albini rates!! what the---???

colinandrew12 · Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 8:11 am Post subject: albini rates!! what the---???

Has anyone else noticed that albini raised his personal rate to 450 a day. for some reason this sort of disappoints me. don't get me wrong, i love most everything i've heard from him, he's one of the true modern innovators in my opinion. but after reading so many articles and watching the little quicktime movie where he speaks so proudly of the fact that he only charges 350 a day for himself (not the studio rental), to see that he's raised his price 100 dollars a day sort of makes me sad. i'm sure there's a good reason for it, but saddening, none the less.....
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BigCats · gimme a little kick & snare Joined: 28 Dec 2003 Posts: 76

He actually posted a message not too long ago on the Electrical forum in essence apologizing for the increase. Apparently they did a deep dive on the books and realized they were going to run out of money in the very near future if they didn't raise revenues. Considering they're almost always fully booked it was the only thing they could really do.

Hey - the guy's a great talent but he also runs a business that more than a few people rely on to feed their families. It's not a charity. So you shouldn't fault him for doing the right thing to stay afloat.

K

bigtoe · deaf. Joined: 13 May 2003 Posts: 1776

i just heard some guy with a computer in my town charges 50 an hour for... *cough*... 'mastering' and gets it. can we bitch about that?

Mike

jp · ass engineer Joined: 08 May 2003 Posts: 40

whats to be dissapointed about? great engineer, great studio.... $450 a day for an engineer is nothing these days. im sure the guy who did the latest trapt, or mudspool, (or whatever the hell they call that crap) charged a whole lot more and in addition asked for a gang of points. the fact that steve is booked up solid is reason enough to up the rates. the records will sound the same. the guy is a pro and should be paid like one.

Cellotron · Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 9:37 am Post subject: Re: albini rates!! what the---???

A top name engineer after working years and years wants to make approx $40-$50 an hour and you think these rates are objectionable????
That is totally insulting to Steve. Try getting a top name doctor or a lawyer to work for that!

Folks - here's a nice lesson about capitalism. Prices for services that do not consume commodities are determined solely by what the market will bear. A bit of this has to do with what your local competition charges - and a bit has to do with the quality of service you provide - and a bit has to do with what is perceived as the quality of service you provide (aka "marketing") The best thing to do is find the ideal price between rate and the volume it brings in to maximize your income. If people will pay it - then you can charge it. You'll know it's too much when your business gets reduced to the point that if you had a lower rate but higher volume you'd make more cash for the year. You'll know it's too little when you are completely busy but still can't make ends meet.

i.e. - if you're 100% booked up and your rates are lower than what most others charge for your services (which I would definitely say $350 for a generous "day" would be for someone with a credit list like Albini's) and if you notice you can't do things like buy that really nice new comp, or take a day off once in a while to actually hang out with your kids, because things are just a little too tight - well then golly maybe it'd be better to be a "bad" person and raise your rates a little.

Best regards,
Steve Berson .
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junkstar · Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 9:45 am Post subject: Re: albini rates!! what the---???

$450 a day sounds more than reasonable to me. Good deal actually.
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Cellotron · Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 9:47 am Post subject: Re: albini rates!! what the---???

Mark Alan Miller · Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 9:51 am Post subject: Re: albini rates!! what the---???

I gotta say that recording rates are one of the few things that have not gone up proportionately with the cost of living if you look at the history of it. Go back to some of what Cosimo Matassa was saying at TapeOpCon about getting $25/hour - in the fifties - and the fact that there are many of us who have to 'compete' with small 'commercial' studios that are charging that today, and one can see why it's hard to raise rates...

$450/day? he's worth it - he's worth more. Like it's just been said, try getting other professionals to work for that little. Hell, my tech gets $85/hour. (And personally, he's worth more! But I hope he doesn't raise his rates. ha-ha.)

I know I'm worth probably twice what I charge, but because anyone with a few dollars can get some equipment and open a 'studio' at rates that already undercut mine, nevermind the fact that they have little to no experience and their stuff doesn't usually sound very good, I still have to deal with clients calling me up and saying 'so-and-so only charges $x' and I have to explain that, if they listen to my work, and theirs, that it will become more apparent that I should be charging at least the $y that I charge.

Don't get me wrong, I love that gear is so cheap now. Home recording rocks. But when people decide it's time to go to a 'pro' studio the lines are blurry and confusing for them. And the intangible (or somewhat intangible) thing about this business is the level of talent and skill of the engineer/producer (at least, until you can hear their work...)

Sorry for the rant, but professionals should get paid according to their worth, and in this business, they rarely do.
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Al · moves faders with mind Joined: 06 Jun 2003 Posts: 2690

I would'nt give him 4 pounds fifty, never mind 450.

Al

bigtoe · deaf. Joined: 13 May 2003 Posts: 1776

bobbydj

C'mon! The bloke's the overlord of bigness. If the conversion's right, £250 a day for one of the world's most renouned engineers is a fuckin steal man!! Blinkin aider. I'd snap 'is dick off at that price.
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bobbydj

That was to Al, mike.

C'mon taffy! Put 'em up!!

*dances round forum with a spazzy Ali shuffle*
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joeysimms

Yeah, if you think $450 a day is too much, then don't do it. I personally think it's a steal getting any professional at that rate.
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Rick Hunter

Yeah, 450 bucks a day seems more than fair. I am recording some live show in a few months for 600, I hope they don't hear about this or my land lord is gonna be pissed.
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junkstar

I think, at the least expensive, you gotta be prepared to be spending $1k a day for a pro situation (to cover studio and producer). That's as cheap as I would ever expect to get. Add tape to that and any talent you may need and you can be looking at about $2k a day. Remember that kids when your label only offers you $10k for your new album project. It sounds like alot, but only buys you about a week...
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