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Author Topic: A good record compared to competent business  (Read 7159 times)

Die BREMSSPUR

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A good record compared to competent business
« on: November 01, 2006, 12:14:55 PM »

Obviously, a lot of you cats have your own businesses and have to deal with everything that comes with it, as well as being involved in recording and mixing…
Over the years here I have read a lot about the tenants of a good record…
Something to the effect of:
In a very particular order…
The arrangement of the song…How the song was played…
Then to a lesser extent…
How the song was recorded…
Mixing…
Mastering…
Etcetera…
First off, it’s great to debate the music side, but what about the business side.
Does anyone have an opinion concerning having a simple visualization thusly summing up the whole regimen in simple quantifiable steps like some do as cited above?


lemme nough

tik
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Fletcher

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Re: A good record compared to competent business
« Reply #1 on: November 01, 2006, 05:02:08 PM »

The number one factor is the song... after that its all a matter or putting it together.  If you don't have a good song you ain't got shit.

From there, in terms of selling the product you need promotion motherfuckers, lawyers, agents, publicists, a bunch of luck and a strong tail wind.
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CN Fletcher

mwagener wrote on Sat, 11 September 2004 14:33
We are selling emotions, there are no emotions in a grid


"Recording engineers are an arrogant bunch.  
If you've spent most of your life with a few thousand dollars worth of musicians in the studio, making a decision every second and a half... and you and  they are going to have to live with it for the rest of your lives, you'll get pretty arrogant too.  It takes a certain amount of balls to do that... something around three"
Malcolm Chisholm

Die BREMSSPUR

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Re: A good record compared to competent business
« Reply #2 on: November 01, 2006, 05:29:19 PM »

Sorry,

I realize now that even though I studied the question before I posted it I still fukked it all up...

What I was trying to say was...

Concerning running your own business...

Meaning the studio...

Is there a way to visualize some of the most important factors...

Other than not going broke..

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outloud

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Re: A good record compared to competent business
« Reply #3 on: November 01, 2006, 10:34:29 PM »

I'll bite - there are a lot of similarities:

MUSIC - The Song itself
BUSINESS - Strong client base, consistant work, greaet niche

MUSIC - The arrangement of the song…
BUSINESS - Ethical, excellent service and production

MUSIC - How the song was played…
BUSINESS - Professional practices, meeting deadlines - exceeding expectations

MUSIC - How the song was recorded…
BUSINESS - Comfort level, trust, fun

MUSIC - Mixing…
BUSINESS - Firm business practices and financial, office management

MUSIC - Mastering…
BUSINESS - Going the extra mile every time (it adds up!!!)
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rankus

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Re: A good record compared to competent business
« Reply #4 on: November 02, 2006, 02:49:58 PM »

Diversity:

I think this is the key to survival in today's studio market.  Look at recording as just one income stream for your business.

In my case this means running some rehearsal rooms, a beer machine, gear repairs etc. I'm also making contacts in the film biz (ick) and doing some ADR here and there (ick)

Fletcher has Mercenary, Terry has Lucas, etc.

One buddy runs a music school out of his studio, another has a music store in front and studio in the back .... (Hi Mike)

My next studio (I can dream) I would like to have a workshop so I can manufacture music related items (speaker cabinets etc.) and I will probably incorporate some film related studios (editing suites, foley, voice over booths etc.) rather than rehearsal...

IMO, a good business has more than one income stream.. If you have 4 streams and one dries up you are only 25% screwed, as opposed to 100%
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Tim Halligan

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Re: A good record compared to competent business
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2006, 01:50:43 AM »

rankus wrote on Fri, 03 November 2006 03:49


I'm also making contacts in the film biz (ick) and doing some ADR here and there (ick)



Rick,

Why the "ick" with the film stuff?

In my world, the film/tv stuff is the cream gig...they pay top dollar, the setup is far less time-consuming, the people are usually lovely, and the sessions are generally over quickly...er, except when you land a 26 part series and it wipes out 6 months of your life. Very Happy

Cheers,
Tim


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M Carter

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Re: A good record compared to competent business
« Reply #6 on: November 03, 2006, 11:05:14 AM »


Not a business owner, but with management experience under my belt I can say a couple things...

-I think it's important to find out/advertise what makes your studio different from someone elses

-have good relationships with other studios

-have a target client base

-know and be honest about what type of service you can adequately provide and at what cost.  

the last two are really important factors that people seem to neglect when doing this.  You've got to remember that the 'studio biz' is a service based industry and sometimes you really are better off referring someone elsewhere if you aren't sure you can give them what they want.   It's better to have 9 happy clients than 11 unhappy clients.

Matt
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chrisj

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Re: A good record compared to competent business
« Reply #7 on: November 03, 2006, 01:40:05 PM »

It looks to me like:

consistency
believability
industry
ingenuity

...in that order.

First, people have to be able to predict what they're getting, to know what to expect. They have to find that plausible (we'll leave out 'desirability' 'cos that's really subjective ok?). Then you have to put in the effort to please people once they've given you a chance. Only then does it matter whether you have a Nifty New Thing to offer...

That's just my POV, I invite argument Very Happy

Die BREMSSPUR

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Re: A good record compared to competent business
« Reply #8 on: November 03, 2006, 02:12:26 PM »

Well,

of course I will read this thread a few more times...

But I am thinking the number one factor is organization.

lemme nough

tik
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Larrchild

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Re: A good record compared to competent business
« Reply #9 on: November 03, 2006, 02:28:50 PM »

Rankus, I discovered that if you live in a city where movies are being shot, that ADR is a good business.

Actors that are working on a film in that city are always needed for ADR pickup lines and re-do's for the last film they made, which is now in post production.

Since you live in Vancouver, the pond seems full of fish in that respect.
Go get em.

$200/hr to hear annoying beeps beats the breadline, anyday.
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rankus

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Re: A good record compared to competent business
« Reply #10 on: November 03, 2006, 02:45:32 PM »

Larrchild wrote on Fri, 03 November 2006 11:28

Rankus, I discovered that if you live in a city where movies are getting shot, that ADR is a good business.

Actors that are working on a film in that city are always needed for ADR pickup lines and re-do's for the last film they made, which is now in post production.

Since you live in Vancouver, the pond seems full of fish in that respect.
Go get em.


Thanks fo the booster Larry... Yes, the Vancouver film scene is really strong (localy refered to as "Hollywood North")... A ton of film schools popping out wannabe directors all making their first films,,, This is where most of my current film projects come from...

Tim:  Sorry for the "ick". I have fun doing film work as well, and it pays...  I just love music and even musicians, so it kinda feels like I'm not being true to myself and my dreams.... But that said, money and food can come in handy sometimes... and the people are a lot of fun in that industry as well...

I feel lucky to be in Vancouver with a strong music and film scene for sure! (But the studio competition down here on the underbelly is pretty fierce, and keeps prices down, so it goes both ways)
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max cooper

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Re: A good record compared to competent business
« Reply #11 on: November 04, 2006, 04:38:00 PM »

Fletcher wrote on Wed, 01 November 2006 16:02

The number one factor is the song... after that its all a matter or putting it together.  If you don't have a good song you ain't got shit.

From there, in terms of selling the product you need promotion motherfuckers, lawyers, agents, publicists, a bunch of luck and a strong tail wind.


And don't forget that even in this day and age, the Radio guy is worth his weight in gold records.
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rphilbeck

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Re: A good record compared to competent business
« Reply #12 on: November 05, 2006, 01:57:42 PM »

Fletcher wrote on Wed, 01 November 2006 17:02

The number one factor is the song... after that its all a matter or putting it together.  If you don't have a good song you ain't got shit.

From there, in terms of selling the product you need promotion motherfuckers, lawyers, agents, publicists, a bunch of luck and a strong tail wind.



I disagree.  The number one factor is the performance.  I great performance makes a mediocre song great.  A mediocre performance however, will kill great song.
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amorris

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Re: A good record compared to competent business
« Reply #13 on: November 08, 2006, 09:17:31 AM »

if i read you correctly, youre asking about how to run a studio and make money? understand your market. serve your market. dont try to do hit records in peoria. there is a lot of business anywhere for people who want to do the work people there want you to do. not what you want to do for them.
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Die BREMSSPUR

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Re: A good record compared to competent business
« Reply #14 on: November 09, 2006, 06:16:57 PM »

amorris wrote on Wed, 08 November 2006 15:17

if i read you correctly, youre asking about how to run a studio and make money? understand your market. serve your market. dont try to do hit records in peoria. there is a lot of business anywhere for people who want to do the work people there want you to do. not what you want to do for them.



It's discouraging butt you have to turn a buck.

As far as Peoria goes, it's too late.  I have the sickness.  I won't record for money.  I'd rather burn my gear.  I'd rather cut my teeth out with a dremel tool.

Where the real vise on your balls comes in is when you won't record shit you don't like and a band you do like won't follow you over the edge....then....

you're fukked...

In the mean time, there's the business side of things.  Following a budget, completing daily shit....it's tough.

It has nothing to do with art.  You have to be two seperate mother fukkers.

Do any of you believe that you can be a better person and run a studio at the same time.  There comes a time when you have to kick people in the ass...you are at that point no longer their bier drinkin' buddy.

When I first came to this forum one of the biggest things that impressed me besides, "use your ears"  I had no idea what that fukken meant, but the other main point was, "if you are an asshole people won't come back."  At the time I thought, no problem.  That was my major strength, I saw how others could not empathize with the musician and I received only positive feedback once I opened my door.  But time is fukken money.  And most of the time Peorians don't understand that.

And when you do so many nights til 3 a.m. and then your paperwork falls behind...and you're paying late fees...and you miss opportunities and you're always playing catch up...there comes a time when your time management spills over to the drummer getting off his ass and making it happen.

So the goal is art...in another hour jackass...hop fukken hop!

Any thoughts...

tik



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