mobile recording service

[asv]

Wondering if mobile recording service is a good idea to start a business?

I'm aiming to start something small. Just bring a mac book, several mics (dynamics and some decent condensers), audio interface, headphones) and just use the mixer on the studio which the band will be hiring.

Will do tracking, and mixing on the spot

You guys reckon this will work?

 

[witzendoz]

Hi,

I assume you are talking about a rehearsal studio the band are hiring.

One thing about remote recording is you are stuck with the acoustics of the room, and rehearsal rooms don't usually sound that good. I would also not mix on location as mixing needs to be done on good monitors in a good acoustic room.

My 2 cents worth if you want to set up a mobile recording business.

1) If you have not got a mobile van (and cannot afford one), have a good room set up at home to mix the recordings in.

2) Have a look at recording bands at live gigs, there is a good market for this, with the extra mics you have and with some XLR splitters you can use your mics and the house / bands PA system mics to get everything miced up, you will need lots of inputs.

3) If you still want to record at rehearsal spaces, find one near you that you can get a relationship going with, and maybe set up a little space there to monitor and mix in.

Cheers

Alan.

 

[asv]

Hi Alan,

Thanks for the input.

Good tip! maybe its something that i can offer to the band if they want on spot mix-down or i'll mix them at home.

Care to explain a bit more on point #2 and #3?

Cheers,
Alvin

 

[witzendoz]

point 2)

You can offer a service to record bands at a gig, bands love recording gigs as they feel there is a great energy on stage.

If you get a gig where there is an in house PA system, they will often mike up the whole band anyway, so if you have a multicore cable to where you are recording from, i.e next to the stage, a room next door, and on the multi core you have xlr splitters, the splitter lets the microphone signals go to the PA system and lets you record the same microphone without them affecting each other (and keeping you out of the PA guys hair), You will however need a lot of XLR inputs (at least 16) to the recording system to make this work. You could use a desk that has multi track recording out via firewire like the Presonus live 16 or a couple of 8 channel systems.

Point 3)

If you talk to some of the guys around you that have rehearsal space, you maybe able to have something set up with them where you bring them extra bands in exchange for some space to have a recording service set up there semi-permmenant, maybe a small room or even a cabling system to outside the room so you can set up in a hallway outside the band room.

Cheers

Alan.

 

[asv]

Awesome!

I'll have a think about it.

I'm just a starter and have a limited knowledge of recording. If i charge them at a minimal cost. Will they wanna do business with me?

I've been doing recording, but mostly for myself

 

[John Willett]

Wondering if mobile recording service is a good idea to start a business?

Spare time business - maybe.

Full time - err, not really.

It's tough out here at the moment.

 

[witzendoz]

Awesome!

I'll have a think about it.

I'm just a starter and have a limited knowledge of recording. If i charge them at a minimal cost. Will they wanna do business with me?

I've been doing recording, but mostly for myself

If you can get hold of a copy check out the article about location recording in "Sound On Sound" magazine June 2010, tells you all about setting up a small location rig.

If you do it cheap and get to know the bands I am sure they will be happy to let you have a go, just make sure that the bands expectations are not too high.


Cheers
Alan.

 

[John Willett]

I'm just a starter and have a limited knowledge of recording. If i charge them at a minimal cost. Will they wanna do business with me?

I've been doing recording, but mostly for myself

Then it's definitely *not* a business.

Start small by asking people if you can record them - no obligation - and if they like the results come to a mutually agreed fee.

This way you are not stuffed if things go wrong as there is no expectation.

If all goes well over the first few, then you can build up from there and start charging properly.

It looks like you will learn as you go along and you can't really charge for your education.

Very many years ago I started out like this - I asked to record a visiting choir at my church - they loved the result and wanted a couple of hundred pre-recorded cassettes made (you can see it was a long time ago) and I went on from there.

Good luck.

 

[asv]

Thanks for the inputs guys!

It makes perfect sense!
I think i'll just start giving 'free' stuff for a start when im ready

Guys around my area charging ppl AUD$75/hr for a proper studio recording. They have package available, etc. I can't compete with that (well, not in my experience anyway)
Well, some (amateur guys) charge AUD$30/hr. I may have to charge even lower than that.

Now, it leads me back to a question ... how can we make money/profits doing recording stuff. Considering the equipments are VERY expensive?

Like all rack equipments (professional stuff) reverb, compressors, EQ, etc are at least AUD$20K, mics are pretty much the same, acoustic treatments, computers, softwares, etc.

Can you guys school me a bit on this?

 

[moresound]

Just want to ask what part of the world your in?

 

[asv]

I'm in Australia

 

[witzendoz]

OK, lets hope you're not down the road from me, or there will be yet another cheap recording option in the neighbourhood.

Ha ha just joking. Where in Oz are you?

Now, it leads me back to a question ... how can we make money/profits doing recording stuff. Considering the equipments are VERY expensive?


Well the answer is you can't make a profit.

The reason I have been in business for as long as I have is that I charge a reasonable rate that covers my time, the wear and tear on the gear, the mortgage, insurance, electric, rates etc etc. every now and them a studio opens up down the road charging 1/2 what i do, everyone goes there for a while then they find that the results are no good and the studio shuts down because they are working for nothing. I should point out that I can't even carry on a business full time, I do other work outside the studio that helps to pay bills and to give me a financial future. The studio however does pay it's way over the year and I get to do what I enjoy most.

However, most people in the music industry are in it because they love it. Get your business going part time, invest any money you make back into gear and build it up, don't expect to make a living as well so get yourself another low stress job to pay everyday bills. At some point you will build up enough equipment to maybe make a small profit, and have fun. I stated just like this years ago.

Oh and equipment is as cheap as chips now compared to when I started out.

Cheers
Alan.

 

[moresound]

lots of guys in OZ doing the recording thing huh Alan?

What Alan is saying is pure fact. Even here in the States it's just as hard and the competition is very cut throat especially in the cities.

What I have done ,and again the same as Alan - many, many, many moons ago I started a pro sound company that is very profitable and has supported myself, my wife and seven children and a butt load of pets.
With a really good profit margin which in turn I invested for our studio and with out the sound company over flow some months at the studio weren't enough for a profit. Not that we run in the red but to have 2 or 3 months of just breaking even would close most businesses doors.

But above all, if this is what you want to do with your life then do it, for life is way to short to be looking back in your golden years saying "you know I should have done that with my life".

 

[witzendoz]

I should have also pointed out that over the years I have been a full time live sound engineer (PA hire), studio engineer/owner and musician several times and I loved it. But in the end you have to be able to eat and pay the mortgage.

The live sound thing for me stopped when more venues installed or hired in house systems so you could only get paid for walk in mixing, which did not make it worth the time. At about the same time age started to catch up with me a bit and my back is not what it used to be, so now only do PAs for my own band or friends and then only when it's a small system.

The studio business slowed down when everyone bought home recording gear and stopped using studios. I still get work because I can record a whole band in the studio together or track drums and loud guitars and I know what I am doing so clients return.

The band thing slowed down (I used to play 6 gigs a week) when people stayed at home watching video / dvd and not going out.

So I now play in a band about 2 times a month and record in the studio a couple of nights and on the weekend.

Oh and the Oz thing about recording, yes there are 100's doing it, and I am isolated on the west coast.

Cheers
Alan.

 

[asv]

Thank you guys!

@Alan: haha didn't realise you're in Perth too mate! what's the name of your recording studio?
I guess once i've settled down i have to sniff around before charging people some money.

Really hard for at the moment to see if i can make a living out of this. Because, i have no audio education program. However, i'm a musician and have been playing music for long time. I believe i have ears for recording as well.

I have full time job (8-5, mon-fri), so weekend is the best time for me to do recording stuff.

You're right Alan, investing any money into gear is exactly what i'm planning to do and have lots of fun!

Do you guys employ some people to run the studio or you operate yourselves?

@moresound wow that's a good philosophy thanks buddy!

 

[moresound]

No problem asv .... I tell many young people just that in hopes that it sinks in.
I feel so blessed that things turned out the way that they did for me, I do what I enjoy and don't do what I don't like doing.
I'm one of the few who can honestly say "I love my work".
Even if I'm in the same boat as Alan with age catching up and all of the aches and pains.

And yes I have a bunch of full time help and even more part time help.... they seam to gravitate towards this kind of work. Some stay, some move on.

 

[witzendoz]

Thank you guys!

@Alan: haha didn't realise you're in Perth too mate! what's the name of your recording studio?

Just click the link under my name.

Alan.

 

[asv]

I did
and i know some guys in the photos as well