The digital age, in my opinion, is the biggest factor. Everybody has a laptop now. The problem I see is that the talent has gone way, way down. The other downside to this is that the listener doesn't care anymore. Anybody can put music together now with loops and samples. I could go on, but I won't.
I think live performers will lead the next era for real music. Audio, however, will be considered free and value less. A.i. and mass-made sample crap has ruined the Current market model. The difference between that crap and real art is the Human touch. I don't mean touching a sampler pad.
Yep, a lot of young listeners don’t care for the artist to be in the pocket or care to be able to make out what the artists are saying. The quality is way down.
I watched a 16-year-old make a beat and a full song using his iPhone and those white Apple earphones. It sounded comparable to what I hear on the radio. The technology has definitely caught up.
I had to close my studio a while ago because most of the artist that I worked with ended up buying their own Mac and protools. It’s easy to learn to record your own music nowadays. Technology has made it cheaper and incredibly easy to learn to record at home and work whole project.
I will say nothing beats a talented/experienced engineer. There are alot of not so good engineers but a great one will kind of help guide producers and artists in the right path and help someone get the sound in their head. It often takes years of experience with recording/production/mixing to get that level of experience.
Instead of booking studios, I invested in a beginner home studio and books worth about $1500 total. I learned at my own pace at home, best musical investment ever
It’s the combination of the improvements of VST plugins, DAW and affordable good computers. But the 4th and biggest reason is the improvement of the INTERNET. Not just the downloads but also the UA-cam Videos. I learned so much from UA-cam. It’s the second best teacher next to actual experiences.
The DAW 's are allowing us to record, mix, and master our own music to accomplish the tasks affiliated with recording music . The keyboards are studios now. Everything can be recorded professionally from home now.
My lady and I soent over $1,500 to get vocals recorded for one song at $60/hour. We bought a used TLM 103 for $776, a used Apollo Twin for $375. Bought other stuff like blankets, mic stand, cables, a metal tent, etc. Just recorded a song that would have cost us $2,700 in the pro studio. We've already "made our money back" technically, and we're making our second song for what feels like free.
I agree with you 100%. The sound I used to get at a professional studio back in the day I can get at home now. The only thing I still do is send my music out to be professionally mastered and I could do that myself but prefer a second set of ears to hear it.
Yeah never master your music or mix it your self do either one but not both me personally learn to mix it your self cause you know how you want things arranged. the mastering just topping on the cake very critical listening
@@marksmusicplace3627 theirs a lot of hits done at home studios. It's not the equipment it's the skill of the engineer. A good engineer can make a home studio sound good.
I started investing in my own studio many, many years ago - because I knew that in the long run it will be a lot more affordable than renting a studio all the time. And in case I want to record drums, a brass section, a church organ or something of that kind then I can still rent a bigger studio for that purpose. I never looked back and I never regretted my decision.
I was 14 years old in 1987 and was told by a studio that it would cost about $1800 to book a few blocks of studio time. In 1987 $1800 was a lot of money for an adult, much more so for a 14 year old. Decided right then to build my own studio as soon as I had the money. Did just that at age 16 within 6 months of getting my first job. Built about 25 other studios for other artists/labels over the following decade. We did everything except mastering and never looked back. Still got sales, downloads, streams (once that was a thing) and shows and never stepped foot in another "real" studio except a few times when I was 19 years old and working with the son of the studio owner.
@@clkb8moto When I started out the studio fees were much lower (at least where I live) and even then I thought it's the best idea to get my own gear. 🤣
Once Covid hit, we were all at home learning how to do it for ourselves with our own money. At home studios are nothing new, more people are just getting into it.
A friend of mine once said a home studio is the rehearsal booth. A commercial studio is where you can listen mix and hear at volumes that will get you evicted from your home. He stopped home recording for that reason alone. Anyone anywhere any age from 1 to 0 can have all the gear from A to Z in a room in a house with neighbors but, you will never experience the true mystery of your own creation realistically louder and for longer periods if you aren't in a commercial studio in an old factory building in an empty part of your town, where noise wasn't a problem. So being " very loud" for hours on end all without you receiving any sound violations well that's an amazing feat. The dream and desire to bring your instruments and laptops to a real studio at times only feel like a vain luxury he couldn't afford. The vacation from reality to live in another, is an expensive endeavor, says the studio who wants to pay the bills. So life comes at you and you love the sound of music yet today everyone wants you to turn it down and plug your ears up. Rest in peace Sam Ash Brick & Morters
But listening to the older guys tell session stories from the 60s and 70s you will NEVER get that from home studios. Maybe there is less human element in music now.
I like old recordings, I like what they did, i like how they did it, but that was luxury recording. Rent a huge treated space, tons of mics, pay maybe a dozen plus badass musicians to rehearse a piece over and over again to get The Take. Damn that is one hell of an expensive way to record music. There is a certain magic to it, but it is also incredibly expensive and exclusive. I’d easily give it up, because I was never going to experience it. I can experience my studio at home, wherein I make my modest little recordings with a quality I couldn’t even fathom when I was a kid. Fair enough trade for me Not to mention I am a dedicated amateur hobbyist, those old techniques were never available outside the high end pro scene
It also twenty years to make one song Id rather have my home studio and complete control as I know how to engineer I have succes at the professional level and I wanna record in my room at home I don't like the real studio
Yes, recording studios are closing but all those guys now push gear. Yes, as someone that makes audio gear (Black Box Analog Design), I wouldn't have made it in the old days when there were a handful of big studios and that was it and there is a reason why we all know the classic studio gear and that is because there were only a handful of companies in the business. Fast forward to today, amateur music production is now the 2nd largest hobby in the world right behind photography. When NI launched my new EQ plugin a few weeks ago they sent an email out to three million of their customers. Amazing when you think about it. I once owned a very nice commercial recording studio but I could see the writing on the wall back then. I could have held on for a bit and gone down with the ship but I used those decades of knowledge to create products that make it easy to work from anywhere. As I see it - it isn't that the studio closed but, rather, evolved. Guys like me are still helping people make music and, if you really think about it, I'm helping more people than ever before.
Because of the costs associated with professional studio time, I learned how to do what I needed to do in as little time as possible. I recently went into someone's home studio and their lack of sense of urgency to get the vocals really frustrated me. 😂 Because it was their home and they were on their time! I don't know if I can ever used to that. I would lay vocals down in 5 takes or less. You know, learn your part and come to the studio firing on all cylinders. I need my own home recording setup now.😊
I was reading where it took Billie Ellish 100 TAKES for recording vocals on a song (Happier Than Ever) in her home studio. If it works for her, I'm not to judge. But I will admit my anxiety was heightened when I read that. That's 10 albums worth of singing! No!
This is just the times that we’re in. Last week I saw a full length movie that was done on a iPhone 15 Max Pro. Everything . Even the Music was done with Garage band and it all came out extremely well.. I firmly believed when Apple put out the 1st home PC and the capability that it had even back then I said to a fellow musician that this machine will make recording studios obsolete.. and once MIDI , handheld digital recorder, digital samplers and the ubiquitous 808 drum machine came on the scene.. I knew then that apparatuses like those would eventually be the beginning of the end of big studios.. then 10 -15 years later the home pc became more advanced then musical software became available ( some even for free ) Cubase , fruity loops, etc.. then Protools came on the scene and then it was wrap for trying to get into the big studios because they weren’t needed.
They’re simply no longer needed unless you have a huge project. Large choral or orchestral, live drums, etc. Outside of that if you have a great digital audio system, no need for a large studio. They are also still great for recording vocals, but not prerequisite. Large studios are a victim of changing times. I’ve recorded in A-Rooms that cost 3 or 400/hr to record. No one (with good sense) is going to pay that when they can record at their home studio for whatever increase in electricity costs they may incur. I loved the days of being signed on a production deal and recording on a Neve VR60 console with a $7000 Elam mic. Great yes? Necessary? Not now it isn’t.
I've been at the mercy of big studios and having money to book sessions. Now i have my own studio and it changes the game totally. Just being able to work on a tune and rework it, redo the guitar or change the drum pattern or whatever is different when you have your own shyt. I can lay a drum track and then walk across the hallway to my bedroom and take a nap and then walk back across the hall to my studio and finish the beat and move on to the bass. Or I can finish a tune and listen to it on my monitors for a week, mixing and tweaking. But when you record at a big commercial studio you have to move by their flow nd once you leave the studio it'll cost to return and redo do tracks. Now all i have to do is send out for mastering. And I'm learning how to do my own mastering sooner or later. Too, the digital age has changed the game. I seen young cats producing music damn near with a cellphone and an iPad; they don't even need a laptop or desktop anymore. Music and melodies are all premade now. And these cats are churning out hit records.
There's space for both large and personal studios. In-person interaction when building music was essential to creating some of the classic recordings we love. But, having a space of your own to work on ideas at home on your own time has benefits as well. BUT, I have know many of the "do-it-all" artists spend too much time trying to write, record, mix, master, and release their own projects. Sometimes it may be better to have other contributors (engineers, musicians, etc) work with you on your projects so that you can spend more time creating music instead of trying to do everything yourself and creating less music. Plus, outside contributions can be magical on your projects.
@@bassplayerBV Extremely well put! 👍 Over the years (it took me some though🤣) I found out that every recording session is different as is every musical situation in general. Sometimes it works best when you're alone while other times it's better to collaborate. In my opinion it's most important that you maintain a certain openness and flexibility.
A mpc one plus 🤯🤯 y’all wouldn’t believe the power that thing puts out if you record in one . I produced and recorded a girl group so they could learn their song before they go to the real studio and the song came out classic Mariah Cary quality. Bro it sounded like i used major hardware , the mpc have so many effects that look like digital hardware within it .
Another reason why Recording Studios are out because many studio customers are not knowledgable nor appreciate the value of what the studio offers as far as studio atmosphere, gear | equipment, vintage mics etc. Many don’t appreciate the talent behind an engineer recording, editing, mixing and mastering. So for many to me it’s all about the cost..
Makes sense but it's truly not the case. Simply put, most can't afford it. Most have already done the full blown studio experience at least once and their needs weren't met. Or like others have stated, most studios charge by the hour. Doesn't take long to realize, the producers/engineers will often drag a session out to be twice as long as it should have been.
It was really hard for artists to gain access to studios because of the cost. Remember when an artist would save up just to be able to get a demo to submit to the record companies? Remember how those companies would then take that demo and toss it in the trash without hearing it? Those that did get a deal would have the record company take all of the profit and attribute it to studio time and sessions? Now, technology has cut out the middle man. Artists are free to make their music and push it out straight to market. With AI now coming on board, you won't even need an engineer for the post production. You can buy virtual instruments now, so you no longer need a room full of keyboards, synths and modules. It's basically the snake eating it's own tail
Thank you for your honest opinion. Home studios are more concerned about the people they're trying to reach; and the average person does not know anything about ducking a kick with a 8O8, In comparison to a professional studio. Just as long as it sounds good, it will sell. Ozone and FL Studio can now professionally Master your tracks for distribution via Street corner or car trunk... (You need not dance with the devil anymore for fortune fame. All money ain't good money)
I saw this coming in '99 when I first saw the Digi 001 at the AES in NYC. Sure enough, over the next decade, one by one, most of the major recording studios in NYC closed. Sony, The Hit Factory, Soundtrack, Right Track, etc. It may have been a little longer than a decade but when my friends got a 10 hour lock out at Unique, I knew the damage was done. I'm surprised Quad is still open
Back in 1990, I was walking past Unique one day, and looked into the garbage hopper in front, it was FULL of Ampex 2” 456 reels in boxes they had thrown out 😮 nothing to do with this posting, but you mentioning Unique reminded me, that’s all…
@ChromaticHarp odd that they would dump them. 🤔🤔🤔🤔 Pro Tools hadn't taken over yet until around whenever La Vida Loca came out. I think I did my last session on 2" in 99
@@avace917 it may have been as early as 1988. I remember approximately when it was because I was out there with the Pointer sisters and we were staying at the Waldorf... I played a joke on the Pointer’s keyboard player, leaving a real at the front desk and having them call his room, saying there’s something here for him and I left a note, saying t’you need to book time at a studio and remix this right away’ anyway that’s what happened so it was it was 88, 89 or 90 one of those years…
It’s definitely changing I noticed years ago that people would put out music that is not mixed mastered and just raw. I personally don’t like that and made my own studio that mirrors the studio I’ve been going to for years. It’s helped with my output and saved me $ too.
Great video! I definitely agree with you in the sense that producers don't need major studios to produce music, artists don't need major record labels to distribute their music, and some record labels are laying off personnel and offering streaming distribution. Technology has advanced so much that an independent producer & artist can make cheap music sound good. I'm about saving money and invest in yourself. Thanks for the valuable post.
Bro studios been closing since 2005. After graduating from Muscian's Institute in 2002 I interned at Enterprise Studio in Burbank, CA when Linda Perry, Damon Elliott, DMX, Mya, Pink were there and they eventually went bankrupt and literally auctioned off ALL their facilities' SSL consoles and gear. It was a sad time.
@@justin.johnson Sad yes! All the Studios in that area closed, Pacifique, Amigo, Conway, etc. Free lance engineers aren’t doing much…I wonder what a school like MIT tells students? “Use that diploma to get Your day Jobs at Bobs Big Boy!”….kinds sucks “for them :)
YES, good points…I still have my ‘Studio Menu’ which lists 150+ Commercial studios in the LA area, plus support services such as Project One, Rack Attack, etc … almost ALL of which are closed now…Everything Changed 😢
@Marks Musicology Euphorium true about space but really if you know how to play your own instruments and understand plugins to use with them you can pretty much do what ever
I stopped paying for studio time when i started paying 100 an hr. I learned to just do it all myself. Audio engineers will be bery sought after in this digital age but it will just be all digital interaction. Which ill take bc i dont wanna work around a bunch of ppl anyways
We all got into this because we were going to do it anyway and not because it was a smart idea. We must role with the times and luckily the times are fun. I think Hank Williams said a song ain’t worth writing if it’s ain’t done in 20 mins. We are right back there again and it can be a great thing if you role with it. You’ll always be ok with how all this gear fits into your life or doesn’t as long as you blast through it really fast. If you ruin a mix, do that fast too.
@@KallusGarnetRemember that if you are a musician, musicians often associate the amount of time a project takes with its quality. It’s not true, you practice, fail many times until your best yearlong masterpiece and your best 5 minute midi session start to look the same. Yes it’s very difficult, you greatly underestimate how good and how fast at being good some people are. This is causing jealousy, negativity. If you let that go, you could even run even faster and further. Let that go first.
Great video, I use a vintage Tascam 2488mkii 24 track digital home studio that i gotfor free on marketplace on Facebook. I also just got done with creating my vocal and recording booth in our walk in closet which is great. Plus I have more creative control.
Run a professional studio out of my house. Regardless of how easy it is to get a “pro” sound from home for everyone. The real experience and gear takes things to a worldclass level everytime. You just have to be able to punch above everyone. That means a “demo” from me should sound better than a professional master coming elsewhere. This also includes me having 12 analog hardware synths and real guitars , real tape. Integrating that with the speediness of the modern workflow. Also catering to the artist . Making them uncomfortable and asking questions they don’t even ask themselves. Pushing them to be great. The days of running a studio and just pushing record and the track sounding like a demo are over. Even during its hayday i LAUGHED at that.. I was doing home recordings in 03’ thatd smoke what people were overpaying for in facilities. I did a session with an artist yesterday. 23 yr old kid (im 36). Runs his own setup. I said “forget everything youve done up until this point”. Had my wife make him tea and snacks. Got him on a $50,000 mic chain (vintage sony thru 1073 > api 550 , re 542 > maag eq 4 > 1176 > cl1b > burl mastering converters. He could hear his nose hairs. And pushed him and pushed him. We got to be coaches , we got to cater to the artist but also provide a service they can’t for themself. In 3.5 hours we finished the entire song from recording to master and it rivals all industry songs Ive heard. Is creative and forward thinking and sonically even punches above industry average. And even if this kid had the same setup and same skillset I do and have got in 36 years him having a person to push him and write with him/produce with him is essential. Theres a reason all the biggest artists still work with another producer. We need to evolve with the times is all.
I'm all for the tools we've been getting...they're so massively powerful in the right hands. But that's the thing--it takes years of developing a good enough ear to use those tools well and even more years to be good enough of a songwriter to make something people will actually enjoy. So a HUGE part me is sad to see "the studio", and the industry as it were, become a thing of the past. That gatekeeping is what gave us the quality of music we've known up until the last 15 years of popular music. You had to be GOOD to get your music released because everything was done in full takes as the standard. You couldn't just copy 4 or 8 bars from one take and paste it into an entire song. The craft of it has taken a huge dive.
it's people's matter of opinion. as far as mixing goes, it's subjective. Haven't been to a studio in 20 years. you can record anywhere in the world. not just at home.
Most ppl can be engineers nowadays .. if a song is a big hit it can always get remixed and mastered .. lot of artist learning to mix just good enough to taste to put it out .. most ppl don’t notice a “professional” mix unless it’s bad obviously.. lot of templates for vocals chain but I do suggest learning to mix
@frankjum yes my brother brought me a lc50 Mac running cubase and opcode oms with a midiman interface, a fostex multi track 280 and a Ramsa wr820 mixer, alesis eq and midiverb an akai s900 and a roland drum machine.... unfortunately him and his friend was murdered in 1997
I used to be a partner in two recording studios back in the old days, all the gear etc and huge huge overheads .... 30 years later i have a studio in my loft, with far more gear than ever but all in the box and 1 percent of the cost if that, omg i have a full ssl desk in my mac lol, and the quality of my releases are better than 30 year's ago.....and i can use it anytime as you say hahaha, i just wish i was 21 again lol big studio days are over unless its orchestras and live drummers....maybe, great video indeed
I got my Apollo X8 Gen 2 audio interface with the Uaudio DLX mic, Presonus Studio One & LUNA, and plugins, in my 16x17 room. Thats all I need. I will never pay to record in a studio Studios are still charging $100/hr and u have to book a 4-hour session... WUT😳‼️‼️‼️ Not me
If i were to release an album for myself i would release it on youtube and have instant world wide reach and not expect money because its only a hobbie. I have an actual job that pays the bills.
I think people find out so many of their favorite artists are recording songs at home, hotels, random places. Also people would say you need a well treated room to mix, with expensive speakers but find out many engineers are mixing totally in the box with headphone setups which eliminate bad rooms. There is something to be said about expensive outboard gear but Plugins have gotten so much better that a well skilled engineer can make really stellar productions with fairly basic mixing tools. Guitars and basses, you have virtual amps/cabinets. I think the biggest reason probably for a Studio is either Live Recording of Bands and/or recording of weird instruments that a person might want an engineers expertise. That said with a 16 channel audio interface, you can record most bands and easily record a rhythm section. With laptop studios, you can literally move your studio if you desire better rooms or what not. I think on the flip side record budgets are tighter and more is expected on independent artists to sound professional where 20 years ago, you could get away with something sounding like a demo.
Not to mention quite a few engineers these days just set up shop for themselves instead of trying to work for a bigger studio. I always wanted to work in a bigger studio until I realized I am at advantage working out of a home studio and just having clients record with me. I can charge less, while making more than a recording engineer would at a bigger studio, offer a private environment, and work for my client instead of under the guidelines of a studio. While inflation has caused prices of things to go up, studio gear has not. And while a 4,000 dollar mic seemed unrealistic when I started in 2000, now it's not that expensive given its an investment. Plus with Sweetwater offering 4 year 0 percent interest financing, it's never been easier to have top level gear in your home.
The signs of change have been evident since 2008, giving people ample time to adapt to the evolving landscape of the music industry. That said, recording studios can still maintain relevance if they pivot strategically. One promising approach is to assist artists in promoting their music and gaining visibility, in exchange for a share of the profits. In today's climate, many artists struggle with promotion and monetizing their work. A studio that offers a comprehensive, end-to-end package-from recording to marketing-could fill a critical gap. By providing a "zero-to-artist" deal, studios could position themselves as essential partners in an artist's journey, rather than just a space for recording. This model might also shift the role of home recording setups. Instead of replacing studios, personal gear would serve as a tool for practice and development, with artists turning to professional studios when they’re ready to break into the industry and perform live. Such an adaptation could not only sustain recording studios but also make them indispensable in the modern music ecosystem. Nothing I've said is anything knew, however it should be applied now more than ever.
I watched an interesting video where Richard Osmond was giving the stats on how few ‘bands’ have been in the charts over the last decade or so, compared with the 90’s for instance. It’s quite shocking how few there are now. I think the tech advances have lead to that also, which again will impact studios.
I’d love to record a in a huge studio and work there but it’s who you know and how good you are. So until I get there, digital is the way to go. I want to use analog and what not but as you said, the financial is the biggest reason
I come from old school recording studio days, way before home studios were a thing. Right now home studios are giving commercial studios a run for their money, because everything right now is in the box. Plenty of home studios have made platinum hit recordings. Meaning, they have actually won platinum awards. The ONLY thing that cannot be changed is orchestral music. Even if you purchase dozens of very expensive orchestral libraries, it still has to be re-recorded by live orchestral musicians. Because it's mandated by the film industry. I used to work for MGM, Universal, Orion, Sony and many other film recording studios as an engineer. Trust me when I say, if you record orchestral music for TV show or movie production. The music has to be re-recorded in a film production studio by live musicians. It's how it has always been and always will be. Even Hans Zimmer and Tom Holkenborg have to have their music redone in a film orchestral studio and they even conduct it as its being done. That's the only time those particular large studios will remain doing business. Every other large studios for music production and mixing, are being a dying breed business, because everybody now can have a studio in their home. All you need is a really powerful computer, and purchase lots VST and VSTi's, some monitors and headphones, maybe a microphone or two if you really need it, and you're done.
Two simple reasons - (1) You can have a studio at your home these days thanks to technology and (2) The major labels all have their own studios. I work at a major label and never understood why some of our artists were still recording out in public, but now they're using our own studio more and more which makes sense of course.
I've done both since i started making music, there's just a feeling that cant be captured in a home studio. and i have my own, even i can ear/feel the difference when i'm working from home or reg studio. for any real artists, the studio will always remain the best creative space.
Some engineers prices are outrageous. And they are not as good as they say they are. Plus some artist are thinking recording in a top notch studio. Will make their music sound good. But it still be 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 🗑️🗑️🗑️🗑️🗑️
Most of the best studios now are private, i been to amazing studios inside houses, underground bunkers and even tour buses. If you make money in sound you can have your own studio for under 10-100k.
Pretty much in the first sentence of addressing it, you summed it up. I spent many years producing music, did a year-long engineering internship in a professional studio, pretty much took from that exactly what I needed and then built what I needed at home for like 1/100 of the cost. It wasn’t cheap, but I now feel like for literally a fraction of the cost at my own leisure, I can easily rival and even beat what they are doing, especially for what they are charging. Where this studio went RIGHT is that they offer all the paid courses and internships. They dealt with a lot of commercial business, local talent, even some big talent, but it was also kind of a school at the same time if that makes sense. They are honestly raking it in doing that because the courses are pretty expensive and I know for a fact that’s the reason why they are still open and doing well. Something for others to learn from though, because I honestly feel like it was worth it and for them, it keeps their lights on
I thought this might be important to add, but even though they have worked with some big names (right off the top of my head, I know one of them ran a session there with Lady Gaga) at least 50% Their client base was jazz, orchestral, College choirs/bands and live session instruments. So that makes a big difference too, thats some of the stuff that you REALLY can’t beat very easily at home without the space and treatment. I am a hip-hop producer and engineer and operate in a totally different creative space than them so I was pretty easily able to take what I needed from it and just do it at home even better. I saw you addressed that so I thought I should add that point because it’s definitely relevant and backs up what you were saying
Being "In the box" is the new studio. Plus, they make plugins for EVERYTHING now. The only thing I see in today's time that needs to be hardware are Mic amps or if you just collecting vintage gear.
@@marksmusicplace3627boxes and software font have interactive feel and nuance besides wont answer back if you have a question or idea. Then again much of today's music doesnt need that and it shows.
I am actually surprised there are as many new studios being built these days. A new brick and mortar was setup about 6 months ago just a mile from my house and I live in a small town with a population fewer than 100k. Unless they have large sound rooms that can accommodate complete bands who don't have a place of their own to record I just don't see the point in that business model.
Let’s be real. The prices recording studios charge are too ridiculous for the average nobody to afford. These studios still think it’s 1985 and artists are coming in with million dollar studio budgets to blow so they want to charge them $1,000 a day just to do what they can do at home with the same software. If studios charged reasonable prices based on the current market they’d be good still. Also some of these pretentious studios closing I’m glad. They were some of the biggest gate keepers to the industry. How are you only going to allow signed artists to record at your studio and nobody else? These artist drop albums like once every commit passing.
The video hes referring to is Busy Beaats. Whether studios, AIRBNB, Uber Eats, ot whatever, people create ideas daily yo make it easier for people. Always be a step ahead. Always have something unique to sell that people have to get from you
The so called vintage gear each had its unique characteristics that are not necessarily easily matched. The plug in version is a duplicate that has no such characteristics, each plugin sonically no different from the other. It’s these characteristics that made songs sound differently Pre - Protools than they are now.
Yeah, but some artists are looking to catch a vibe for inspiration that a studio setting provides for some. Nice comfy couches 🛋, hookah, enough space to catch a small club vibe.
I started recording at home on stereo tape decks in high school, Tascam 4 track in college, then started sequencing and recording with Cakewalk and the 4track, and on and on. Today I mostly record with DAWs and hardware synths, making acoustic percussion tracks to blend with electronic tracks. But even if I was recording a standard three piece rock band, I'd still do it here and not in a traditional recording studio. S*** happens. Technology changes things. A century ago, newly-invented drumsets put a lot of Big Band percussion sections out of work. Why hire four or five people when one reasonably-skilled player can do it all? It's the same with this. Technology has torn down the gates between musicians and recording capabilities. I used to dream of working in a recording studio as a kid. Now I have my own.
Studios now cater exclusively to film scoring, orchestral pieces, licensing/sync, country and rock bands from the 70s/80/90s that are big. Gone are the days where bedroom artists/producers need to save up for studio time, or even mastering really. Services like Landr and plugins like Ozone, Master Plan, Grand Finale, and Trinity give the artist the power. Indie artists with budgets still refer to unbiased ears for mastering.
I think Recording Studios are more important in situations where you are Recording live bands, orchestras, or choirs. Basically complex arrangement of Acoustic instruments to where it will take some experience, real estate, and a collection of mics to record. That said you can probably study a bit to record alot of this stuff but there is still a level of expertise in that. For a Producer that just need loops, synths, lead vocals/overdubs, some elect guitars, it is very easy to adopt a DIY take. The biggest skill is the Producers skill and mixing skills. Whereas in more complex Recording tasks, you might want a Recording studio.
There are still sooooo many people who dont want to home record or want to learn it. Its hard to learn all of this even with a laptop there is a lot of technicalities to it. Studios are still making money because people don't want to learn to record their self. Although now we have a lot of recording studios because a lot of people can do it from home. Now with AI though you can just say what you want in the song will be created.
i’ve seen hit records recorded in the closet, then after a simple “Save Copy In” Send The Session Off To Be Mixed & Mastered.. 21 Savage First Couple Projects Was Recorded In An apartment complex
Own a studio in Charlotte NC. We are booming. We have also have built converted storage units studios at my brothers home (master engineer) where he can do the mastering from home. We recruit engineers from colleges. It’s all about your market and dominate if.
Def Jam paid Warren G 300k to record Regulate G funk Era album. He took that $$$ and bought some Tascam DA88s, Recording console, keyboards, mics, and anything else he needed. Built a small studio in his apartment. Recorded the entire album there. Probably costed him no more than 25k. Which was a good investment. Because he can use that equipment to record subsequent albums. He did mixed the album down at Track Records, a professional recording studio. Mastered it at Bernie Grundman.. That album sold 3 million in 1994. His two first singles were nominated for Grammy awards. That was 30 years ago. He was definitely ahead for his time, when it comes to being a do it yourself-er with the music recording. Especially for a hip hop artist. Nowadays, folks can get professional results by mixing and mastering in their home studios. So there is no f8*** reason to pay 2k per day for a professional recording studio. Plus an extra fee for an engineer. They all will go tf out of business
I can put a million dollar studio in a $600 laptop. I can spend $40 on a DAW and download all the legit and free VSTs, I would like to fill out my tools... no not cracks but real, no cost plug-ins. I started out in a 24 track studio in the mid 90s. But they all started to go away as the DAW took over and people started retiring or kicking the bucket and no new shops replaced them
Yo, real talk, it's a grind out here for studios. Streaming got folks building home setups, and rent's a killer. Marks Musicology Euphorium might just be the last of a dying breed. Sad to see the vibe fading, fr. 💔🎶
Also, the quality of mixing and mastering is lower due to many amateurs doing it themselves and putting it on Spotify bypassing the label completely. This means that consumers are now used to less quality mixing and barely can tell the difference anyways so why pay for professional mixing and mastering as well. These plugins get you about 75% of the way there by themselves
let’s not forget commuting/traffic sucks and creativity is a quick fleeting moment. when you’re able to access equipment in your own home that problem is out of the equation.
It boils down to turn around time, i remember the days when trying to book a session in a good studio was Impossible unless you are a big artist with a huge budget, do you really want to wait 2 months to get a recording session by an engineer that doesn't care about your song and will still over charge you.😂😂😂
It might be cheaper and might be technologically possible to do it at home, but the sad part is a studio used to have a specific sound due to the gear, room size etc etc. Everything now is starting to sound the same.
The first reason is more music are not acoustic anymore and even if they record acoustic stuff at home the digital recording make this affordable , as long as we found a good room to record or even on a live stage, the second reason is everything is very electronic or urban oriented, those kind of music just need sampling and synth, the last reason is A.I can also be a DAW killer , now every non musician can make is own shitty music and there happy. But i only hope real live music with people that practice it , can be save ...
I think one of the larger problems of home recording is the can drum sounds or loops. People have been hearing drum machines since before the 80s and have gotten use to it. They slap drum samples on records today like wallpaper on walls. Drummers cannot or rarely can record in peoples homes and apartments. This is a big deal because drum and bass are basic pieces to popular music since the early days of recording. Also, music has lost its value to the younger generation. It just has period. No school program, technology, cheap gear or pop princess can put Humpty Dumpty back together again.
With a professional recording studio, you're paying for the experience and knowledge of those running that studio. I don't think it's all about acquiring high quality gear to use at home.
Most of todays hits are produced on a MacBook with a Scarlette focusrite interface and a bunch of cracked VSTs We figured out that you don’t need to spend money you don’t have just to create art. Now we run this shit.
Technology from europe is always going to be in demand. Only the serious spend the bread . Just my opinion. For Instance , I found my signature Sound from a very niche and boutique Engineering firm. Not plug ins. Just Pure hardware.
The digital age, in my opinion, is the biggest factor. Everybody has a laptop now. The problem I see is that the talent has gone way, way down. The other downside to this is that the listener doesn't care anymore. Anybody can put music together now with loops and samples. I could go on, but I won't.
I agree
Spot on.
I think live performers will lead the next era for real music. Audio, however, will be considered free and value less. A.i. and mass-made sample crap has ruined the Current market model. The difference between that crap and real art is the Human touch. I don't mean touching a sampler pad.
Believe me, the "on and on part" I already know, loops, samples... a couple of midi throw togethers and DONE that's a start.
Yep, a lot of young listeners don’t care for the artist to be in the pocket or care to be able to make out what the artists are saying. The quality is way down.
I watched a 16-year-old make a beat and a full song using his iPhone and those white Apple earphones. It sounded comparable to what I hear on the radio. The technology has definitely caught up.
I had to close my studio a while ago because most of the artist that I worked with ended up buying their own Mac and protools. It’s easy to learn to record your own music nowadays. Technology has made it cheaper and incredibly easy to learn to record at home and work whole project.
I will say nothing beats a talented/experienced engineer.
There are alot of not so good engineers but a great one will kind of help guide producers and artists in the right path and help someone get the sound in their head.
It often takes years of experience with recording/production/mixing to get that level of experience.
Instead of booking studios, I invested in a beginner home studio and books worth about $1500 total. I learned at my own pace at home, best musical investment ever
It’s the combination of the improvements of VST plugins, DAW and affordable good computers. But the 4th and biggest reason is the improvement of the INTERNET. Not just the downloads but also the UA-cam Videos. I learned so much from UA-cam. It’s the second best teacher next to actual experiences.
You hit the nail on the head here. UA-cam is the school or teacher.
The DAW 's are allowing us to record, mix, and master our own music to accomplish the tasks affiliated with recording music . The keyboards are studios now. Everything can be recorded professionally from home now.
My lady and I soent over $1,500 to get vocals recorded for one song at $60/hour.
We bought a used TLM 103 for $776, a used Apollo Twin for $375. Bought other stuff like blankets, mic stand, cables, a metal tent, etc. Just recorded a song that would have cost us $2,700 in the pro studio. We've already "made our money back" technically, and we're making our second song for what feels like free.
I agree with you 100%. The sound I used to get at a professional studio back in the day I can get at home now. The only thing I still do is send my music out to be professionally mastered and I could do that myself but prefer a second set of ears to hear it.
Same
@@daillman863 there are people here that say you can't get a professional sound at home.
Yeah never master your music or mix it your self do either one but not both me personally learn to mix it your self cause you know how you want things arranged. the mastering just topping on the cake very critical listening
So correct , so many people just get their music mastered professionally after doing most of the work .
@@marksmusicplace3627 theirs a lot of hits done at home studios. It's not the equipment it's the skill of the engineer. A good engineer can make a home studio sound good.
I started investing in my own studio many, many years ago -
because I knew that in the long run it will be a lot more affordable than renting a studio all the time.
And in case I want to record drums, a brass section, a church organ or something of that kind
then I can still rent a bigger studio for that purpose.
I never looked back and I never regretted my decision.
Bingo
I was 14 years old in 1987 and was told by a studio that it would cost about $1800 to book a few blocks of studio time. In 1987 $1800 was a lot of money for an adult, much more so for a 14 year old. Decided right then to build my own studio as soon as I had the money. Did just that at age 16 within 6 months of getting my first job. Built about 25 other studios for other artists/labels over the following decade. We did everything except mastering and never looked back. Still got sales, downloads, streams (once that was a thing) and shows and never stepped foot in another "real" studio except a few times when I was 19 years old and working with the son of the studio owner.
@@clkb8moto When I started out the studio fees were much lower (at least where I live) and even then I thought it's the best idea to get my own gear. 🤣
Once Covid hit, we were all at home learning how to do it for ourselves with our own money. At home studios are nothing new, more people are just getting into it.
The ability to share files via the internet makes it even easier for artists and engineers to work from home as well.
A friend of mine once said a home studio is the rehearsal booth.
A commercial studio is where you can listen mix and hear at volumes that will get you evicted from your home. He stopped home recording for that reason alone. Anyone anywhere any age from 1 to 0 can have all the gear from A to Z in a room in a house with neighbors but, you will never experience the true mystery of your own creation realistically louder and for longer periods if you aren't in a commercial studio in an old factory building in an empty part of your town, where noise wasn't a problem. So being " very loud" for hours on end all without you receiving any sound violations well that's an amazing feat.
The dream and desire to bring your instruments and laptops to a real studio at times only feel like a vain luxury he couldn't afford.
The vacation from reality to live in another, is an expensive endeavor, says the studio who wants to pay the bills.
So life comes at you and you love the sound of music yet today everyone wants you to turn it down and plug your ears up.
Rest in peace Sam Ash Brick & Morters
But listening to the older guys tell session stories from the 60s and 70s you will NEVER get that from home studios. Maybe there is less human element in music now.
I like old recordings, I like what they did, i like how they did it, but that was luxury recording.
Rent a huge treated space, tons of mics, pay maybe a dozen plus badass musicians to rehearse a piece over and over again to get The Take. Damn that is one hell of an expensive way to record music. There is a certain magic to it, but it is also incredibly expensive and exclusive.
I’d easily give it up, because I was never going to experience it. I can experience my studio at home, wherein I make my modest little recordings with a quality I couldn’t even fathom when I was a kid. Fair enough trade for me
Not to mention I am a dedicated amateur hobbyist, those old techniques were never available outside the high end pro scene
It also twenty years to make one song Id rather have my home studio and complete control as I know how to engineer I have succes at the professional level and I wanna record in my room at home I don't like the real studio
I have been making good music in my own studio for over 25 years. I sure don’t miss paying somebody else $75/hr.
Yes, recording studios are closing but all those guys now push gear. Yes, as someone that makes audio gear (Black Box Analog Design), I wouldn't have made it in the old days when there were a handful of big studios and that was it and there is a reason why we all know the classic studio gear and that is because there were only a handful of companies in the business.
Fast forward to today, amateur music production is now the 2nd largest hobby in the world right behind photography. When NI launched my new EQ plugin a few weeks ago they sent an email out to three million of their customers. Amazing when you think about it.
I once owned a very nice commercial recording studio but I could see the writing on the wall back then. I could have held on for a bit and gone down with the ship but I used those decades of knowledge to create products that make it easy to work from anywhere. As I see it - it isn't that the studio closed but, rather, evolved. Guys like me are still helping people make music and, if you really think about it, I'm helping more people than ever before.
I moved my studio into my apartment, you’re absolutely right.
Man these rants are so fun while im baking at work at 4 am in the morning
Because of the costs associated with professional studio time, I learned how to do what I needed to do in as little time as possible. I recently went into someone's home studio and their lack of sense of urgency to get the vocals really frustrated me. 😂 Because it was their home and they were on their time! I don't know if I can ever used to that. I would lay vocals down in 5 takes or less. You know, learn your part and come to the studio firing on all cylinders. I need my own home recording setup now.😊
EXACTLY!!!!
Hiring a plumber and diy may result in the same general outcome. But diy is bound to get some shit in their face 😂
I was reading where it took Billie Ellish 100 TAKES for recording vocals on a song (Happier Than Ever) in her home studio. If it works for her, I'm not to judge. But I will admit my anxiety was heightened when I read that. That's 10 albums worth of singing! No!
Buy a modern laptop Intel 7 or 9, daw, mid range studio priced headphones open, and boom 🖖
Thanks!
Great insights and reflections of the current industry. Thanks so much for sharing.
I've always done the at home studio set up. I've ever had to worry about hourly prices or budgets.
Same😊
Sometimes we need that desperation to not procrastinate becomes the issue
A studio recently closed here in Miami by the name of “Star Boy”. Had a long run so it came as a surprise when they closed.
This is just the times that we’re in. Last week I saw a full length movie that was done on a
iPhone 15 Max Pro. Everything . Even the Music was done with Garage band and it all came out extremely well.. I firmly believed when Apple put out the 1st home PC and the capability that it had even back then I said to a fellow musician that this machine will make recording studios obsolete.. and once MIDI , handheld digital recorder, digital samplers and the ubiquitous 808 drum machine came on the scene.. I knew then that apparatuses like those would eventually be the beginning of the end of big studios.. then 10 -15 years later the home pc became more advanced then musical software became available ( some even for free ) Cubase , fruity loops, etc.. then Protools came on the scene and then it was wrap for trying to get into the big studios because they weren’t needed.
Yo what Movie was this?? I want to check it out
They’re simply no longer needed unless you have a huge project.
Large choral or orchestral, live drums, etc.
Outside of that if you have a great digital audio system, no need for a large studio.
They are also still great for recording vocals, but not prerequisite.
Large studios are a victim of changing times.
I’ve recorded in A-Rooms that cost 3 or 400/hr to record. No one
(with good sense)
is going to pay that when they can record at their home studio for whatever increase in electricity costs they may incur.
I loved the days of being signed on a production deal and recording on a Neve VR60 console with a $7000 Elam mic.
Great yes?
Necessary?
Not now it isn’t.
I've been at the mercy of big studios and having money to book sessions. Now i have my own studio and it changes the game totally. Just being able to work on a tune and rework it, redo the guitar or change the drum pattern or whatever is different when you have your own shyt. I can lay a drum track and then walk across the hallway to my bedroom and take a nap and then walk back across the hall to my studio and finish the beat and move on to the bass. Or I can finish a tune and listen to it on my monitors for a week, mixing and tweaking. But when you record at a big commercial studio you have to move by their flow nd once you leave the studio it'll cost to return and redo do tracks. Now all i have to do is send out for mastering. And I'm learning how to do my own mastering sooner or later. Too, the digital age has changed the game. I seen young cats producing music damn near with a cellphone and an iPad; they don't even need a laptop or desktop anymore. Music and melodies are all premade now. And these cats are churning out hit records.
Yes, but there are still peeps who prefer Live musicians playing together, I’m one of them 😊
There's space for both large and personal studios. In-person interaction when building music was essential to creating some of the classic recordings we love. But, having a space of your own to work on ideas at home on your own time has benefits as well. BUT, I have know many of the "do-it-all" artists spend too much time trying to write, record, mix, master, and release their own projects. Sometimes it may be better to have other contributors (engineers, musicians, etc) work with you on your projects so that you can spend more time creating music instead of trying to do everything yourself and creating less music. Plus, outside contributions can be magical on your projects.
@@bassplayerBV Extremely well put! 👍 Over the years (it took me some though🤣) I found out that every recording session is different as is every musical situation in general. Sometimes it works best when you're alone while other times it's better to collaborate. In my opinion it's most important that you maintain a certain openness and flexibility.
I agree
A mpc one plus 🤯🤯 y’all wouldn’t believe the power that thing puts out if you record in one . I produced and recorded a girl group so they could learn their song before they go to the real studio and the song came out classic Mariah Cary quality. Bro it sounded like i used major hardware , the mpc have so many effects that look like digital hardware within it .
Another reason why Recording Studios are out because many studio customers are not knowledgable nor appreciate the value of what the studio offers as far as studio atmosphere, gear | equipment, vintage mics etc. Many don’t appreciate the talent behind an engineer recording, editing, mixing and mastering. So for many to me it’s all about the cost..
it's not that they don't care...it's more than they can't afford it.
Makes sense but it's truly not the case. Simply put, most can't afford it. Most have already done the full blown studio experience at least once and their needs weren't met. Or like others have stated, most studios charge by the hour. Doesn't take long to realize, the producers/engineers will often drag a session out to be twice as long as it should have been.
It was really hard for artists to gain access to studios because of the cost. Remember when an artist would save up just to be able to get a demo to submit to the record companies? Remember how those companies would then take that demo and toss it in the trash without hearing it? Those that did get a deal would have the record company take all of the profit and attribute it to studio time and sessions? Now, technology has cut out the middle man. Artists are free to make their music and push it out straight to market. With AI now coming on board, you won't even need an engineer for the post production. You can buy virtual instruments now, so you no longer need a room full of keyboards, synths and modules. It's basically the snake eating it's own tail
Thank you for your honest opinion. Home studios are more concerned about the people they're trying to reach; and the average person does not know anything about ducking a kick with a 8O8, In comparison to a professional studio. Just as long as it sounds good, it will sell. Ozone and FL Studio can now professionally Master your tracks for distribution via Street corner or car trunk... (You need not dance with the devil anymore for fortune fame. All money ain't good money)
I saw this coming in '99 when I first saw the Digi 001 at the AES in NYC. Sure enough, over the next decade, one by one, most of the major recording studios in NYC closed. Sony, The Hit Factory, Soundtrack, Right Track, etc. It may have been a little longer than a decade but when my friends got a 10 hour lock out at Unique, I knew the damage was done. I'm surprised Quad is still open
Back in 1990, I was walking past Unique one day, and looked into the garbage hopper in front, it was FULL of Ampex 2” 456 reels in boxes they had thrown out 😮 nothing to do with this posting, but you mentioning Unique reminded me, that’s all…
@ChromaticHarp odd that they would dump them. 🤔🤔🤔🤔 Pro Tools hadn't taken over yet until around whenever La Vida Loca came out. I think I did my last session on 2" in 99
@@avace917 it may have been as early as 1988. I remember approximately when it was because I was out there with the Pointer sisters and we were staying at the Waldorf... I played a joke on the Pointer’s keyboard player, leaving a real at the front desk and having them call his room, saying there’s something here for him and I left a note, saying t’you need to book time at a studio and remix this right away’ anyway that’s what happened so it was it was 88, 89 or 90 one of those years…
It’s definitely changing I noticed years ago that people would put out music that is not mixed mastered and just raw. I personally don’t like that and made my own studio that mirrors the studio I’ve been going to for years. It’s helped with my output and saved me $ too.
Great video! I definitely agree with you in the sense that producers don't need major studios to produce music, artists don't need major record labels to distribute their music, and some record labels are laying off personnel and offering streaming distribution. Technology has advanced so much that an independent producer & artist can make cheap music sound good. I'm about saving money and invest in yourself. Thanks for the valuable post.
some people believe that a pro level sound can only come from a commercial building using only real musicians.
Tell them I said good luck@marksmusicplace3627
@marksmusicplace3627 They should realize by now that that's not the case anymore. Hasn't been for years.
Bro studios been closing since 2005.
After graduating from Muscian's Institute in 2002 I interned at Enterprise Studio in Burbank, CA when Linda Perry, Damon Elliott, DMX, Mya, Pink were there and they eventually went bankrupt and literally auctioned off ALL their facilities' SSL consoles and gear.
It was a sad time.
digitalmindstudio said when studios close, its their fault. No other factors as to why studios had to shut down
@@justin.johnson Sad yes! All the Studios in that area closed, Pacifique, Amigo, Conway, etc. Free lance engineers aren’t doing much…I wonder what a school like MIT tells students? “Use that diploma to get Your day Jobs at Bobs Big Boy!”….kinds sucks “for them :)
YES, good points…I still have my ‘Studio Menu’ which lists 150+ Commercial studios in the LA area, plus support services such as Project One, Rack Attack, etc … almost ALL of which are closed now…Everything Changed 😢
@Marks Musicology Euphorium true about space but really if you know how to play your own instruments and understand plugins to use with them you can pretty much do what ever
I stopped paying for studio time when i started paying 100 an hr. I learned to just do it all myself. Audio engineers will be bery sought after in this digital age but it will just be all digital interaction. Which ill take bc i dont wanna work around a bunch of ppl anyways
And there is nothing they can do about it either times change and if you don't change you will be left behind or worse in debt and left behind.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
We all got into this because we were going to do it anyway and not because it was a smart idea. We must role with the times and luckily the times are fun. I think Hank Williams said a song ain’t worth writing if it’s ain’t done in 20 mins. We are right back there again and it can be a great thing if you role with it. You’ll always be ok with how all this gear fits into your life or doesn’t as long as you blast through it really fast. If you ruin a mix, do that fast too.
Everything is about speed not quality now.
@@Ryan-rn3cf I got into music for the Chicks! :)
@@KallusGarnetRemember that if you are a musician, musicians often associate the amount of time a project takes with its quality. It’s not true, you practice, fail many times until your best yearlong masterpiece and your best 5 minute midi session start to look the same. Yes it’s very difficult, you greatly underestimate how good and how fast at being good some people are. This is causing jealousy, negativity. If you let that go, you could even run even faster and further. Let that go first.
Great video, I use a vintage Tascam 2488mkii 24 track digital home studio that i gotfor free on marketplace on Facebook. I also just got done with creating my vocal and recording booth in our walk in closet which is great. Plus I have more creative control.
Run a professional studio out of my house. Regardless of how easy it is to get a “pro” sound from home for everyone. The real experience and gear takes things to a worldclass level everytime. You just have to be able to punch above everyone. That means a “demo” from me should sound better than a professional master coming elsewhere. This also includes me having 12 analog hardware synths and real guitars , real tape. Integrating that with the speediness of the modern workflow. Also catering to the artist . Making them uncomfortable and asking questions they don’t even ask themselves. Pushing them to be great. The days of running a studio and just pushing record and the track sounding like a demo are over. Even during its hayday i LAUGHED at that.. I was doing home recordings in 03’ thatd smoke what people were overpaying for in facilities. I did a session with an artist yesterday. 23 yr old kid (im 36). Runs his own setup. I said “forget everything youve done up until this point”. Had my wife make him tea and snacks. Got him on a $50,000 mic chain (vintage sony thru 1073 > api 550 , re 542 > maag eq 4 > 1176 > cl1b > burl mastering converters. He could hear his nose hairs. And pushed him and pushed him. We got to be coaches , we got to cater to the artist but also provide a service they can’t for themself. In 3.5 hours we finished the entire song from recording to master and it rivals all industry songs Ive heard. Is creative and forward thinking and sonically even punches above industry average. And even if this kid had the same setup and same skillset I do and have got in 36 years him having a person to push him and write with him/produce with him is essential. Theres a reason all the biggest artists still work with another producer.
We need to evolve with the times is all.
good shit bro, hard work pays off, done made bro a superstar in 4h lol
I'm all for the tools we've been getting...they're so massively powerful in the right hands. But that's the thing--it takes years of developing a good enough ear to use those tools well and even more years to be good enough of a songwriter to make something people will actually enjoy. So a HUGE part me is sad to see "the studio", and the industry as it were, become a thing of the past. That gatekeeping is what gave us the quality of music we've known up until the last 15 years of popular music. You had to be GOOD to get your music released because everything was done in full takes as the standard. You couldn't just copy 4 or 8 bars from one take and paste it into an entire song. The craft of it has taken a huge dive.
I agree. Also, the recording medium has changed. Now with digital is more convenient and cheaper than analog tape.
Digital music is inferior
it's people's matter of opinion. as far as mixing goes, it's subjective. Haven't been to a studio in 20 years. you can record anywhere in the world. not just at home.
Most ppl can be engineers nowadays .. if a song is a big hit it can always get remixed and mastered .. lot of artist learning to mix just good enough to taste to put it out .. most ppl don’t notice a “professional” mix unless it’s bad obviously.. lot of templates for vocals chain but I do suggest learning to mix
Better of learning music theory than how to mix.
I had a home studio since 1995 I'm 44 now....I saved Alot of money and my friends did too
You had a home studio at 15?
@frankjum yes my brother brought me a lc50 Mac running cubase and opcode oms with a midiman interface, a fostex multi track 280 and a Ramsa wr820 mixer, alesis eq and midiverb an akai s900 and a roland drum machine.... unfortunately him and his friend was murdered in 1997
@@justscooters9821 Sorry for your loss. Although that had to have been devastating at least he left something for you to build abd grow with.
@@frankjum 🙏🙏🙏 thanks yeah Harlem NYC was a different world in the 90's
I used to be a partner in two recording studios back in the old days, all the gear etc and huge huge overheads .... 30 years later i have a studio in my loft, with far more gear than ever but all in the box and 1 percent of the cost if that, omg i have a full ssl desk in my mac lol, and the quality of my releases are better than 30 year's ago.....and i can use it anytime as you say hahaha, i just wish i was 21 again lol big studio days are over unless its orchestras and live drummers....maybe, great video indeed
1:11 that PLUS
KNOWLEDGE and EXPERIENCE
this is a key point
I got my Apollo X8 Gen 2 audio interface with the Uaudio DLX mic, Presonus Studio One & LUNA, and plugins, in my 16x17 room. Thats all I need. I will never pay to record in a studio
Studios are still charging $100/hr and u have to book a 4-hour session... WUT😳‼️‼️‼️ Not me
If i were to release an album for myself i would release it on youtube and have instant world wide reach and not expect money because its only a hobbie. I have an actual job that pays the bills.
All you need is Macbook Pro ,Ipad and have Protools or Studio One for recording vocals
I think people find out so many of their favorite artists are recording songs at home, hotels, random places.
Also people would say you need a well treated room to mix, with expensive speakers but find out many engineers are mixing totally in the box with headphone setups which eliminate bad rooms.
There is something to be said about expensive outboard gear but Plugins have gotten so much better that a well skilled engineer can make really stellar productions with fairly basic mixing tools.
Guitars and basses, you have virtual amps/cabinets.
I think the biggest reason probably for a Studio is either Live Recording of Bands and/or recording of weird instruments that a person might want an engineers expertise.
That said with a 16 channel audio interface, you can record most bands and easily record a rhythm section.
With laptop studios, you can literally move your studio if you desire better rooms or what not.
I think on the flip side record budgets are tighter and more is expected on independent artists to sound professional where 20 years ago, you could get away with something sounding like a demo.
Not to mention quite a few engineers these days just set up shop for themselves instead of trying to work for a bigger studio. I always wanted to work in a bigger studio until I realized I am at advantage working out of a home studio and just having clients record with me. I can charge less, while making more than a recording engineer would at a bigger studio, offer a private environment, and work for my client instead of under the guidelines of a studio. While inflation has caused prices of things to go up, studio gear has not. And while a 4,000 dollar mic seemed unrealistic when I started in 2000, now it's not that expensive given its an investment. Plus with Sweetwater offering 4 year 0 percent interest financing, it's never been easier to have top level gear in your home.
Been over
Convolution reverbs can imitate any space I'm guessing?
VST S. DESTROYED THE MUSIC STUDIO 🎙 PERIOD
ok boomer
Nope. Studios back then had vst’s. What killed them is that we can do it all ourselves now.
The signs of change have been evident since 2008, giving people ample time to adapt to the evolving landscape of the music industry. That said, recording studios can still maintain relevance if they pivot strategically. One promising approach is to assist artists in promoting their music and gaining visibility, in exchange for a share of the profits.
In today's climate, many artists struggle with promotion and monetizing their work. A studio that offers a comprehensive, end-to-end package-from recording to marketing-could fill a critical gap. By providing a "zero-to-artist" deal, studios could position themselves as essential partners in an artist's journey, rather than just a space for recording.
This model might also shift the role of home recording setups. Instead of replacing studios, personal gear would serve as a tool for practice and development, with artists turning to professional studios when they’re ready to break into the industry and perform live. Such an adaptation could not only sustain recording studios but also make them indispensable in the modern music ecosystem.
Nothing I've said is anything knew, however it should be applied now more than ever.
I watched an interesting video where Richard Osmond was giving the stats on how few ‘bands’ have been in the charts over the last decade or so, compared with the 90’s for instance. It’s quite shocking how few there are now. I think the tech advances have lead to that also, which again will impact studios.
I’d love to record a in a huge studio and work there but it’s who you know and how good you are. So until I get there, digital is the way to go. I want to use analog and what not but as you said, the financial is the biggest reason
I come from old school recording studio days, way before home studios were a thing.
Right now home studios are giving commercial studios a run for their money, because everything right now is in the box. Plenty of home studios have made platinum hit recordings.
Meaning, they have actually won platinum awards.
The ONLY thing that cannot be changed is orchestral music. Even if you purchase dozens of very expensive orchestral libraries, it still has to be re-recorded by live orchestral musicians.
Because it's mandated by the film industry. I used to work for MGM, Universal, Orion, Sony and many other film recording studios as an engineer.
Trust me when I say, if you record orchestral music for TV show or movie production. The music has to be re-recorded in a film production studio by live musicians.
It's how it has always been and always will be. Even Hans Zimmer and Tom Holkenborg have to have their music redone in a film orchestral studio and they even conduct it as its being done.
That's the only time those particular large studios will remain doing business.
Every other large studios for music production and mixing, are being a dying breed business, because everybody now can have a studio in their home. All you need is a really powerful computer,
and purchase lots VST and VSTi's, some monitors and headphones, maybe a microphone or two if you really need it, and you're done.
Two simple reasons - (1) You can have a studio at your home these days thanks to technology and (2) The major labels all have their own studios. I work at a major label and never understood why some of our artists were still recording out in public, but now they're using our own studio more and more which makes sense of course.
I've done both since i started making music, there's just a feeling that cant be captured in a home studio. and i have my own, even i can ear/feel the difference when i'm working from home or reg studio. for any real artists, the studio will always remain the best creative space.
Great video homie.
Some engineers prices are outrageous. And they are not as good as they say they are. Plus some artist are thinking recording in a top notch studio. Will make their music sound good. But it still be 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 🗑️🗑️🗑️🗑️🗑️
One word: DAW
Most of the best studios now are private, i been to amazing studios inside houses, underground bunkers and even tour buses. If you make money in sound you can have your own studio for under 10-100k.
Pretty much in the first sentence of addressing it, you summed it up. I spent many years producing music, did a year-long engineering internship in a professional studio, pretty much took from that exactly what I needed and then built what I needed at home for like 1/100 of the cost. It wasn’t cheap, but I now feel like for literally a fraction of the cost at my own leisure, I can easily rival and even beat what they are doing, especially for what they are charging. Where this studio went RIGHT is that they offer all the paid courses and internships. They dealt with a lot of commercial business, local talent, even some big talent, but it was also kind of a school at the same time if that makes sense. They are honestly raking it in doing that because the courses are pretty expensive and I know for a fact that’s the reason why they are still open and doing well. Something for others to learn from though, because I honestly feel like it was worth it and for them, it keeps their lights on
I thought this might be important to add, but even though they have worked with some big names (right off the top of my head, I know one of them ran a session there with Lady Gaga) at least 50% Their client base was jazz, orchestral, College choirs/bands and live session instruments. So that makes a big difference too, thats some of the stuff that you REALLY can’t beat very easily at home without the space and treatment. I am a hip-hop producer and engineer and operate in a totally different creative space than them so I was pretty easily able to take what I needed from it and just do it at home even better. I saw you addressed that so I thought I should add that point because it’s definitely relevant and backs up what you were saying
Being "In the box" is the new studio. Plus, they make plugins for EVERYTHING now. The only thing I see in today's time that needs to be hardware are Mic amps or if you just collecting vintage gear.
some people believe that a pro level sound can't come from plug ins. and it must be used with real musicians and in a commercial studio
@@marksmusicplace3627boxes and software font have interactive feel and nuance besides wont answer back if you have a question or idea. Then again much of today's music doesnt need that and it shows.
I am actually surprised there are as many new studios being built these days. A new brick and mortar was setup about 6 months ago just a mile from my house and I live in a small town with a population fewer than 100k. Unless they have large sound rooms that can accommodate complete bands who don't have a place of their own to record I just don't see the point in that business model.
Let’s be real. The prices recording studios charge are too ridiculous for the average nobody to afford. These studios still think it’s 1985 and artists are coming in with million dollar studio budgets to blow so they want to charge them $1,000 a day just to do what they can do at home with the same software. If studios charged reasonable prices based on the current market they’d be good still.
Also some of these pretentious studios closing I’m glad. They were some of the biggest gate keepers to the industry. How are you only going to allow signed artists to record at your studio and nobody else? These artist drop albums like once every commit passing.
The video hes referring to is Busy Beaats.
Whether studios, AIRBNB, Uber Eats, ot whatever, people create ideas daily yo make it easier for people.
Always be a step ahead. Always have something unique to sell that people have to get from you
The so called vintage gear each had its unique characteristics that are not necessarily easily matched. The plug in version is a duplicate that has no such characteristics, each plugin sonically no different from the other. It’s these characteristics that made songs sound differently Pre - Protools than they are now.
Yeah, but some artists are looking to catch a vibe for inspiration that a studio setting provides for some. Nice comfy couches 🛋, hookah, enough space to catch a small club vibe.
I started recording at home on stereo tape decks in high school, Tascam 4 track in college, then started sequencing and recording with Cakewalk and the 4track, and on and on. Today I mostly record with DAWs and hardware synths, making acoustic percussion tracks to blend with electronic tracks. But even if I was recording a standard three piece rock band, I'd still do it here and not in a traditional recording studio.
S*** happens. Technology changes things. A century ago, newly-invented drumsets put a lot of Big Band percussion sections out of work. Why hire four or five people when one reasonably-skilled player can do it all?
It's the same with this. Technology has torn down the gates between musicians and recording capabilities. I used to dream of working in a recording studio as a kid. Now I have my own.
It’s as simple as you mentioned, the budget was funded by the labels before. Now the artists have to fund themselves.
Studios now cater exclusively to film scoring, orchestral pieces, licensing/sync, country and rock bands from the 70s/80/90s that are big. Gone are the days where bedroom artists/producers need to save up for studio time, or even mastering really.
Services like Landr and plugins like Ozone, Master Plan, Grand Finale, and Trinity give the artist the power. Indie artists with budgets still refer to unbiased ears for mastering.
Invest in good hardware at home. Will pay off in the long run.
I think Recording Studios are more important in situations where you are Recording live bands, orchestras, or choirs.
Basically complex arrangement of Acoustic instruments to where it will take some experience, real estate, and a collection of mics to record. That said you can probably study a bit to record alot of this stuff but there is still a level of expertise in that.
For a Producer that just need loops, synths, lead vocals/overdubs, some elect guitars, it is very easy to adopt a DIY take. The biggest skill is the Producers skill and mixing skills.
Whereas in more complex Recording tasks, you might want a Recording studio.
There are still sooooo many people who dont want to home record or want to learn it. Its hard to learn all of this even with a laptop there is a lot of technicalities to it. Studios are still making money because people don't want to learn to record their self. Although now we have a lot of recording studios because a lot of people can do it from home. Now with AI though you can just say what you want in the song will be created.
i’ve seen hit records recorded in the closet, then after a simple “Save Copy In” Send The Session Off To Be Mixed & Mastered.. 21 Savage First Couple Projects Was Recorded In An apartment complex
Own a studio in Charlotte NC. We are booming. We have also have built converted storage units studios at my brothers home (master engineer) where he can do the mastering from home. We recruit engineers from colleges. It’s all about your market and dominate if.
🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯 most people saying this about recording studios don't have a good network, and are usually out of touch with current trends and artists
Def Jam paid Warren G 300k to record Regulate G funk Era album. He took that $$$ and bought some Tascam DA88s, Recording console, keyboards, mics, and anything else he needed. Built a small studio in his apartment. Recorded the entire album there. Probably costed him no more than 25k. Which was a good investment. Because he can use that equipment to record subsequent albums. He did mixed the album down at Track Records, a professional recording studio. Mastered it at Bernie Grundman.. That album sold 3 million in 1994. His two first singles were nominated for Grammy awards. That was 30 years ago. He was definitely ahead for his time, when it comes to being a do it yourself-er with the music recording. Especially for a hip hop artist. Nowadays, folks can get professional results by mixing and mastering in their home studios. So there is no f8*** reason to pay 2k per day for a professional recording studio. Plus an extra fee for an engineer. They all will go tf out of business
I can put a million dollar studio in a $600 laptop. I can spend $40 on a DAW and download all the legit and free VSTs, I would like to fill out my tools... no not cracks but real, no cost plug-ins.
I started out in a 24 track studio in the mid 90s. But they all started to go away as the DAW took over and people started retiring or kicking the bucket and no new shops replaced them
Hot tea is the best for sore throats; add honey and lemon
🐱 Juice too 😂😂
Good for the Throats
I DID THIS IN 2019 SAVED ME THOUSANDS. ALL IN THE BOX FOR ME NOW...
Yo, real talk, it's a grind out here for studios. Streaming got folks building home setups, and rent's a killer. Marks Musicology Euphorium might just be the last of a dying breed. Sad to see the vibe fading, fr. 💔🎶
Also, the quality of mixing and mastering is lower due to many amateurs doing it themselves and putting it on Spotify bypassing the label completely. This means that consumers are now used to less quality mixing and barely can tell the difference anyways so why pay for professional mixing and mastering as well. These plugins get you about 75% of the way there by themselves
let’s not forget commuting/traffic sucks and creativity is a quick fleeting moment. when you’re able to access equipment in your own home that problem is out of the equation.
It boils down to turn around time, i remember the days when trying to book a session in a good studio was Impossible unless you are a big artist with a huge budget, do you really want to wait 2 months to get a recording session by an engineer that doesn't care about your song and will still over charge you.😂😂😂
It might be cheaper and might be technologically possible to do it at home, but the sad part is a studio used to have a specific sound due to the gear, room size etc etc. Everything now is starting to sound the same.
I only need the studios when I want to record acoustic instruments or section of instruments.Then I process everything at home.
The first reason is more music are not acoustic anymore and even if they record acoustic stuff at home the digital recording make this affordable , as long as we found a good room to record or even on a live stage, the second reason is everything is very electronic or urban oriented, those kind of music just need sampling and synth, the last reason is A.I can also be a DAW killer , now every non musician can make is own shitty music and there happy. But i only hope real live music with people that practice it , can be save ...
Well if your an Artist and producer its not easy to be more creative in your sleeping space also unless you got a seperate room
It's cheaper, not better as far as the talent and music today.
I think one of the larger problems of home recording is the can drum sounds or loops. People have been hearing drum machines since before the 80s and have gotten use to it. They slap drum samples on records today like wallpaper on walls. Drummers cannot or rarely can record in peoples homes and apartments. This is a big deal because drum and bass are basic pieces to popular music since the early days of recording. Also, music has lost its value to the younger generation. It just has period. No school program, technology, cheap gear or pop princess can put Humpty Dumpty back together again.
dope
With a professional recording studio, you're paying for the experience and knowledge of those running that studio. I don't think it's all about acquiring high quality gear to use at home.
Most of todays hits are produced on a MacBook with a Scarlette focusrite interface and a bunch of cracked VSTs
We figured out that you don’t need to spend money you don’t have just to create art. Now we run this shit.
BasicLy the vanity project clients that were bread and butter are recording at home
Yep I use reasons 11 and interface and keyboard controller that's it!
Technology from europe is always going to be in demand. Only the serious spend the bread . Just my opinion. For
Instance , I found my signature Sound from a very niche and boutique Engineering firm. Not plug ins. Just Pure hardware.
The kaotica eyeball, basically rendered the recording booth useless