Hi Britton!
Classical/symphonic/chamber/opera...all of the above, I have dealt with for decades. Most of the time, classical music is usually done with the minimalist approach of 3 to 5 channels (mics) and then mixed later to proper perspective (dynamically playable). The problems I have are the royalities. Being a little guy, I have to pay the composers, the artists, the consortum, the organization and everyone else you would not even think of before I can produce a project for resale. The way the record companies do it is a gamble that they will sell XXX amount of product in order to break even or maybe profit a little. In many cases, if 10,000 pieces are not sold, the project is a loss for the producer or executive producer. In short runs, usually less than 100 pieces, I can "buy the rights" to make available the product for educational or evaluation (demonstration) purposes. One thing I would have to do is go into the archives that I can get legal with. I sign a contract upon production that I will have the right to produce some for these purposes or even resale..or I shall NOT have the right to any reproduction or manufacturing. I am strict about not letting things out until my archival period has expired and even then, I have to separate which archives are "dead" and which ones I cannot touch. (The W Turbinton and the Bros.3 are in agreement so if you like the music, it is a form of advertising for the perpective artists, go buy their CD's!!) I will make an effort to look through what I have (I do not toss out classical masters but I do liquidate the edit copies or the sample mastering copies) and I can look at the master ledger and see what can be done for upcoming projects. I do have 8 CD's now that I am in the process of getting licensing for that I can make available. It is a difficult process and it is not cheap..but it is rewarding and really, folks that are into music deeply (us all) need to hear what can be done when you are funding your own projects and are not under someone elses rules as to how it "needs to sound" Unfortunantly, a good modern production can cost anywhere from 10 to 30 thousand dollars to pull off. Since I am funding these myself with no outside underwriting, it takes a lot of time to put togeather something meaningful and enjoyable that is totally legal.
I am not saying it can't be done and dont get dissapointed. one angle is to hang out at the local University and recruit students and build a small orchestra. I can buy the scores and I can direct the sessions and the recordings. This way, I pay the musicians a talent fee, I pay for the useage of the score, I also pay a performers rights guild (of the many) and then I pay for the production in time and materials, not to mention logistics. I have done it..it is fun..but it is not cheap. At 20 bucks a CD retail (meaning I would get about 4 dollars and pay 6 each for them) it would take about 500 to be sold to break even if I were VERY effiecient in my directing, logistics and recording/producing skills. Then I would need photography and artwork, then manufacturing and packaging. A usual 20 piece self directed project takes about 135 hours minimum and about 5 grand in cash. Remember, I am not making anything while this is happening and the bills keep coming in!
Typically, my next production is budgeted at 165K! Everyone else gets theirs before I can begin to get mine...AND guess what?? I can bill them for all my production time and my facilities use and all the travel for a 3 month product, hotels and all..but the real money is being the executive producer and getting 10 points on the back end sales. Sell a million, I make several million. Sell none, I would owe out the butt for everything except billable commodities and my skills.
I figure the next project will break even for me at about the 42,000 sales level..but it is for a major label. If not, I still get credit for life.
So far, here is the established creditials that are on the web. Many many many many albums I have worked with, I did for cash, no accreditment.
Very incomplete..but there, none have been losers. All of them, I was in the producers chair. These are all that matters for a credit for me.
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDSUB040404082258382575&sql=Btr5a8qppbtx4It is unadultrated loan sharking and gambling that this business is based on. I would not be involved if I did not love music and find my time to be "slightly expendable"
Believe it or not, loudspeaker design and implementation is really my first love, but without the music, none of it matters!
This last CD...if it were done as they are done by major labels would be in the order of a 1 million dollar expendature...(No joke). Litterally, all the time it took from organizing the recordings, moving the equipment, the logistics of it all, (hundreds of people were involved) many hours in mixdown and mastering and all the legal hassles make me wonder sometimes, why do this?? Well, I love good music and this is why. Sometimes..just sometimes, I even get paid to do this!!!!
