#989917 - 01/06/05 03:45 PM
Time to play or get off the stage...
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Anim8
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Registered: 03/23/04
Posts: 6
Loc: Atlanta
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Hey guys, I lurk here everyday but I dont post much. I have a question thats been on my mind for sometime now and the time to act may be now...
I'm 35, I've done the original and cover band thing since I was a kid. Recording has naturally come into the picture from way back. Probably the same story as alot of you.
My question is...
Assumming that I'm a decent engineer, if I build a studio, will it be a venture that pays for itself?
I'm not talking about a high end studio. Just a midrange facility with a drum room, iso booths, control room, etc. to record local rock bands, church groups and the like.
Decent analog board, Nuendo, some nice preamps, mics and convertors... Nothing insane, just a small leap above my home studio now.
I do multimedia/animation for a living, so this would be an extension of my current workspace.
Any help and/or guidance here would be greatly appreciated.
Also.. I have been approached to record a hiphop project. I've never done any rap/hiphop recording. What is the standard procedure for this?
Does the talent normally bring their own stuff on disk or do they usually compose it in studio with the engineer?
I've heard a few nightmare stories about doing projects like this. I'd like to know what I'm getting into and what to expect as far as the recording/creation process goes so I can lay it out in the contract.
Again, thanks for the help!
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#989918 - 01/06/05 10:00 PM
Re: Time to play or get off the stage...
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Lee Flier
10k Club
Registered: 09/13/00
Posts: 15398
Loc: Atlanta,GA,UNITED STATES
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Hi Anim8, I see you're in my neck of the woods. 
I would say that the market here (like a lot of places) is pretty well flooded with studios like the one you describe. I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, but ONLY do it if you already have the space available and are not having to buy or rent an additional space for the studio. If you have an existing home, office or warehouse that has the space you can dedicate to it, and are willing/financially able to make it a part time venture or "your personal project studio that happens to bring in some money," then it's fine. If you're going to take on a big debt load and lots of monthly expenses, DANGER WILL ROBINSON.  This is just not a very practical thing to do right now and you could wind up losing your shirt.
In the long run though, if you do get a part time business going and you're good at it, you may be able to parlay it into a full time business. In the end most people pay for the skills of the engineer, and if you can build a reputation, you might be able to make it work. But the question is can you survive until that happens, and what you will do if it doesn't happen. There really are a ton of people doing this sort of thing and most of the ones I talk to find it very rough going.
As for the hip hop offer... yes it's common for hip hop artists to want you to help with composing bed tracks. And I probably wouldn't just jump into that type of project... I'd intern for a little while at a facility that does a lot of hip hop, so you can get a feel for it and see if it's something you can or want to get into.
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#989919 - 01/07/05 12:13 AM
Re: Time to play or get off the stage...
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Bill@Welcome Home Studios
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 08/23/03
Posts: 7294
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If you already do this type of work for a living, would you be able to expand that work if you expanded the studio?
Bill
_________________________
"...it's easier than hitting the kids, and almost as much fun..."
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#989920 - 01/07/05 01:42 AM
Re: Time to play or get off the stage...
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Anim8
Member
Registered: 03/23/04
Posts: 6
Loc: Atlanta
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Right now what little "real" recording I do makes up about 10% of my business. I do some voice-over work and a music track for game titles here and there.
My plan is to have the control room incorporated into my current media studio/space and just build on to incorporate the live rooms and iso booths.
I'm not trying to phase out my current situation, just add to my list of services. My overhead will be really low this way. I dont have to record to have food money. But the means to make up the end would be the goal obviously.
Whats a realistic income figure from a setup like this? $3000 a month? $1000? $500
It wouldnt take much for me to justify it in my situation. But it would take something... 
Thanks for the help!
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