MOTUnation.com

Not sure whether this thread would be better served in the Music Business forum or here as the impact of DAWs on the broader studio market is revisited.

http://mixonline.com/mixline/allaire_st ... sing_0804/

Allaire Studios Closing?

[quote]"The long-term problem is that Allaire is very specifically targeted to the music business, and increasingly the way albums are being made we kind of ran into the perfect storm of producer-and-artist home studios and failing retail. Those things combined to seal the studio••™s fate.••

I thought that was announced awhile back, but maybe not. So many studios closing these days, it's easy to lose track.

That's one of my favourite and most-used convolutions in Altiverb, so it will live on even after the studio closes. And perhaps can be used to rebuild it later .

Yeah, you know how rumors float around. When I saw the article, it surprised me to read that so many employees had already been let go-- felt less like rumor than fact.

I expected that home studios would have an impact. I just had no idea how high up the totem pole it would reach if Allaire is among the casualties.

Hmmmm where do I start. This is a common issue and will continue to happen. Why? The days of the LARGE format consoles are gone---- you don't need them anymore. Some artists want that large studio where the label is flipping the bill, but what was said about artist home studios IS true. I configure systems daily for home studios, professional studios and professional home studios. What happens is they buy the gear with their advance or investment, record the material at their own pace without being on a "per hour" clock, get it the way they want it-----and bill the label. Another method is still do it themselves, but instead of record labels going through distributors and control everything themselves. Either way, the artists can focus more on quality at their pace instead of under the gun to record, mix and get out. More and more artists are hiring their own engineers or learning to do it on their own, and doing quite well at it. It's cheaper to do it this way, way cheaper.

For example, a particular client of mine who is a John Denver tribute artist did his last album in Nashville at a cost of about $85,000 in studio time. I have designed a system for him that is EVERYTHING he needs for about $55,000. HERE'S HOW IT WORKS..... THe investors pay for the new gear instead of the rented studio and engineer. The artist stays in his home studio writing and recording, getting the tracks down--then hires out an engineer to come in (or sends their tracks to someone like myself) to mix them. WHILE this is all going on, they are recording local musicians at a fair rate.....the investor pays for the gear which one album pays for, then they (the artists) make additional money recording other groups. Pretty brilliant, huh?

The industry has changed, and they know it. This is why you see companies like SSL and Euphonix diving into outboard processing gear, smaller control surfaces, etc. If they don't do it, they go away.

Indeed, Brad.

We knew that this sort of impact would take place on peripheral studios. Financially, it all makes sense. What's left are those spaces needed for orchestras and choirs. That means that the watermark for the demise of studios is extremely high. Allaire goes like so many others-- and it was such a beautiful facility. Does Ocean Way also feel the pinch where, say, 20th Century Fox or SONY Studios may not?

What it also means (I hope) is that compact gear will continue to get better by default -- such as the Euphonix stuff you mentioned. The SSL Matrix comes to mind. We've already choked at the $26k price tag, but $26k sounds like the new $150k, in a manner of speaking. So many of the smaller digital mixers carried a stigma of being "good for the pro-sumer or some live applications but not good enough for prime time production".

This has been an odd time for a while, but it seems to be getting odder.

BradLyons wrote:The industry has changed, and they know it. This is why you see companies like SSL and Euphonix diving into outboard processing gear, smaller control surfaces, etc. If they don't do it, they go away.

Indeed. The labels are facing rough changes too. EMI recently hired one of the Google VP's, a move which has many speculating that at least EMI recognizes that the distribution model needs to change in a big way.

These are interesting times.

As to the labels facing tough times----in many ways, most of them deserve it. There have been so many labels and agencies that have depending on robbing from the newbies, taking advantage of those looking for their break and left them broke--beyond ruthless. My band, SPECTRE, was offered a $100,000 advance several years ago----if we were newbies, we would have been salivating, ready to sign---but we weren't, so we didn't. In fact, we all laughed in their faces and told them to take a hike. Why? Advances are basically loans.....if your album doesn't sell, you OWE that money back to them---they don't lose a dime. If you can't pay, they own you and future rights...or they can take you to court, whatever. If your project succeeds, the profits you make go back to them and you get a small percentage of what is made. BUT here's the kicker---that advance was meant to pay the cost of the production, sooooo your income is derived from where if you're the new kid on the block? It doesn't, unless you do more albums after you're known. Because of this, many decisions (such as the studios, mixing decisions, etc are decided BY the labels).

So now, artists invest their own money or have investors behind them that fund the studios or projects. They own the gear, they call the shots. And when it's time to sell (thanks to the WWW), they can bring in more profits. And this is just a very small glimpse into it.

BradLyons wrote:As to the labels facing tough times----in many ways, most of them deserve it. There have been so many labels and agencies that have depending on robbing from the newbies, taking advantage of those looking for their break and left them broke--beyond ruthless. My band, SPECTRE, was offered a $100,000 advance several years ago----if we were newbies, we would have been salivating, ready to sign---but we weren't, so we didn't. In fact, we all laughed in their faces and told them to take a hike. Why? Advances are basically loans.....if your album doesn't sell, you OWE that money back to them---they don't lose a dime. If you can't pay, they own you and future rights...or they can take you to court, whatever. If your project succeeds, the profits you make go back to them and you get a small percentage of what is made. BUT here's the kicker---that advance was meant to pay the cost of the production, sooooo your income is derived from where if you're the new kid on the block? It doesn't, unless you do more albums after you're known. Because of this, many decisions (such as the studios, mixing decisions, etc are decided BY the labels).

So now, artists invest their own money or have investors behind them that fund the studios or projects. They own the gear, they call the shots. And when it's time to sell (thanks to the WWW), they can bring in more profits. And this is just a very small glimpse into it.

Oh, yes-- I'm well aware of studio tactics. It was bound to cave in-- and the studios brought it not only upon themselves but on other studios and artists by default. That's what's so remarkable about the story of Prince as a pioneer indie. It also speaks volumes about the emergence of the independent film as well as the independent record labels.

Every recording artist I've ever worked with since getting to LA talked about the importance of touring if anything at all was going to be made from the recording project. It was because of stories like these that I chose a marginal participation the whole big studio recording artist/studio musician routine and took my chances on the road. It's also nice to get out of Dodge at sundown!

This is fascinating. I'm in a relatively small town, with few choices for fully pro recording studios. When I produced my first CD for a client (mostly arranging and making the calls in the studio), I was introduced to a small project studio running in a remodeled garage. I didn't have my hopes up for using this guy until I heard his work. He was putting out results as good as, and even at times better than, the big houses in town (who charge about three times as much for their massive boards and 2" tape). I'm wrapping up my third project with him this week.

He runs Sony Vegas as his DAW, and throws in Cakewalk if he needs MIDI (which he rarely does). He recently added an iso-booth/drum room and switched from a huge Mackie 8-bus to a little Onyx board and two medium racks of gear: one for pre-amps and stuff, and one for synths and PC's (one PC for Vegas, and one for MIDI and VI's). His studio is a big empty room except for his little island of gear in the middle, a tiny couch and a fireplace, and then a fully professional acoustic treatment, in and out of the booth. Very under-whelming when you walk in, until you hear what he does with it. He's more than happy to take your tracks you've recorded at home and just mix and master right there. (And you'll never meet a nicer guy, too.)

I feel like New York came to my neighborhood and settled down to retire, ya know? Recording on the bridge of the Enterprise has it's benefits, but then do I get to go in their kitchen and make tea and eat home-made muffins, too?

I LOVE living right now!

n

Hey npatton:

Your general story is not uncommon-- but to find a gem of a person who knows his stuff that happens to be in the neighborhood is a real blessing.

Curious-- how close are you to Portland? Have you ever worked at Kung Fu Bakery?

BradLyons wrote:As to the labels facing tough times----in many ways, most of them deserve it. There have been so many labels and agencies that have depending on robbing from the newbies, taking advantage of those looking for their break and left them broke--beyond ruthless.
...

So now, artists invest their own money or have investors behind them that fund the studios or projects. They own the gear, they call the shots. And when it's time to sell (thanks to the WWW), they can bring in more profits. And this is just a very small glimpse into it.

Absolutely. The worm is turning though. What Radiohead and NIN are doing represent the future. I feel zero sympathy for the major labels. Artists yes, labels no.

IMO, it is just sad.
Large format consoles and stuff aside, one huge reason for the studio is the rooms. Good drum rooms are not typically found in a home or project studio. Sure, people will argue that something like a decent Tama kit and drummer, then Beat Detective it and replace with drumagog..

Along with the great rooms, you also get a change of ambiance. Like going on vacation. There is something very inspirational and musically sexy about "moving into" a studio for a month and tracking.

Having an engineer and other "crew" to do all those things is sweet as well. To come up with something, and simply wave, and then, thru an open mic in the room, simply say you have a cool idea with this instrument or rig or whatever, and have someone else do the work while you refine the idea. Having access to all those mics, pre's, etc to experiment.

Sure, the cost is prohibitive in most cases these days. With the state of "record sales" and all these days (itunes is number one now...surpassed Wal-Mart and everyone else this month), the home/project studio makes economical sense, and for many of us, it is great for grabbing ideas quickly. Everything I have said can be argued against very easily. And I love being able to record at home with the quality I used to have to pay a minimum of $50/hour, and 4 hour block min many times, and then have to grab an engineer to boot. But, as much as I love this, I miss the old days. Alot. And seeing great places with EXCELLENT rooms like Allaire closing.. another one gone. So very, very sad.

nikki-k wrote:IMO, it is just sad.
Large format consoles and stuff aside, one huge reason for the studio is the rooms. Good drum rooms are not typically found in a home or project studio. Sure, people will argue that something like a decent Tama kit and drummer, then Beat Detective it and replace with drumagog..

Along with the great rooms, you also get a change of ambiance. Like going on vacation. There is something very inspirational and musically sexy about "moving into" a studio for a month and tracking.

Indeed-- that goes back to my point about rooms that hold full orchestras and large choruses.

It also inspired the question for npatton, another Oregonian, about the potential fate of Kung Fu Bakery Studios. I've worked there a few times, as recently as October. Then I think about Crossroads Productions just a few miles away in Vancouver, WA-- great studio, an annex to a very affluent church. They record all kinds of stuff there, not just religious-- but they may be in a better position to hold on to their large room studio status through all of this.

nikki-k wrote: Having an engineer and other "crew" to do all those things is sweet as well. To come up with something, and simply wave, and then, thru an open mic in the room, simply say you have a cool idea with this instrument or rig or whatever, and have someone else do the work while you refine the idea. Having access to all those mics, pre's, etc to experiment.

Sure, the cost is prohibitive in most cases these days.

Makes you wonder, though, what gets compromised with music production. Necessity and the lack of possibility have just as much on the state of the art and the direction of music creation as anything else. Take rap and "street" music for example. The whole trash drum kit stemmed from guys in the DC area beating on plastic or wooden tubs in alley ways, coming up with fierce grooves that have never been heard before. I was in Portland last week, and there was one such guy outside of Powell's Book Store on Stark St. playing his brains out. It was so cool and so good. That sound is now part of the fabric of an entire musical genre.

nikki-k wrote: But, as much as I love this, I miss the old days. Alot. And seeing great places with EXCELLENT rooms like Allaire closing.. another one gone. So very, very sad.

The old days. Ouch. I think I just broke a hip!!

It IS sad, though. When I read this at mixonline, I was heartbroken. I've always wanted a space like that, but the writing is on the wall-- it would be an expensive venture in vanity that could never pay for itself.

Here are some shots of Allaire for those who don't know... talk about atmosphere....

I don't think we fully realize the irreparable damage that is being done. Without knowing what the next chapter of history holds, it's clear that an important era in the long tale of music recording is over.

It has a lot to do with the fact that many musicians these days have never once set foot in a real full service facility. Even when there's one in their town, and they could easily take a tour. They have no idea what they are or aren't missing. It doesn't help that there's always a horror story to be heard about a bad/expensive studio experience. I'm sure these same people have a similar horror story about a car, but it probably didn't stop them from buying another later. But that comes down to need, which is a different category. The 'real studio' has ben painted into a corner as being 'the man' now, so it might as well be the plague to a certain faction of artists. I just hate to think about the possibility of there being no big rooms to work in when needed. My little 1200 sq ft place is starting to seem like a 'big room', which is just crazy. I can't tell you how many bands come in and don't grasp that they can all actually play and sing at the same time(!).

Frodo wrote:...it's clear that an important era in the long tale of music recording is over.

and yet....

it refuses to die.