Recording - November 2014 - 35

and a small powered mixer with a couple of speakers, you can
open up opportunities and solve a problem for somebody. (Just
be considerate of the neighbors, and mind your zoning laws!)
Everyone needs a video for YouTube! Expand your knowledge and services into the realm of video, and you'll have both
audio and video covered. Video editing tools for modern computers are powerful and affordable-some are even free. HD
cameras and lighting kits are also much less expensive than they
have ever been. The more you know, the more you're worth.
Make instructional videos on your instrument or for any techniques you have mastered. Give online video lessons via Skype
or YouTube. Make a library of loops or whole pieces on your
instrument at various tempos.
Consider making a portable recording rig or doing live sound.
Colleges, music groups, benefits and events always need audio
or video services or recording. Rent yourself and your studio out
for podcasts (online radio shows).
Mastering may be a way to make some business happen.
Take other people's mixes and make them sound better, more
competitive. Transfer and master old cassettes, CDs and files
from the last few decades for people who want to relive the
memories. Help them get what they want, and get what you
want. Exchange value for value!
Rates vary
Rates may or may not be based on hours worked. Content
creation can be lucrative, and that income is based on royalties
from licensing and selling the music, not studio time. Even rates
for hourly studio work with artists can vary greatly-some projects have an "all in" price, and some are "pay as you go". You
could rent your services by the hour, or by the project. Rates can
vary from complete barter to $75/hour, depending on the session and your skills.
Set a respectable hourly rate, the highest rate you would
charge if someone came in to rent the studio for an hour or two.
Use this high rate, called your rack rate, as a bargaining tool.
Each client gets quoted this rate, then a custom rate is prepared
that fits the project and the budget.
Some clients agree right away to your rack rate. To prepare an
individual project rate, get creative. For example, if your rack
rate is $50 per hour, you could offer 6-hour blocks for $199,
encouraging the client to book block sessions, and putting 200
bucks in your pocket for an evening's work.
Offer specials like 3 songs for $99 for singer/songwriters.
Block your rates, but set goals for them, like mixing 3 songs for
$199. Sometimes, telling someone they will get 6 hours of studio time doesn't mean the same thing to them as telling them
they will get 3 songs recorded and mixed. Sell them on the tangible benefits they will get from the deal, like a record or video
they can post on YouTube, not just "studio hours".
Pricing is personal. Everybody's situation and needs are different. Some budding engineers are happy to make $50 for the
whole session, and some more experienced engineers are too
busy to work for less than $500/day. Weigh the benefits against
the dollars, and think career value. Many times, taking on a lowerpaying session can lead to new long-term friends and clients, and
some good music along the way. That's real value.
Session players
Live musicians playing in a room together is a great way to
track songs, but sometimes it's hard to get busy players together, and sometimes they live so far away it's impossible. Today,
there are many options available for the musician that wants to
play on records for other artists; of course grabbing your gear
and going to a studio is one way to do it if they are local, but

if you have your own studio, you can collaborate by transferring
files around. You are global.
Make sure you have a great recording chain for your instrument, and put some tracks down. Have a stereo rough mix sent
to you to play along with, and record your tracks to that. Export
your new tracks, and send them back to the artist as WAV files.
Make yourself known and available for session work on your
instruments, and charge for the service. Set up a website to promote and sell your music, samples, or services. As a musician,
you could offer fills, runs, loops, or just play a track on a client's
song. Start building your library.
A small studio could handle almost everything but "basics,"
where the drummer and the band lay down bed tracks. If you
have a bigger setup that can handle full bands, the sky's the
limit. You can make records, demos, band videos, and more.
Specialize and grow
If you find you are really good at something, specialize in it.
Services like vocal tuning, guitar tracking, drum recordings/editing,
voice recording, etc., can help almost any project. Offer services à
la carte to artists who want to sound better but don't have the budget to do the whole CD at your studio.
Without trying to produce the whole project, offer to help out
with just the overdubs, or whatever your specialty is. If you have
nice guitars and amps, consider renting the room and instruments
to players who need to do overdubs but have poor gear. Even a
small studio with a vocal booth can fill a need for somebody.
Train your ears and learn to mix. Lots of home studio guys record
themselves but can't get compelling mixes. Learn to solve that problem for them, and you'll get work. Make your mixes undeniable.
In the end, you are the reason people will work with you, not your
studio or your gear. Tools only have value in the right hands. Add
value to yourself and your studio by expanding your expertise.
Create content
Many music producers today license or sell their music without ever renting their studio by the hour to clients. The whole studio may be mobile, and consist of a laptop, an interface, and
a couple of microphones and instruments.
There is a need for music in movies, TV shows, commercials,
games, and other visual media. You don't have to be a rock star
or even be in a band to create and sell your music.
Write a lot and record those ideas. Flesh them out as far as
needed, and add them to your library. Depending on your skills,
you could make and sell loops, beats, samples, single note runs,
bass lines, vocal effects, whatever you can do, and sell or
license those samples to other creators.
As a composer, your work has value. Exploiting the licensing
and publishing rights to your work can generate money. When
people use your work in commercials or movies, or when other
artists record your song and sell CDs and downloads, you
should make money.
Seek outlets for your music. Some writers go the route of song
placement services, and others sell directly to the public. Music
bed tracks, beats, and even individual instrument tracks can be
sold directly to bands, artists, and vocalists. Research the ins
and outs of copyrights, performing arts organizations, and
licensing music, then put up a website with your music available
for download or licensing. Network with the other studios and
musicians so they'll know what you do and to refer work to you.
Get creative-people need audio engineers, and you can
achieve your goals by helping others achieve theirs.
Sean Shannon (shannon@recordingmag.com) is a recording
engineer and educator in Florida.
RECORDING November 2014

35



Recording - November 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - November 2014

Contents
Recording - November 2014 - Cover1
Recording - November 2014 - Cover2
Recording - November 2014 - 1
Recording - November 2014 - 2
Recording - November 2014 - 3
Recording - November 2014 - 4
Recording - November 2014 - 5
Recording - November 2014 - Contents
Recording - November 2014 - 7
Recording - November 2014 - 8
Recording - November 2014 - 9
Recording - November 2014 - 10
Recording - November 2014 - 11
Recording - November 2014 - 12
Recording - November 2014 - 13
Recording - November 2014 - 14
Recording - November 2014 - 15
Recording - November 2014 - 16
Recording - November 2014 - 17
Recording - November 2014 - 18
Recording - November 2014 - 19
Recording - November 2014 - 20
Recording - November 2014 - 21
Recording - November 2014 - 22
Recording - November 2014 - 23
Recording - November 2014 - 24
Recording - November 2014 - 25
Recording - November 2014 - 26
Recording - November 2014 - 27
Recording - November 2014 - 28
Recording - November 2014 - 29
Recording - November 2014 - 30
Recording - November 2014 - 31
Recording - November 2014 - 32
Recording - November 2014 - 33
Recording - November 2014 - 34
Recording - November 2014 - 35
Recording - November 2014 - 36
Recording - November 2014 - 37
Recording - November 2014 - 38
Recording - November 2014 - 39
Recording - November 2014 - 40
Recording - November 2014 - 41
Recording - November 2014 - 42
Recording - November 2014 - 43
Recording - November 2014 - 44
Recording - November 2014 - 45
Recording - November 2014 - 46
Recording - November 2014 - 47
Recording - November 2014 - 48
Recording - November 2014 - 49
Recording - November 2014 - 50
Recording - November 2014 - 51
Recording - November 2014 - 52
Recording - November 2014 - 53
Recording - November 2014 - 54
Recording - November 2014 - 55
Recording - November 2014 - 56
Recording - November 2014 - 57
Recording - November 2014 - 58
Recording - November 2014 - 59
Recording - November 2014 - 60
Recording - November 2014 - 61
Recording - November 2014 - 62
Recording - November 2014 - 63
Recording - November 2014 - 64
Recording - November 2014 - 65
Recording - November 2014 - 66
Recording - November 2014 - 67
Recording - November 2014 - 68
Recording - November 2014 - 69
Recording - November 2014 - 70
Recording - November 2014 - 71
Recording - November 2014 - 72
Recording - November 2014 - Cover3
Recording - November 2014 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202404
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202403
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202402
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202401
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202312
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording-november-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202310
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202309
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202308
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202307
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202306
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202305
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202303
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202302
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202301
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202206
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202205
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202202
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202107
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202105
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202103
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202102
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202011
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202006
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_20205
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_200912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_200911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_200910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/nxtd
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com