Published at: 07:01 am - Monday January 16 2012
I’m not the first one to ask this question, obviously. But I stumbled on an article from The Atlantic that puts the argument in a striking graphic.
The reality today is that music is your loss leader. It gets people into the door, it keeps people thinking of you in between shows, and it’s something your fans can use to market for you as they pass your songs around to all their friends. Album sales in itself are not much of a moneymaker anymore, but without it, no one will ever buy a t-shirt from you or pay to see you perform.
Does that mean you should not record in a formal studio and just sell a board mix from your last gig? Probably not. I can’t remember the last time I heard a board mix on a locals radio show. You have to have a strong demo, you just need a PLAN on how you’re going to use it.
Budget carefully. Ask yourself:
- How many songs should I record that is enough to get people into our gigs?
- After I pay studio time, do I have enough money to have it mixed and mastered?
- Have I budgeted for graphic design for the album cover?
- Can I afford to press a few hundred discs? It’s still good to have some physical discs at gigs – impulse buys are harder with iTunes….
All of these calculations will tell you how many albums you need to sell to break even or how many gigs you need to play to make it all worthwhile. Stick to your number!!! Don’t rely on anyone but yourself to remind you of your financial plan when you’re asking your producer to re-cut your lead vocals for the 4th time.
So…. you’ve done all the calculations and know how much you have to book a studio, but don’t know how to find one. Apart from me slapping you aside the head (you’re reading a studio blog for fucksake), it’s not easy choosing a producer – especially in Denver. I get it. I encourage you to talk to several and find a good match for yourself and your music. Get disappointed, disgusted and pissed off at the competition, then call me.
Next article, I’ll focus on steps and things to keep in mind while choosing a producer (whether it ends up being me or not).