$ to start a "pro" studio

  • Thread starter Thread starter wes480
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You have to budget equipment according to your business strategy, especially initially. Let's say you're in high school and think you can get a lot of high school bands to pay $20/hr to make band demos, and you can realistically book 10 hours a week averaged over a year - then you are grossing about $10,000 per year.

That means you don't buy an SSL (duh). But if you can use your own house (no extra rent overhead) and you already have a computer, it's not unrealistic to think you could outfit your studio with enough gear to be able to attract that 10 hours a week's worth of business for less than $10,000. And you're in business.

If each year you sink 50% of your gross back into gear and other upgrades, and your business grows slowly and steadily, it won't be that long before you have enough gear that even other pros will consider you a "pro".

That's kind of how i got started, although it was long after high school for me. If you can find or create a market for your services and make enough of a profit to more or less support yourself, then you are a pro - and it doesn't matter how much you spent on your console.

It's not realistic to think you would be able to acquire either the gear or the expertise to compete with the major studios for major recording projects. But there are other ways of making money in the business. Thankfully.
 
As I've been in this business a couple of years, I know one thing for sure - if I was "just" a recording engineer, I would not want, or even think of, owning a studio - period.
Even booked 7 days a week at between 800 and 1000 a day, it would not provide a sufficient return for my business partner and myself to live off.
The only reason I do own a studio is because I do my own productions, I work with artists I believe have the potential to succeed. If they do succeed, I can earn a lot, if they do not, I loose a lot. Fortunately I have managed to built a good track record of choosing the right artists to work with.
Besides that it is only because of track record that, when I am not working with "my own" artists, I can book the studio out for good money.
Littledog is absolutely right, the best way is to built a rig and keep developping it over the years.
 
Im pretty pathetic. I got a great start, networked into several large facilities, an internship and experience. Then ADAT happened right as grunge in Seattle was surfacing above garage level. A nasty divorce with the studio owner had, and instead of pounding on doors I had to work at a big aerospace comapny to make money. I couldn't get a studio job anywhere, they were dropping like flies and reshuffling to deal with the Mackadat revolution. I started doing the band thing again and wasted away time and money. I took a little 4 track and started writing, I forgot to look up for a long time and found myself in a wasteland. I blew my 4 track and replaced it with a digital MD 8 track hybrid. The ex owner of the studio I interned at called me and said "wanna borrow my gear" I said what gear? He said "the gear I hid from the ex-wife" I said "yes, Ill borrow it" So tis month he is giving me on an indefinite loan bassis a Wr-t820 with a G-16, remote, lexicons and 1 of his dbx 160's. At no charge.... I start framing this month. I told my wife Im saving up though for a Alesis X2 and and HD24 so when he wants it back I can without crying.

The moral of the story. Have a plan and stick to it, otherwise you will get absolutely nowhere. Be willing to work from 4am to 2pm on a normal job and from 8pm to 2am recording/mixing.
You have to be able to tolerate fighting amongst band members, drunkeness, drugs and puke in your drive way. Yes, you must be able to handle wegro's who do bad hip hop and metal heads with 300 watt bass heads on a 2x12 cabinet.
Women who think the sound like a diva but at best can barely pull off phylis Diller. You must be able to eat Top Ramen everyday. You to be able to take an insult gracefully and not be insulting. Oh and if your a home recordist on the verge..Id get a honey bucket on the side of your house, can't have the band in the bathroom stinking it up...:mad:


Have a great day!

SoMm
 
Son of Mixerman said:
I start framing this month. I told my wife Im saving up though for a Alesis X2 and and HD24 so when he wants it back I can without crying.
Click to expand...


Did....you....say...an...ALESIS X2?????:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Please tell me you didn't say that!

It would be far more humane (and constructive) just to throw yourself off of a cliff.

I feel obligated to do an intervention here. Please read the "Worst Gear Hall of Fame" thread elsewhere on this board for more details. But at least promise me you'll PM me before you take the plunge (either off the cliff or onto the X2). I'll try and hook you up with AA (Alesis X2 Anonymous). The have a good 12 step program:

Step 1: Don't buy it.
Step 2: Don't accept one even if it's free.
Step 3: Don't let anyone pay you to take it.
Step 4: If you see one coming, change your name and apply for a witness relocation program.
Step 5: Don't be fooled by it's seductive exterior - inside it's all rotten.
Step 6: If you are ever tempted, call on a former owner for a reality check.(that would be me).
Step 7: Better you should buy 100 Alesis 3630's and a couple of dozen Oktava 219's.
Step 8: Chant your mantra: "Nix to x-2, nix to X-2, nix to X-2, etc."
Step 9: If you are still tempted, take a cold shower. In liquid nitrogen if necessary.
Step 10: Ask yourself why they only made about 500 of them.
Step 11: Imagine how useful the mixer will be once all the mic preamps stop working.
Step 12: Just say no.

 
I hate to gear bash ( LOL ignore my Behringer rants) but I back littledog up 10000000000 % on this one.

This thing will short, stick, and scratch on you WHENEVER you have a customer around...total total POS
 
I'm pretty happy with the gear I have going right now...and for me it is all about building skills, and going with that other than "I have this gear!"

i am in Atlanta right now, and tranferring to the University of GA in Athens in a few months. There are a lot of bands up there who want to record, and there are also lots of project studios.

I have checked out several of them, already made a few semi-friends up there...just so I am in the "loop".

I plan on doing a lot of recordings/production for free over the next year...just to get some kind of a local reputation.

I also am going to start playing live with my own band, and maybe I can generate some clients through that as well.

Anyways, as far as gear/space - I have full access to a nice basement (parents) there, it is nothing amazing - but, it is already pretty well setup for a studio..just needs some basic acoustic work, nothing crazy. My mics and instruments I am fine with for now. That Stephen Paul looks tempting though..

I am thinking about investing in a Soundcraft Ghost, and a Radar24...for my recording. Right now I am all PC based and just feel like getting away from it. That'd be about a $17,000 gear plunge...I guess though I am not really concerned with "paying it off" as I am with taking my sound to a new level though.

Just another of those 20 year old wannabe engineer/producers I guess...someone smack me down ;)
 
Ah come on guys (littlepipe), how else do ya expect me to hook up my Air-Fx?

Seriously though, Im not a big alesis fan, I have a 3630, Midiverb 2 and an SR-16 and have been frustrated on more than one occasion. I spend alot of time looking at consoles, wondering which one to get a few years away. I would like to have something decent, but still relatively small (24*8 max). More than likely its going to be something old, 4 band parametrics are a must and faders gotta be smooth with some resistance. Its gotta sound right and feel right. Maybe when I get to that point I can bounce my list of perspectives off of you two. LOL, I almost farted from laughing when I saw your responses...

SoMm
 
Wow, Pipeline! You too had a hands-on experience with an X-2? My condolences.

I forgot to mention one other lovely feature: when the mute automation locks up and the whole board refuses to pass sound until you pull the master module and short the lithium battery with a paperclip. Expect to do that at least a couple of times a week.
 
I want to know, just what kind of fader lube or grease it is that alesis found...which actually turns to friggin glue???? SERIOUSLY
 
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