anyone still making a living in nyc???

[teaboy]

...i've been working in studios since 95'...been freelance since 00'...done a lot of major and indie stuff...always had up's and downs but, now seems like i'm dead in the water...no work to be found...what now, get a job?..ugh!

[TheDude]

It's begining to seem that way. Although I must say, I could probably be pretty happy as a bartender on an island in the carribean

[raysquared504]

Graduated CRAS in 2000, never had a lot of luck finding work but thought it was due to location, just moved to NYC thinking it would be the silver bullet...damn was i wrong. Here's a idea: since home studios are killing the pro studios, we need to find a way to profit off of them. There are plenty of people who don't know a multi-track recorder from a hole in the ground.

[DoctorNo]

........There are plenty of people who don't know a multi-track recorder from a hole in the ground.

Sad but true......but yet there are still CDs being made. Yet these same people can practice, read books and forums like this, go to adult learning centers or schools that offer training in ProTools or Cubase, and can still make a good product. Great sounding CDs have been made with less.

just moved to NYC thinking it would be the silver bullet...damn was i wrong.

Don't think NYC is the only town with this problem. From what I hear LA has been hurting as well.....can't say how Nashville, Philly, Miami and Atlanta are doing.

Here's a idea: since home studios are killing the pro studios, we need to find a way to profit off of them.

I agree, so far I have yet to find one...and the home studio market isn't going away anytime soon... so far the only thing available is networking to the point where it is like guerilla warfare


I feel your pain teaboy............getting work lately is certainly like reeling in a 1000 pound tuna with a makeshift fishing rod

[Reuben]

I don't think it's impossible to make a living at this, but I think you have to be prepared to do it under all circumstances, whether money comes in or not. Whatever it takes if you really love it. Work some other kind of job or borrow or steal, whatever. If the musicians can do it, recordists can too. It's a personal choice. If it isn't worth it to you (and that can change) you get out, and if you can't NOT do it, you find a way to keep doing it. I find that since I'm learning new things every day and having fun I don't get too hung up on making money, maybe to my detriment.

I don't think you could call what I'm making a "living" but I am paying my studio rent with it. My space and gear aren't much above home studio level, but what's making it possible to get and keep the clients is that I speak their language. Avant garde impsovised musicians and jazz guys are tired of walking into some studio that feels unlike the places they usually make music in, and dealing with engineers who don't understand their musical intentions. They know I'm one of THEM so they trust me. Still, I wonder how I'm going to keep it going when most of these guys wouldn't know good sound from shite and their definition of a good choice of studio is the one they can get for 15 per hour. I hear of rooms in Brooklyn claiming to be pro-level that charge $25 per hour and I wonder how they can afford to do this? I'm charging $30 for my tiny hovel and just barely making it through.

[TapeOpHillary]

only making a living because i do more than engineering (some tech, web design, dj'ing, etc)

[alexdingley]

Making money off of home studio cats isn't as hard as it seems.

Your best friends are sites liks craig's list.org and harmony-central.

I've been posting 1 classified a month on each site stating that I'm a pro engineer and I can help anyone with whatever home studio gear use it better than they are now. I'm a total gear-slut and I've found that it can work to my advantage... it also helps to get out there and work for anyone (even a 16 year old kid with a 4-track) because you end up having to be more creative than you'd ever have imagined... it's good practice, and you can make a little pocket money.

From my ads, right now, I'm:

designing a wiring system for a guy who's got a huge home studio in his basement.

acting as engineer for a singer-songwriter who'd rather be on the guitar than behind the glass

designing home theaters for high-end houses... because of an architect/musican who had me tweak his home studio with new gear.

helping a small jazz label get off the ground by re-outfitting their project studio, and helping mix projects

I'm making anywhere from $30/hour up to $500/day doing this stuff... and though it's not every day... it can really help out... and the more places your face gets seen, the better chances you have of your name showing up on a CD insert.

there's my 2?