Some market research, if you would please give your opinion

[MDV]

So, I run an audio production doobery. Its cool, I like it. But, I was thinking. Not too hard, like, that hurts. Theres a seemingly infinite amount to learn about recording and mixing, and its pretty clear to me that its a lifelong endeavour if you wish to pursue it full-force regardless of technological advances bringing it within the reach of far more people.

But, the way the technology is going, home recording is only increasing. A lot of larger studios are already suffering because of this. People going to people like me, who run small-scale operations from their homes, or small studios with less-than-glorious rooms and facilities, compensated for to a large degree by the tech we have a available. 

Thats the way its going, like it or not. So, it occurs to me that though I'm not terry date, I know enough to get people started and on a decent path in Home Recording and was thinking of offering lessons helping jimmy mcnoodles know what the hell to do with his DAW and what his DAW can do, give his room some decent treatment, basic engineering and mixing (mainly mixing as I anticipate much of the stuff will be DI and MIDI based; the proverbial axe/pod + S2 home recording format, and its relatives).

I reason that this is training competition, but also reason that if someones got the gumption to get some gear and get on with it themselves, then its more analagous to teaching guitar these days anyway; the cost of entry is pretty similar, and its just as much a skill as playing. The paradigms shifting, I was part of that shift (wouldnt do what I do otherwise), and those that would rather spend the money on an engineer and get a good recording now, not in a year or two, will still likely do so.

otoh, those same poeple are also the sort that will go and learn as much as they can on their own. I've personally always felt that a pupil that does his own research between lessons is by far and away the best kind, but many supplant the lessons with a totally autodidactic approach. I mean, I did (for guitar and recording and mixing: perhaps I learned from an idiot :lol:)

So, my questions are these:

Do you believe the above reasoning sound? No pun intended. Just kidding, of course the pun was intended. Whats your take? Do you think differently about it to anything I've said above?

Is it the sort of thing that you would use if you knew someone in your area did it? (or even online if I can puzzle out how). Poll attached for that one, if I can remember how.

[MDV]

I voted afghan dave to see the poll. Whoever else did.....I really dont know what to say.

[38thBeatle]

I am kind of interested but I have found that I prefer writing and playing to know twiddling. I am my own worst enemy because if I invested a bit of time learning all the techy stuff I would probably get a lot out of it but the main thing is that I had to sacrifice my music room when my son came to live here so it is no longer something I can do readily. I have a friend with a studio who lets me have it for nothing so there is no real incentive other than the fact that he lives 60 miles away.
I am waffling- how out of character for me.

[James C]

I voted "I never knew of such a thing, daunting etc...

I have recording gear at home (pod x3 Pro, Reaper, EzDrummer & DFM) but apart from scoring drum parts on Guitar Pro and just literally recording the output from the preamp, i have no idea how to get better results from what i have.

I probably would learn as much as possible and then sod off and do it on my own, but the knowledge gained by the lessons would still have served it's purpose and be invaluable.

[juansolo]

I voted afghan dave to see the poll. Whoever else did.....I really dont know what to say.

:D  Likewise. I don't record, but was interested ;)

[AndyR]

I voted afghan dave to see the poll. Whoever else did.....I really dont know what to say.

:lol:

I haven't voted yet, but "Afghan Dave" seemed to be the best option for me out of those!

I think the nearest one for me would be (or was, many years ago) number 2. But I wouldn't want to tell a prospective tutor to bugger off! More of a "that's very interesting, I'll get back to you...". In fact, that is kind of what I did with a guy in the mid-late 80s.

I got interested in recording for songwriting and demo purposes over 30 years ago. My first trip to a small professional studio as a troubadour/singer-songwriter was when I was 16 or or so. Then from 83 to 86 I went into "studios" about 4 or 5 times to record demos in various bands. Then around 87 I found I could afford a 4-track cassette-recorder when I left the band I was fronting...

I went to the guy who'd been engineering our demos for a while (I'd also done some session work for him providing vocals and/or guitar for jingles), and I asked him for some pointers. We were wondering about putting it on some sort of formal footing at first. So he set a session up, but we ended up just chatting after he'd asked me what I understood already. Because of what I understood, and the sort of musician/songwriter/aranger I was, he was convinced I could figure it for myself. And, besides, he wasn't at all convinced he needed to branch out into tutoring/mentoring, and his business certainly wasn't growing enough at the time to need another pair of hands.

I fiddled with 4-track on and off, successfully enough to satisfy me and any folks I was working with... Then in 99 or so I went to a much bigger studio with a later band. I paid a lot of attention to what was going on with the engineer this time. I was even hands-on on the desk at mix time with this one, I'd understood enough about how the desk worked and what it was doing for us.

By the time I started going digital (maybe 2004?), I already had a very good idea of what I was trying to achieve. And I found that most of what I needed to know is available on the old web. And, for me, it's all about getting a bit of info and then seeing whether I can use it - same as you, I guess :D


So, same as music lessons, I'm a kind of a "thanks but no thanks" punter. I'd rather find out by doing it myself....


However, I do think it's an avenue you should explore. How much of a market there is I dunno. And how much it would benefit the guys/gals who don't have a burning desire to find out how to do it already, I dunno (but that's not your problem if they'd like to buy the service off you! :D) - like you said, the ones that do some work themselves between lessons are the ones who are going to get somewhere. And, possibly, they don't need you?

Actually, how would you, yourself, have answered this poll when you were starting out?

[Philly Q]

I voted afghan dave to see the poll. Whoever else did.....I really dont know what to say.

:D  Likewise. I don't record, but was interested ;)

Same, I'm afraid. :oops:  Maybe you shouldn't have included that option....

Recording, for me, is like a lost continent - interesting, but a total mystery.  Trouble is, even if I did know how to do it I'd still lack (a) anything to actually record and (b) the skills to play it.

But best of luck with the enterprise.  :)

[dave_mc]

I'd probably be one of the first two- never got round to learning to record, but wouldn't mind if it weren't too much effort (rationale being that if it's too much effort i'd rather put that effort into my playing).

good luck. i think your reasoning is reasonably sound, but whether that translates into something in the business world, i have no idea :lol:

[psy]

I voted 'I would learn, and then record only my own material because bugger working with other musicians'.

I do a spot of recording at home myself, but there's always more to learn so it is the kind of thing I'd consider.  Even though I voted bugger other musicians I do on a rare occasion help various close friends out with recordings from time to time, but it's not something I'd charge people for.

I've got a whole bunch of things I've recorded on Soundcloud if anyone is interested :) http://soundcloud.com/psystatic

[FredD]

I voted Afghan Dave because none of the other responses seemed right for me.
I started recording in 1961, using 2 Ferrogragh quater inch 'half track' machines and a Brennel 'half track' with a valve 4 channel mixer.  A few years later the Brennel was replaced with a Revox.  All these machines ran quater inch tape at 15 and 7.5 inches per second.
Later on, as the technology became available, I moved onto 8 and 16 tracks on half in tape (Tascam), and various 16/32 channel desks.
In more recent years, I have 'gone digital' and my 'studio' setup revolves around Avid Pro Tools, with various plug in FX and a collection of condenser, ribbon, and dynamic microphones.
From the early analogue days to now, I have been completely self taught, relying on books, magazines, and of late, the internet, and most importantly (in my opinion) just DOING it, and learning by my mistakes !
I don't think we ever stop learning, and I have enjoyed my past 50 years 'at sound school' ! 8)

[MDV]

Cheers chaps. All useful responses. Keep em coming.

I'll take 'Afghan Dave' to mean either Dave should produce, he would be awesome at it. He can start with producing a sexual inuendo around him 'producing', or those votes are for 'I already can record pretty well, or really dont care about this at all and that was the funnier thing to vote for', or some other reason that the other options dont fit (some vagary of circumstance, like you 'know a guy' or whatever) in which case, cool, thanks for voting, it is still a useful negative answer. Please though, if one of the main options fits you reasonably well, go for one of those :lol:

[AndyR]

Okies, I didn't vote yesterday... so I just voted with the "real option" that best applies (or would have applied 20 years ago, anyway) to me...

However... in no way do I literally mean that you, nor any other tutor, can, ahem, "bugger off" :lol:

I do think there is a possible market in this, and I do think some folks would get something out of it.

But, whether the average wannabee recordist would be prepared to pay as much as it should cost, or whether you can deal with him/her without going bonkers, that's another matter! :D

[MDV]

Placations and the ever so diplomatic coddling of my feelings, though the spirit in which they are given is kindly appreciated, are appreciated much less than honest answers! Those do me far more good. Especially your considered and perspicacious comments andy.

Thanks for the vote :D

[Modular1]

Learning how to use a DAW is not difficult. Anybody that really wants to do it will find it will not take long to learn the basics. The rest you learn in detail as you need to.

[FredD]

Placations and the ever so diplomatic coddling of my feelings, though the spirit in which they are given is kindly appreciated, are appreciated much less than honest answers! Those do me far more good. Especially your considered and perspicacious comments andy.

Thanks for the vote :D

Have you swallowed a $%&#ing dictionary or what ??  8)
Kindest regards,
F.