be great with more work than you can handle, the next not enough work - the secret is to have a strategy for the 'dry' periods - I use them to market and network.
You need to make the gear you've got do as much as possible - see my little project list above.
I'll say it again 'Network, network, network!" Go to every gig, music event, acost anyone who looks like they may need to record and give them a flyer or a business card (a photocopy will do) - when I first set up the studio I was lucky enough to find a load of those plastic keyfobs in an abandoned house - I spent hours taking out the paper in the middle and replacing them with a little printout of my own design with my busines name and phone number on them - I still see people with them on their keys or gig bags today!
Anyway - enough rant from me. >;-)
Michael Jones
New member
Stu, you say you do this from your house. Just curious now, so a couple of questions:
1.) Do you own your house? i.e. have a mortgage or do rent your house?
2.) If you own your house, and have people, namely, the public, come to your house to record, what does that do to your homeowner's insurance costs?
3.) Aren't you afraid of someone getting hurt, or claiming to get hurt and suing you?
4.) How are you protecting yourself against liablity claims?
That's really my main question.
1.) Do you own your house? i.e. have a mortgage or do rent your house?
2.) If you own your house, and have people, namely, the public, come to your house to record, what does that do to your homeowner's insurance costs?
3.) Aren't you afraid of someone getting hurt, or claiming to get hurt and suing you?
4.) How are you protecting yourself against liablity claims?
That's really my main question.