#989558 - 05/12/04 01:43 AM
Studio Going Private
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Hendmik
Platinum Member
Registered: 05/06/02
Posts: 1337
Loc: Denver, CO
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I need some advice...
Over the past year, my studio has boomed. Almost too much. I find I'm turning down potential clients because they don't want to wait 6 months until my schedule frees up.
I'm not saying this to brag. Please believe me. I'm more saying this because I feel, more and more often, that the clients I accept aren't very good and that we're both wasting time and money trying to make it work. My creed has always been more than just a recording service, but more artist development instead. I finally have the flexibility to pick and choose my clients and again, not to sound egotistical, but I don't want to waste time with an act that doesn't have the talent or the motivation to really go all the way (which is most often the case). I actually question my ethics often, when I continue taking the money of a band that I KNOW is doomed to failure. I no longer have to record bands I don't like, so why should I?
I've thought about requiring people to submit a rough demo (preferably just a tape recorder in the middle of the room during rehearsal) to see if it's an act that would be a good match with me, which I think is reasonable. I'd also love to somehow gague beforehand, if they have some studio experience or whether they'll expect to spend a weekend recording and have a fully produced CD in their hands for $2k. But I've yet to formulate the actual logistics of how I'm going to pull this off. Including, how to I respond to those acts that I want to turn down? I don't want to give them a free Taxi critique, but nor do I want to just send them a form rejection letter.
Has anyone done this before or is currently doing it? Bill Park, I know you have in the past, run a private studio (you've mentioned it before on ProRec). What things should I be on the lookout for and what things am I not seeing now that might bite me later?
I'm just in the preliminary stages of working this out in my head. I'm sure I'll think of something else....
_________________________
Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to reform.
Mark Twain (1835-1910)
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Reporter: "Ah, do you think you could destroy the world?" The Tick: "Ehgad I hope not. That's where I keep all my stuff!"
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#989559 - 05/13/04 04:44 AM
Re: Studio Going Private
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duskb
Senior Member
Registered: 06/15/01
Posts: 194
Loc: Los Angeles, Ca
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I say count your blessings. There are quite a few studios and studio owners out there who are having a tough time just getting work in the door. Grin and bear it.
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#989560 - 05/13/04 03:31 PM
Re: Studio Going Private
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Hendmik
Platinum Member
Registered: 05/06/02
Posts: 1337
Loc: Denver, CO
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duskb,
Clearly some of your response is based upon your experience you outlined on your homepage. I'm sorry to hear you've had a rough season and I compltely understand your frustrations. However, Denver has plenty of shops that try to push artists through to make the mortgage. In fact, the market is fairly saturated. That's not what I'm about. And honestly, I'm not willing to conform to a business model that most studio owners say is failing them. When business is thriving, it's not the time to play it safe. It's time to try and innovate and use my success to further my business direction.
I also appreciate your response. It may be all the input I get here.
_________________________
Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to reform.
Mark Twain (1835-1910)
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Reporter: "Ah, do you think you could destroy the world?" The Tick: "Ehgad I hope not. That's where I keep all my stuff!"
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#989561 - 05/13/04 04:12 PM
Re: Studio Going Private
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duskb
Senior Member
Registered: 06/15/01
Posts: 194
Loc: Los Angeles, Ca
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Originally posted by Hendmik:
duskb,
Clearly some of your response is based upon your experience you outlined on your homepage. I'm sorry to hear you've had a rough season and I compltely understand your frustrations. However, Denver has plenty of shops that try to push artists through to make the mortgage. In fact, the market is fairly saturated. That's not what I'm about. And honestly, I'm not willing to conform to a business model that most studio owners say is failing them. When business is thriving, it's not the time to play it safe. It's time to try and innovate and use my success to further my business direction.
I also appreciate your response. It may be all the input I get here.
Though my initial response may indicate I am a bit disgruntled about the state of the LA business (which is true) I made my comments based on the myriads of other people I deal with who have had major upsets in their life because the music biz has become a parody of itself. Trying to fill work orders in this town gets to be a production of unmatchable magnitude, especially when you get rooms like Westlake dipping below the 4 figure a day range just to keep the doors open. I really feel for those guys because I can relate to their troubles. Actually, I feel for all of my fellow professionals here in town who are thinking about selling off their assets while they still have value and pursuing real estate as a profession instead.
As far as your situation if you are able to pick and choose your jobs consider yourself lucky. There are many out here who will take whatever they can get just to keep food on the table. In your case given your unique situation I would only take jobs that you feel benefit your career and pass the nightmares over to people who really want the work.
My $.02
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#989562 - 05/14/04 05:23 AM
Re: Studio Going Private
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ECBRules
Gold Member
Registered: 03/03/02
Posts: 537
Loc: Gaithersburg, Md, Usa
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I started my studio business roughly a year after a friend had also. He records a lot of High school punk and ska bands out of his basement. I am aiming my services to a more adult crowd, and the way I work (which I am only half as busy as I could be) puts me in a position to work with clients from a couple levels. First off, a Job is a Job, and some cases require that you treat it as such. A lot of people come to me to mix their home studio tracked stuff. They pay me an hourly or block rate and off we go.
Now I do get calls from a lot of younger bands who want to record ten rock songs in a day, basically with low expectations for their product, and usually after talking to them, they either go record at my friends house, or end up using my studio with a "higher expectation" to "amount of songs" ratio for their budget.
As for the result of my method, It is well known that every band comes out of my studio with a superior product. People also know that they pay a little more than your average basement studio because of my quality standards. I guess you could say that I am naturally weeding out the crap.
I present myself as a producer and work dilligently with the bands I do work with. Sometimes taking the relationships much further than a hours in the studio thing, into booking gigs, management, advice and guidance. I figure if I can help build a few superior bands with the extra time I have, my reputation will pave the way for better and better work.
I dont know how that relates to your situation but thats where I am in this business.
Regards,
Keny
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#989563 - 05/14/04 03:57 PM
Re: Studio Going Private
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bdbklyn
Platinum Member
Registered: 04/04/01
Posts: 1035
Loc: Los Angeles,CA,UNITED STATES
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My suggestion is that you sit in the middle of the rehearsal and not have the band send you a shitty tape of themselves. You will hear things in the room that the recorder is not going to pick up. There will be things that you see in the room that could raise red flags as to whether or not you want to be involved with them. You will also have the opportunity to be on "the same side of the glass" for a bit which I feel is very important in building a relationship with a potential client. From what I gather from your inital post is that you are producing or at least engineering these projects. You are not just the studio owner or manager. If they are not ready to record, you will be able to tell by being there a lot easier than listening to a badly recorded demo tape.
good luck
Bill
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Studio Guru
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#989564 - 05/14/04 08:30 PM
Re: Studio Going Private
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Philip O'Keefe
10k Club
Registered: 12/17/00
Posts: 17674
Loc: Riverside,CA,UNITED STATES
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I'm with Bill on this one. Getting a self-made tape or CD from the band isn't as useful as attending a rehersal or even a live gig before working with them - each will tell you far more about the band than you'll get off the demo. I like to have the demo too (if for nothing else but to refresh my memory later), but hearing them play in person can't be beat.
You can tell bands that you're not interested in that your shcedule is full up for "x months", which might dissuade them, or refer them to someone else because your "genre specialty" is something a bit different than what they're going for and it would therefore NOT be fair to you OR them for you to do their record, etc.
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#989565 - 05/15/04 12:57 AM
Re: Studio Going Private
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zele
Platinum Member
Registered: 01/12/01
Posts: 1136
Loc: carmel,CA,UNITED STATES
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"But I've yet to formulate the actual logistics of how I'm going to pull this off. Including, how to I respond to those acts that I want to turn down?"
Simply raise your prices~~ this will weed out most--that's the route we took 10 years ago..
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#989566 - 05/16/04 04:07 PM
Re: Studio Going Private
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Jason Poff
Senior Member
Registered: 05/11/01
Posts: 330
Loc: Lexington, Ky.UNITED STATES
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I agree,
Raise the rates and weed out the wankers. Or at ieast the wankers who don't have alot of money. 
Jason
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#989567 - 05/18/04 02:32 PM
Re: Studio Going Private
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AlanThomas
Gold Member
Registered: 07/22/02
Posts: 534
Loc: Burbank, CA
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I think you just need to clarify, to solidify exactly what it is you want to do with your studio.
If your intent is to run a recording studio as a profit making business, then regardless of your opinion of a clients talent or potential for commercial success, it's not a waste of time if you're getting your hourly rate.
If your intent is to be a producer and "develop talent" then perhaps the hourly rate isn't the point at all and you should sign bands to development deals, record them for free in exchange for a piece of the pie when they achieve some success.
Personally, I don't think you can have it both ways with any kind of integrity.
I do think it's a fair and reasonable business goal to want to attract a higher level of clientele. But simply raising your rates does a disservice to those clients that you want even if it does squeeze out those that you don't. I think you need to upgrade your level of service in some significant way in order to justify the rate increase.
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#989568 - 06/01/04 03:50 PM
Re: Studio Going Private
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freelance
Senior Member
Registered: 03/18/02
Posts: 349
Loc: Oh, I forgot?
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As some have already indicated, if you are in the studio "business" you need to sell studio time to whatever client can pay for it (unless you feel the client poses some risk to your facility).
If you are in the business of artist development/management or want to take the role of a producer, than certainly you need to choose projects that offer the most reward/satisfaction. Certainly many freelance producers and engineers selct projects that they want to do (or that will advance thier careers.
I have a demo/project studio in my home. I choose to be very selective on who I allow into my studio (since it is indeed my home). As a result I don't get as much work as I would like and the studio can not support me (so I work a day job and gig on weekends).
While I try to "choose" projects that have artistic merit, I sometimes make decisions on that artist (do I like them, trust them and/or wat them in my home)which candidly, trims the field significantly.
I had considered moving to an industrial location and making the studio more "public" - however, given the state of the industry, I'm not prepared to cast my financial fate to a commercial studio endeaver.
I envy that you are able to be so selective and still keep your studio booked. If you are in a position to pick and choose your projects you certainly should take advantage of that.
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#989569 - 06/25/04 04:26 AM
Re: Studio Going Private
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soundthinker
Senior Member
Registered: 06/24/04
Posts: 222
Loc: Chicago, IL
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Originally posted by Hendmik:
Including, how to I respond to those acts that I want to turn down?
"You know, from a production standpoint I think that Jonny over at Studio X would be a great fit for you guys, let me get you his number. Tell him I sent you."
Don't say that Studio X is better than your place, even if they are 'wankers' they still have mouths. But it sounds like you have a solid reputation and any clients you wanted to work with would be in the know.
Also, depending on your budget, consider hiring someone on to take care of the added workload that goes into running a label/production company, which seems like the direction you're headed. This will let you stay out of the office and spend more time in the studio(where I assume you would rather be)
Either way - congrats on the success! It gives hope to the rest of us.(me anyway)
/jim
Hell, Jonny may even be able to kick a good band your way.
_________________________
"...it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lacking patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It is the same in any country."
-Hermann Goering, second in command of the Third Reich
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