Jump to content

So many studios have closed - it's nice to see a big one come back after being closed for ten years!


Recommended Posts

  • Members

What do you think the attrition rate has been for studios over the last 30 years Phil? That is to say, in percent. I've been in exactly one professional studio in my life, it was over thirty years ago, and I was simply overwhelmed by the tech I was looking at.

 

Perhaps my question is ....Well, I guess what I'm curious about, since you are a professional engineer and all up on this stuff...Say 30 years ago there were 100 pro studios up and running doing brisk business, how many would you say are open today?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What do you think the attrition rate has been for studios over the last 30 years Phil?

That is to say, in percent.

 

 

Big commercial studios, all for-hire studios (regardless of size) or home / project studios? Or all of the above?

 

I have not done any real research and have not read any studies that make an effort to answer that question, so anything I say is going to be just a guess, but I'd say it has been considerable. It's probably harder to make a go of running a successful studio than it is to open a successful restaurant. Most will fail in the first five years, and those that make it past that point are still facing harsh business realities. Budgets for albums are a fraction of what they were in the 80s, or even the 90s. More and more musicians have embraced the home recording / home studio revolution, which means fewer studios are needed for basic tracks, overdubs and mixing. Mastering still seems to be doing a bit better, but at-home mastering is not unheard of either.

 

 

I've been in exactly one professional studio in my life, it was over thirty years ago, and I was simply overwhelmed by the tech I was looking at.

 

Perhaps my question is ....Well, I guess what I'm curious about, since you are a professional engineer and all up on this stuff...Say 30 years ago there were 100 pro studios up and running doing brisk business, how many would you say are open today?

 

Of those original 100 from 30 years ago? I'd guess (again, that's all this is) that over three quarters of them or more are gone. Some may have changed hands and received a rename, others may have completely gone away and even the buildings that once housed them have been replaced by condos or whatever - especially in areas with highly valuable real estate (Manhattan, LA, London, etc.)... the numbers may even be higher than that, although there will also be a smaller number of new facilities opening up.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Kind of depressing...But I guess the business end of things has changed so very much...The labels aren't making the money they used to, so they are reticent to send bands/artists into a studio with the clock running, and no relative guarantee of return.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...