Music recording studios must keep pace with changes in music industry

Describe your business.

We are a one-stop-shop team of music industry professionals who write, record, produce, mix and master music.

How have you coped with an evolving music industry?

We understand the industry has had to make a big change over the years due to downloads. And the budgets required to make a quality product are not what they used to be.

Back in the day, recording an album used to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Today, you can get an A-plus quality recording with Grammy-nominated talent attached and it will sound as if it had the platinum Warner Bros. sound, for a quarter of that price.

We also were one of the first studios in Las Vegas to have done away with the typical hourly rate. Our clients pay a flat fee for the producers, writers, mixers and engineers who need to be involved, and then we take our time to make the best product for the client with no time constraints or stress. Nothing stifles creativity more than watching the clock, hour by hour, counting the money being lost, when you are trying to create your best musical piece.

How has your business changed over the years?

In the past, the No. 1 question from clients was, “OK, now that the product is done, what is the next step?” And in the past, my standard answer was, “We are a product-based company, and we do not dabble with the suits and ties in the industry.” That has all changed since we have now officially signed a partnership with Stampede Music Publishing. Now, when the same question is asked, I can offer the prospect of placement in TV and film with a highly reputable and respected organization that works with some of the biggest stars in the world.

What is your business philosophy?

Omnitone’s motto is, “We make records, not demos,” and we stand by that. There are plenty of studios in Las Vegas that people can use to record demos. We are not that facility.

What most people don’t understand is that record labels no longer invest in creating music anymore. They simply can’t afford to do so. Instead, what they are looking for is a finished product they can take directly to market. You have to, in a sense, walk in guns blazing with a winning song. That also changes your negotiation position for that deal, putting the odds in your favor.

What is the hardest part about doing business in Las Vegas?

Lately, I have noticed more and more that people have forgotten about the art of recording. I have had meetings where someone has walked in with a beat they downloaded from YouTube and wanted to sing over it, calling it a song.

We can’t forget about the art of writing and recording your own music from scratch. Not only does that make the sound original for the artist, but there also is pride involved in creating something from nothing.

What have you learned from the recession?

I have learned that business will come and go, money will come and go, but people will always want to listen to music and escape.