Unfair Studio Prices

[chessrock]

I'll admit it: I think it's a solid business plan in this market sector to develop skills at low rates for the mutual benefit of both project studio and artist.

Exactly.

The only party this arrangement hurts is the one who theoretically would have been paid the premium rates. In this case, guys at the big studios.

Size of studio is irelevent. It hurts anyone who's trying to make a legitimate business out of it. The professional who wants to be able to pay his bills at the end of the month or to buy groceries. Basically anyone who wants the revenue side of his balance sheet to be larger than the expenses side.

I know my music doesn't justify recording time at the big studios downtown but I will pay someone to record my music in a project basement studio.

We might be focusing too much on the studio / workshop and not enough on the craftsman or engineer. Example: Some of the best music to come out in the last decade or so has been done just around the corner from me at King Size (Wilco-Summerteeth, many others. Mike Hagler's a talented dude). Very modest setup, but I think the stuff they produce blows the pants off any of the "downtown" studios you refer to . . . or the fancy stuff you've got out there in the burbs for that matter. Then there are guys like Blaze Barton who's achievements and work are just sick (good sick). There's a whole world outside the 'burbs, my friend!

Then you got guys like Moon Unit Sound

These are the guys who are getting inched out. The Blue-collar, artistic, talented types who work hard and get solid results without charging an arm and a leg.

If Albini were just getting started . . . right now and in this market . . . the situation might have been very different for someone like him. We might not have even had the Pixies or Electric Audio. And that wouldn't be a good thing. Not for the music industry. Not for the Indie Artist. Not for anyone who appreciates music..

I guess the gist of my rant is that . . . yes . . . it is possible to have all levels of service in this sector. It is possible to have a less expensive studio, for example, that can cater to the needs of the less serious musician and have it coincide with the more expensive studios that might cater to more serious musicians and so on at all levels and price points. Bla bla bla.

But it can't happen unless everyone is operating under the premise of a legitimate, profitable business entity. The guys that can't make more than they spend will ultimately undermine this process, lessening the available options and the quality of those options. And they're not exactly doing themselves much good, either.

 

[distortedrumble]

I thought there was already a certification for engineers....in north carolina, Massage Therapy was considered adult entertainment and it wasnt certified. all you had to do was have a small business license. now that legislation has been passed for it to be a legitimate practice, prices havent gone up but the number of massage parlors/prostitute hubs have gone down. i think certification is definitely needed and i dont see where it would hurt anything.

 

[stonepiano]

Again, I think we're focusing too much on the studio / workshop and not enough on the craftsman or engineer. Some of the best music to come out in the last decade or so has been done just around the corner from me at King Size (Wilco -- Summerteeth, many others). I think the stuff they produce blows the pants off any of the "downtown" studios you refer to.

If I refer to downtown studios, I do so only vaguely because I honestly wouldn't know. I haven't been in a studio that wasn't run out of a house. I'm not really a student of the ebb and flow in the commercial studio world. I wish I knew more but I waste enough time learning about other things.

Then there are guys like Blaze Barton who's achievements and work are just sick (good sick). You really need to venture outside the 'burbs once in a while my friend!

You gotta save that for Massive Mastering, Chess. You know I live in the CI-Tay!

Then you got guys like Moon Unit Sound who can crank stuff out on a regular basis that can compete with the best of them . . . and at a price that even the poor guys can afford.

That's why you get business. You meet the price point and, to my ears, are very good at what you do. Plus, your marketing is aggressive and effective.

That's why you'll survive and the schmoes who sit around griping about Jonny Winnetka who plays engineer on the weekends will not.

Now, if you want advice as to how to improve your flow of traffic, both new and repeat, I'm always ready to throw out 5 cents worth of free advice.

. . . Man am I ever ranting. Someone shut me up, please.

Nah. I like hearing your opinion.

 

[mshilarious]

Basically anyone who wants the revenue side of his balance sheet to be larger than the expenses side.

I hope you don't DIY accounting . . . we professionals need the business

 

[chessrock]

That's why you'll survive and the schmoes who sit around griping about Jonny Winnetka who plays engineer on the weekends will not.

I think the problem is that I'm not really "surviving." And I'm not able to give this my all, because I'm too worried about bills all the time . . . stuff breaking down that needs to be fixed. Worried about what would have happened if August would have been as slow as July.

And the sad part is that other guys whom I idolize and who have a list of accomplishments far greater than mine . . . and who aren't charging that much more than me to begin with are in the same boat.

It's kind of sad, because guys like these should be booked constantly. and guys like me should be booked at least enough to shut us up and keep us from ranting on threads like this one. I'm all ears if you think you've got any advice you'd like to shoot by me via PM or on this thread if you don't think it would be too personal or hijacking.

 

[chessrock]

I hope you don't DIY accounting . . . we professionals need the business

I just lost my biggest client to some kid down the street with a Portastudio. he he. You think I can afford an accountant?

 

[boingoman]

I think the problem is that I'm not really "surviving." And I'm not able to give this my all, because I'm too worried about bills all the time . . . stuff breaking down that needs to be fixed. Worried about what would have happened if August would have been as slow as July.

And the sad part is that other guys whom I idolize and who have a list of accomplishments far greater than mine . . . and who aren't charging that much more than me to begin with are in the same boat.

It's kind of sad, because guys like these should be booked constantly. and guys like me should be booked at least enough to shut us up and keep us from ranting on threads like this one. I'm all ears if you think you've got any advice you'd like to shoot by me via PM or on this thread if you don't think it would be too personal or hijacking.

Running a small business is the root cause of baldness IMO. Myself, I gave up any idea of my chosen vocations giving me steady 9-5 employment. Boom and bust seems to be the norm. And for me there is also the personal side, it's been hard to maintain a relationship or anything like a "normal" home life.
Is summer just slow for studios in general? I can imagine some seasonality as summer is a precious commodity especially for those of us who have to deal with winter. My sound business dies in December and I'm sucking wind till May when graduations and weddings start happening. Fortunately repairs pick up as people get done with their summer gig schedules. Do you do things like transfers from LP to CD, or audio restoration? Or location recording? Not necessarily music, but interviews, documentaries, things like that? Home movie to CD transfer? Soundtrack or foley work? Vanity projects like amateurs singing over backing tracks? I don't know- just tossing stuff out. Are you open to working really fucked-up hours? (I'm assuming you are-you are in audio ) I did a voice-over job for a woman a couple weeks ago at 2 in the morning after a 14 hour day working a festival because it was the only time we could get together. It's hurting my relationship, but I gotta do what I love to do. I haven't heard any of your product but others here speak highly of your work. Hopefully none of these suggestions are too silly. I hate doing DJ gigs, but any port in a storm....

 

[chessrock]

Do you do things like transfers from LP to CD, or audio restoration? Or location recording? Not necessarily music, but interviews, documentaries, things like that? Home movie to CD transfer? Soundtrack or foley work? Vanity projects like amateurs singing over backing tracks? I don't know- just tossing stuff out.

Well, now that you mention it . . .

I do some audio post-production for film and that sort of thing. Sound design, foley, ADR, the works. And I love it. Every bit as much as recording a good musician or band, in fact. I'm still working on getting in to some doors and networking for that, but it's extremely tough. You can check some examples here: http://www.audioforvideo.net/moonunitpagedesign_examples.html

The other stuff you mention I'm not entirely sure how to go about advertising those services, but I'm open to the idea.

 

[boingoman]

Well, now that you mention it . . .

I do some audio post-production for film and that sort of thing. Sound design, foley, ADR, the works. And I love it. Every bit as much as recording a good musician or band, in fact. I'm still working on getting in to some doors and networking for that, but it's extremely tough. You can check some examples here: http://www.audioforvideo.net/moonunitpagedesign_examples.html

The other stuff you mention I'm not entirely sure how to go about advertising those services, but I'm open to the idea.

Cool. That's why I sort of qualified those suggestions. Some people get this whole "I'm above that" attitude or just want to record bands. Networking is fucking hard. Part of what I've found is expanding the public's awareness of what I do. For instance, a studio around here reopened a couple years ago. They changed their name from Jetsound to Egan Media Production . The change in name was designed to more fully describe what they were capable of. Most people don't fully understand what an engineer and studio can do. I used to say "I do sound". Now it's more like "I provide concert services and corporate event A/V production." Most of the public has no idea what we actually do. The more you describe, the more people find they have a need for your services. A local studio here just got a gig transferring part of a college LP library to digital and integrating it into the library database. God, I spent hours cold calling businesses, colleges, local government, posting flyers, just to tell people what I do. And like I said, I was amazed at how few people really understood what I could provide. And how many called, eventually. I whored myself out and did anything. ( Not cheaply, either, I agree with the basic premise of your original "rant") Sometimes I hate myself , like setting up a system for karaoke, but I'm making it.(Barely)

Oooh, I forgot consulting .

 

[stonepiano]

I'm all ears if you think you've got any advice you'd like to shoot by me via PM or on this thread if you don't think it would be too personal or hijacking.

Well, I didn't think you were up to diversifying your profit centers but, from the looks of your other site, it seems you are.

Like Boingoman, I would create an image of a company that can cater to all aspects of the artists' needs and create key strategic alliances to outsource and take points off the deal.

For example, if you walk into a guitar store and tell them you need a guitar fixed, they don't tell you the name of the local luthier and wish you well. They take it, give it to someone who can fix it and take some extra cash for acting as the matchmaker.

Be the bridge for stuff that makes sense to you and your clients. Make nice with a GC employee (maybe offer to barter small studio time for his GC discount) and buy small things to resell to your clients. When I worked for GC, I bought strings for $2 a pack. You could resell them for $4 to your clients and have them restring while you setup drums and what not. Gives them something to do while you do your work besides look over your shoulder asking if you're ready yet.

Of course, that's little stuff. You could also "engineer" a sale between your recording client and any packaging design partner, mastering house, cd duplication plant or even music video peeps. As long as they understand that by you giving them business, you expect a few points from the sale. Those big ones are a little harder to just "introduce" but it can be done.

Also, you have a good rep here and you like to talk/explain stuff. Why not offer engineering lessons/consulting on people's home studio. You could go onsite to the houses of all these doodes with portastudios and show them how to hook up their nanoComp or 3630 for a fee, of course. In the process, you'd also be scoping the shittier competition and see what they're doing wrong so you can do it right.

Lastly, if you want to get real down and dirty, there's this. Build a network of available studio musicians. Drummers, guitarists, keys, violinists, etc. Get a rolodex and offer their skills as an add on to Songwriters cutting demos.
Songwriter Special is what I call it. Then, when you get songwriters who want to do something beyond what they're capable, you act as a bridge and get someone in to make their song better. And, accept a small percentage for your trouble, of course. Hunt at open mics, post online, search for studio musician collectives...whatever it takes.

Whoa, I gotta get back to my real job. Hope some of that makes sense without editing.

 

[boingoman]

Good ideas stonie, but that fucking avatar cracks me up. WTF?

 

[chessrock]

Lastly, if you want to get real down and dirty, there's this. Build a network of available studio musicians. Drummers, guitarists, keys, violinists, etc. Get a rolodex and offer their skills as an add on to Songwriters cutting demos. Songwriter Special is what I call it. Then, when you get songwriters who want to do something beyond what they're capable, you act as a bridge and get someone in to make their song better. And, accept a small percentage for your trouble, of course.

Some great stuff.

Honestly, the best idea I've heard in a while. Can't tell you how often I get people calling up telling me: "I'm a vocalist, and I have songs I would like to record."

Me: "Great, I take it you have musicians? A band?"

Her/him: "No. Do you have anything I could sing to?"



Mostly, this kind of thing is rappers hoping I have some beats for them and what not. But it's the same idea. If I could work out a deal and package it to where I can give them a concrete figure: "For $X per musician, per song, plus studio time, I can get you an entire background track for your songs."

It's kina' tough to offer a concrete figure like that when you've got so many different musicians in the area who charge differently -- some by the hour and some by song, etc. I'm sure it could be done, though.

Thanks for the tip. If you'd like to act as my agent for something like this, let me know. You could take the markup . . . I'd be interested in the extra business I coud draw from being able to offer it, but I'm not sure if I have the time/energy to do the legwork.

 

[boingoman]

Yeah, that's a great idea. Another place around here does that with the guys in his own band .

Go chessrock! You can do it, man.

 

[stonepiano]

Also, did I forget to mention posting an ad for and hiring the obligatory "interns" to do work for you?

The way I figure, you'll need a marketing, adminstration and maybe an audio intern:

You know marketing. First marketing jobs are always hard to score. Why not hit craigslist and offer someone a chance to beef up their marketing/business development resume by helping your company. If they're young and just out of college, they'll take what you offer in trade (sometimes nuthin) and help you develop your business.

Also, you could get an audio intern to help you do those boring media transfers you're capable of doing but won't ever want to do. .

And boingo, that avatar really is me and those is my specs! God's honest truth!

 

[boingoman]

You rock dude.

And those were some great ideas. Gave me some more material to work with. This has been a great thread so far.

 

[distortedrumble]

LOL i get that a good bit. people who can sing or say they can sing but dont have any music to sing to. these people are the kind of people where you really need to weed through cause i havent met too many who arent serious. after you make the music, they chicken out or decide they would rather write the lyrics and have someone else sing. mainly i do music as $50-$75 a song and for $25 more they can record the vocals. i think this is fair what do yall think?

 

[xfinsterx]

i charge quite a bit more than 75 a song.
BUT
ill try to write it so well that even if they sing a turd at my mic at least itll still sound fairly appealing.

AUTO TUNE TO THE RESCUE!!!!!!!

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

Jumping in late here......

Do you do things like transfers from LP to CD, or audio restoration? Or location recording? Not necessarily music, but interviews, documentaries, things like that? Home movie to CD transfer? Soundtrack or foley work? Vanity projects like amateurs singing over backing tracks? I don't know- just tossing stuff out. Are you open to working really fucked-up hours? (I'm assuming you are-you are in audio )

Yes to all those things... plus coprorate voice-over work - IVR's (phone messaging) getting bigger and bigger...

I don't think a successful studio outside of LA or Nashville can rest only on doing music - especially just starting out. If you're an audio engineer, then you should be doing ANYTHING audio-related....... and there's actually a lot of it to be done. Sure, it's not as glamorous as doing a major-label album or even local bands in general, but it fills-in the time slots and puts food on the table!

The weird hours and loss of time with family & friends are an occupational hazard for many small businesses.......... but as I've said before, you don't go into it with the intention of making gobs of money, you have to go into it because you live and breathe audio and can't imagine doing anything else!

With a little luck, and a lot of business staying power (read - enough capital to sustain you thru the lean times), you'll likely become successful enough that you will be a position to pick and choose your projects.

 

[distortedrumble]

LOL auto tune......hmmm...I'll look into getting one of those and maybe that'll lure in some business from people who suck

 

[jonhall5446]

LOL auto tune......hmmm...I'll look into getting one of those and maybe that'll lure in some business from people who suck

Preach on brother!

This looks to be the start of one of those 11 page threads, but in order to reach legendary status you gotta piss someone off