The Technology: Everything in the Industry is Changing. (Part Two)
The major Christian record labels seem to be decreasing while the independent Christian record labels seem to be increasing. The lines between the major labels and the independent labels are starting to fade. When you walk into your local Christian book store, you will notice that the music department is shrinking while the book department is growing. What is causing such a drastic change? Are people not buying Christian music any more?
Technology is the primary reason for the change. Consumers are still buying music, but CD sales are decreasing while digital music sales are increasing. Technology has not only changed the way music is being bought, but also the way music is made. At one time, an individual could not afford to record an album on their own without the backing of a major label. However, that’s not the case anymore! Anyone can record in someone’s spare bedroom studio with equipment that costs less than the price of a full album produced and recorded in Nashville… so long as they have the right knowledge and skills to go along with the technology.
With independent artists, distribution deals are no longer necessary when songs can be set up for sale on iTunes, MySpace, the artist’s website, etc. This allows a person to replicate fewer CD’s to sell at live concerts and ministry opportunities… and instead, sell digital music internationally right from their own website. How cool is that?
Technology has also changed the way an independent artist can market their new album. With e-mail blasts, social networking, and internet-based press releases, you can reach your fans without the necessity of spending lots of money on television advertising, radio advertising, and print advertising.
The playing field between the major label and the independent artist has been leveled. Why would anyone want to sign an 85/15 major label deal when the major label is no longer needed? Sure, they can give you a nice fat cash advance to record your album, but remember that you still have to pay that advance back to the major label with your 15% of the sales. That’s right. You will not see another dime of the music sales until the advance is paid back out of your 15%. Ouch!
Ok, but how can I, the independent artist, survive in this huge music world that was once controlled by the major labels? I’m glad you asked. That will be covered in my third and final blog post in this series. But first, I would love to hear your stories about technology and how it has changed your life in the Christian music world. I look forward to your comments.
Blessings,
Jeff
One Response to “The Technology: Everything in the Industry is Changing. (Part Two)”
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Technology has made a huge difference for my sons and I (I have three ages 13, 9, and 4–the youngest isn’t into helping with music yet except for banging on the drums).
In any case, 20 years ago when I was in college after taking piano lessons for six years, the best I had was a Mac SE. It was useful for writing decent looking music but with what I had available it could not make great sounds.
These days, my sons and I have an iMac, a midi-compatible keyboard, a PS-04 to help get signals between our instruments and the computer, a couple mics, and Logic Pro. (We also occasionally use Allegro for composing.) With that set of tools available (probably less than $1000 aside form the computer and actual musical instruments that we’d have anyway) we have done some amazing things.
For two years running, we have written Christmas plays with music for our Sunday school program. First year was about a shepherd who was too busy to listen to the angels’ call to visit the newborn King. The second was about trying to decide what to sing to the shepherds using the four names mentioned in Isaiah. For each of these we produced CD’s with prerecorded reading of the plays to given away for free will offerings that benefited causes our church supported. The first year was a very basic production. The second year was a more sophisticated production (thanks to my oldest son) with five different people reading parts. The first year we even made a video with a series of stills to go along with the reading.
In addition, we recorded on song for a couple from the worship band with which we play when they got married last year. I wrote it, sand lyrics, and played bass. Every other instrument was either played or programmed by my oldest. And, he mixed and produced.
We also prepared a song for my middle son’s first Eucharist.
All of this has not only let us interact with our fellow musicians and parishoners locally in different ways than I ever might have imagined with older technologies, but has also let my sons and I stay very close at their very precarious ages. We have also been able to share some of our music and hope to continue writing and recording when we are not in school (for my kids), playing in a worship band, singing in a boychoir (my 9 year old), teaching Sunday School (me), or working the day job to pay for all this.
Blessings to all.