Cheap Audio Production

OneInEveryCrowd writes "Rolling Stone reports that four out of five new albums are now produced by a program called Pro Tools (or similar packages) that costs $495 for the home version or $15,000 for the pro version. The article describes a fairly amazing savings in time and effort compared to the older ways of producing an album. I realize that a talented producer can cost a lot of money and some bands drink a lot of beer, but why aren't the benefits of lower production costs being passed on to the consumer?"

easy

[B3ryllium]

the benefits aren't being passed on so that the industry can maximize profit margins. Old skool.

Word.

simple!

[Arethan]

but why aren't the benefits of lower production costs being passed on to the consumer?

Because they fit better in the RIAA's pockets.

They are as yet...u n a w a r e

[blakespot]

Because the labels do not fully well realize, as yet, that the tapping sound is that of nails being driven into their collective coffin.

Let Apple lead the way [apple.com].

blakespot

Christopher Walken knows why

[Anonymous Coward]

Because you gotta pay for all that COWBELL, baby!

Cost of business

[mdwong]

How else are they going to pay for J-Lo's insurance?

Re:ProTools is a large reason modern music sucks

[dash2]

I think you mean "Life after Love". If you believe in Love after Life, then you're pretty twisted.

Re:ProTools is a large reason modern music sucks

[julesh]

If you believe in Love after Life, then you're pretty twisted.

I dunno, Bram Stoker made a career out of that storyline.

Oh.

Re:ProTools is a large reason modern music sucks

[B3ryllium]

Yva Neht Nioj!

On a related note...

[liquidsin]

I just moved into a new apartment. The rent here is lower. I was thinking that the honest thing to do would be to tell my employer that since I now have an extra hundred bucks every month that maybe I should take a pay cut, since I don't want to appear greedy. Any thoughts?

Coke, whores and detox

[swb]

...still cost as much or more than they ever did.

Cheap audio production is just *slowing* the increase, not a source of cost reduction.

Re:This is a silly argument.

[brakk]

The savings in production cost is to make up for the loss due to MP3s.

Just like movies cost so much to make up for the money lost when people sneak into more than one.

Alsihad

[kEnder242]

Is this anything like Alsihad?

From the chronicles of Mixerman: [prosoundweb.com] (good read, funny)

"Alsihad is a very popular brand of recording software and hardware

that uses a computer for editing takes. It is a very intricate program,
and it requires a trained expert to operate it, called an Alsihah."

Knowing the DigiDesign company.

[Anonymous Coward]

Where are you getting that they won't keep up development?

Anyone who is intimately familiar with this company and its products knows that Microsoft will release MS Office Pro for Redhat, Mandrake and SuSE long before Digi will release a free ProTools-lite that will run on 2K/XP

Re: Of Course Not!

[BigJimSlade]

I've long said that if the major labels had offered a good online experience with no copy protection and songs at $1 a pop I would gladly pay... should I finally return to financing these crooks because after they lost the war they decided to do the right thing?

Of course not! A Slashdoter would never actually purchase something. No, a true Slashdoter would say "I sure would be willing to pay for (Goods/Services) if they would only (Criteria to be met)," then change those criteria once met so that they still feel they should not pay for said goods or services.

Sorry, this rant isn't directed at you in particular, but I've seen it alot on here recently, esp. with the advent of Apple's Music Store:

"I'll buy music online when you don't have to buy the whole crappy album."
"$0.99 a song? What a rip off! The whole CD would cost more than it would in the stores."
"Oh, only $9.99 for a whole album? Too bad I only have a Windows box"
"Oh, the Windows client is coming out at the end of the year? (Pause) WELL THEY DON'T SUPPORT OGG, SO THEY'LL NEVER GET MY MONEY!!!"

not passing those savings on to the consumer

[Wansu]

I realize that a talented producer can cost a lot of money and some bands drink a lot of beer, but why aren't the benefits of lower production costs being passed on to the consumer?

Obviously, you don't understand the problem. ;-)