A penny for your thoughts?

GroupDIY Audio Forum

Help Support GroupDIY Audio Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

matta

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 11, 2005
Messages
1,640
Location
Cape Town, South Africa
Hey Guys,

I'm 'thinking' about doing an audio engineering instructional DVD. I've watched MANY and much leaves to be desired of most so I'm trying to solicit thoughts from fellow engineers on the issue.

I know some might not enjoy the avenue in which I've chosen to do so, namely Gearslutz, but like it or not I believe it is the best way to reach my potential market. At this point in time I'm testing the waters, as you can imagine doing so would require alot of resources, physically, mentally and financially, so before I go too far down the rabbit hole, your input would be most welcomed.

To keep it all in ONE place, I'd best direct you to the thread on GS, which can be found here: http://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/501541-thoughts-instructional-dvds.html

Please, if you have a moment, share yours thoughts.

Thanks in advance.

Matt
 
Can you recoup your cost on the first run ?
fearing that once it gets into the download world
or if you could get a bigger company to pick it up ?
 
and you would have change coming.  I believe that is how it's supposed to go. I am not a gear slut member so I will comment here.

Go for it... Just be focused on  any idea and or concept.
 
Hi Matt,

I think your overall idea is fantastic and you should push ahead.

Also, the link you posted doesn't work as it looks like you are missing an "l" at the end of "htm", should be "html". I did manage to find it.

Does this shelf the monster summing idea?

I must admit, you are a mover and a shaker!  8)

Best of luck, Jeff
 
Hey Guys,

Thanks for your support and thoughts.

Greg: Well, that is to be worked out, it all depends on the angle/content that I end up focusing on, for example renting Abbey Road or Blackbird Studios, along with a 'featured' engineer is alot more expensive than doing say a small focused production on Guerrilla Recording Techniques ala Tape Op style, 2 different markets and the set-up costs would then dedicate the price point of such a product.

RE the download world, yes, it is a scary place, while I honour copyrights, I'm aware many don't. It is in part why I've been VERY interested in pursuing the potential of this product as an Apple App Store product, with iPhones and iPad's being a plenty, it also lowers overheads dramatically, to non-existent, at least with having to house/store phyiscal product and the costs that go with it... plus the added benefit of not being as easy to digitize for general 'freeware' consumption. it would be used in conjunction with on-line access to high resolution audio files for comparison in ones own DAW etc.

Pucho: Indeed, the KEY in this to to stay focused on a niche idea/concept and NOT cover the ground so many others have already covered, some better than others.

Jeff: Thanks my friend, your support and encouragement is always welcomed. Thanks for the pointing the link issue out, I've corrected it accordingly!

RE the summing idea, yes, it is on the back burner for now... I've not shared this publicly, but I'm 2 short days away from the 'official' due date of my Son (though he will arrive when he wants to), my wife and I' first child, both very excited. It has however brought hope the realization that I'm going to be a stay at home Dad, since my wife is currently the bread winner, which I have no bones about, I think being a Dad is the highest calling I can have, having grown up without one I'm determined to give him all he needs and more.

It has, over the past few months, stirred me to think of job opportunities that run parallel to that, so discovering a way to have a stream of revenue that isn't linked to my physical presence, which both studio sessions and tech work of course do!

This concept would allow me to reap longer term passive income, while taking care of my Son's physical and emotional needs.

All that to A> Share some family news, B> Show you where my headspace is at.

Again, I cherish this community and the love we show/share with each other, so again, thank you.

Cheers

Matt
 
I'll answer here too, since I'm not a GS member:

As far as Big name/big gear, you'd be up against the Allan Parsons thing.  I'd rather see a video showing tapeop style stuff. I think others would be interested in this too.  There's a local project studio here making better sounding recordings than most commercial releases in a small basement with ART mic pres and $500 condensers.  I'd pay money to see their process in action, to hear each of the choices they make, and to finally hear where they were going with them.

Show me the tricks to get the most out of a project/bedroom studio:

How do you mic drums in a slappy, 10'x20'x8' basement? 
When too much is too much (five plugins on every track, 15dB EQ curves, 20:1 compression)
How do you work with a $1000 mic locker? 
Are two mics better than 20? 
Getting big sounds from little/quiet amps.
Making a bass DI sound like a real bass.
Demonstrate phase boo-boos.
How did Sufjan Steven make such a great recording in his apartment?
Chapter 5: Overthinking Things (oftentimes mic->pre->mixbuss is the best signal path)
Making the best of someone else's crappy tracking (I put a high priority on this, happens often to many of us) - reamping, sound replacement, drastic EQ, etc.
Chapter 10: The wrong way:  Do a recording making a bunch of bad decisions and show the final result of those mistakes
etc...
 
Emperor Tomato Ketchup,

Thanks for the input, funny MANY of those were on my list of 'Guerrilla Style Recording Production Techniques' (was even thinking about bringing in a small DIY section, making a DI/reamp, a DIY Subkick, simple mic mods, soldering tips etc).

Cheers

Matt
 
Matt forget to say good luck in the new venture A) the DVD project and B) the arrival of your child into this world.



to quote Rodney Dangerfield "The best part about kids is making them" or something to that effect.
 
One point I forgot to make regarding small shop guerrilla recording: 

I'd focus on the potential damage that can be done by "doing stuff".

Tip number 82:  Ignore all the tips (point and shoot).    I firmly believe that 50% of all home/project recording would sound better if the engineer was limited to one microphone, one mic preamp and no EQ or effects when tracking, followed by a faders-only mix.
 
Thanks Pucho, I think  ;)

Emperor Tomato Ketchup said:
One point I forgot to make regarding small shop guerrilla recording: 

I'd focus on the potential damage that can be done by "doing stuff".

Tip number 82:  Ignore all the tips (point and shoot).    I firmly believe that 50% of all home/project recording would sound better if the engineer was limited to one microphone, one mic preamp and no EQ or effects when tracking, followed by a faders-only mix.

I actually wanted to make a personal record like this, called 'Uno', basically no more than one mic per performance/instrument, set up my DAW like a console, so one EQ on each channel, the same EQ, 2-3 outboard effects a couple select dynamics processors... less it more approach.

Matt
 
Emperor TK sure has some great suggestions!
Evidently, they come from personal experience.
Now, a tip from my personal experience: don't underestimate the parenting.
Best you can hope for is that you get some sleep.
I been a father and a main caregiver for past 2 years and I thought, finally, if I don't work I gonna build me the best coolest studio ever!
As you can see, I built one mk7 mic.... That's all.....

::)
 
Hey Matt,
You mentioned the iPhone app route-have you considered a simple online lessons/podcast format?

The age of the DVD is quickly coming to a close.  I have created online music lessons using a paypal subscription service:
http://mbira.me/lessons/lessons.php

I haven't been wildly successful, but it is an opportunity to start getting the word out for a very small production cost, and you can then tailor your teaching to the interest of your customers.

On another note, I'd like to ask you some specific question about the Cape Town music scene, do you mind if I email you my questions or you email me?

Thanks!
Joel
joel (at) rattletree (dot) com
 

Latest posts

Back
Top