Andre Saunders is one of the vanguards of the music industry.  He started his career as a professional songwriter at the age of 19 in New York City.  He spent decades, writing, composing, producing, engineering, performing and became the first African American executive for Mills Publishing.   If there is anything related to the art of music and the music business, he knows about it.

His book, “A Musical Life,” documents his journey and is a fascinating read.  Besides the names of all the famous artists and musicians that you will recognize, you will be pulled into the story of a young Andre and his life.  His work ethic is clear and drove his professionalism as he dealt with the fast pace of the music industry and his place in it as a young genius, artist and businessman.  The link to Andre Saunders’ website is:  http://www.wix.com/asaundersmusic/music.

Also on his site, you can hear several of the top hits that he produced and learn a little more about this marvelous pioneer.

Andre wrote the article below in 2002 when he saw the writing on the wall as the internet began to change the music industry.

The Changing Face of the RECORD INDUSTRY

How inexpensive computer instruments has redefined today’s recording music industry.

by André Saunders

The recording industry built a vast empire by purchasing an artist’s future artistic services through a (%) percentage arrangement.  The deal required a recording company to invest in the development of an artist into a recording entity.  The company provides the artist with a record producer, who in turn finds a song or arrangement of a song for the artist to record, books studio time and records the song.  Once the song’s recording is complete, the company then manufactures/markets the record.  This is always a costly venture for a recording company as there is no guarantee that the deal is successful until the artist’s album hits the airwaves and the record stores.

I made my first recording at Bell Sound Recordings Studio, New York City in 1958.  At that time, the industry standard for recording was mono, or one-track recording.  This early style of recording meant that all instruments were miked, individually.  All songs, both music and vocals had to be recorded at the same time.  Drum kits were miked individually with a minimum of five mikes to obtain a good sound.

In that same year, Les Paul invented sound-on-sound recording or multi-track recording.  This process changed the recording process, in that it allowed separate musical or vocal performances. First, there was mono (1-track) recording, then stereo (2-track) recording then, eight, sixteen, twenty-four, and now forty eight-track recording.  All were industry standard recording formats that required buying time from recording studio.

The rental rates at studios varied depending on the popularity of the studio.  The rate at a popular recording studio is a minimum of $100 per hour, a steal in the year 2002!

Consider, to record vocal performances and musical performances for one song takes approximately fifteen hours per song and a record requires at least two sides; $3000. Consider, the cost of musicians, tape cost and the average actual cost per two sides is approximately $5000. It is only after a recording is complete can you listen and truly determine if you have a “hit” or not. The cost of recording production has always been recouped from the artist collected royalties.

Now in 2002, the recording industry finds itself once again in the throes of a major change.

The average consumer can afford to purchase a keyboard that allows budding musicians and those with musical aspirations to record an industry standard recording.  The cost of recording is no longer determined by studio time.  In the comfort of their living space, aspiring musicians have unlimited amount of recording tracks (virtual tracks) as well as a multitude of instruments provided by the keyboard.  With this built-in capability, the neophyte is able to record each instrument sound on a different track, and thereby, recreate the sound of an orchestra.   With the luxury of unlimited time to make and correct mistakes, many aspiring musicians are turning out industry standard recordings. This new way that musicians now have to bring its recording to the public is causing the recording industry to re-think itself.

Many aspiring artists can now represent themselves with recordings that are complete, or, are partially complete at a minimum cost, but have no real concept of the music business.  Now, recording companies no longer can make deals based on artist development, but must now base their decisions on finished recordings; a decision primarily geared toward marketing.  I predict record companies in the future will become primarily manufacturing\marketing\promotion companies.

The first company that positions itself will find that decisions based solely on product will reduce cost through acquisition instead of production cost. Instead of a sketch, the decision will be based on a finished picture and this will mean a true company involvement in product acquisition (marketing/promotion departments) leading to better sales.

Future record companies will operate with emphasis on marketing promotion strategies with a focus on the internet. As with the film industry recognizing the profits in marketing directly to the theaters, so will record companies market and distribute directly to internet record stores.

http://www.wix.com/asaundersmusic/music.