Alasdair Baker
Audio Engineer, IJS

Written by Paul Thompson on 2008-10-23

What do you see happening in the next five years in the music production industry?

I’d say we are at the start of a new era in the industry; people would have to agree that things are definitely changing. I think things will sway towards digital sales, as it is getting harder to determine the cost of a CD with MP3 trading on the Internet; selling songs individually with a set price for each song. Also as MP3 devices become more popular, digital sales will become the way. As CD sales decline digital sales rise. Also people are choosing to partake in live events over purchasing albums, which can partially be attributed to the growing problems with audio piracy.

What are the biggest challenges you and your organisation face as a member of the Brisbane media community?

Well I work for IJS the audio company. There are not many challenges for an audio company as long as there is still media, and audio within that media, there will definitely be a need for people who are trained in acoustics and audio equipment operation. However, one foreseen challenge is the growing number of smaller audio companies establishing themselves and taking on the smaller shows. As audio PA’s and equipment become smaller and cheaper people are now able to fit equipment that once took a semitrailer into a van, which is inevitably going to cause bigger companies like IJS to lose shows.

What are the most important/valuable skills that graduates can bring to your industry?

Knowing how to talk to people doesn’t hurt; it is definately a very buddy orientated industry and by that I don’t mean an old boys club, but knowing people is key if you want to progress within the industry. That’s not to say you need to go out and make friends with Michael Chug, you just need to be able to get along with people and maintain your composure in high stress situations. Also being a good system tech is a valuable skill especially in the live music production. To be able to go through a system and find a problem in a high stress situation is an important skill to have and appreciated by all live music production workers.

How would you rate the performance of Brisbane-based media organisations in comparison to other national and international media hubs?

Well I have not had to opportunity to work overseas yet so I’m not to sure about that, but nationally, Brisbane based media especially music production is on par with the rest of Australia. This can be seen in live music production especially with national festivals in Brisbane as well as around Australia. Big Day Out is a great example as different music production companies working in different capital cities are all able to produce the same show all over Australia. So I would rate Brisbane based music production as having an equal performance qualities as other national media hubs.

How has new media such as the Internet and mobile communications revolutionised your workplace?

It has provided challenges and provided greater opportunities. For bands it has provided way more opportunities then challenges, where as for record companies it is sort of the opposite. I think the smarter companies are working out that it isn’t something to be scared of, that being the Internet and MP3. If they are smart about it they can make money out of this evolving media trend and evolve along side it. Mobile communications from a technical production view has created the opportunity for audio engineers and musicians alike to send, receive and mix, tracks or masters for a band or studio that are located on the other side of the world. This is creating more cost and time efficient environment for studios and concerts.

How would you go about getting work within Brisbane Music Production considering that it is a difficult industry to get started in?

There are two main ways that people seem to start work successfully in Brisbane music production and continue to do so. One is volunteering, going and getting work experience at an audio company or festival. This is sometimes easier to do during school when you are not relying on a full income to sustain your living situation, but anyone can do it. The second way is getting training; some that I would suggest in Brisbane would be JMC or South Bank Tafe as well as the major universities around Brisbane. Having some background knowledge will help get you work experience over someone who is completely new to the industry.

Do you think the development and access to music production equipment and services has seen a rise in DIY music production in Brisbane?

I think the development of cheaper digital and home studios has seen a rise in DIY production in Brisbane music. Speaking for experience and the experiences of many different bands, people that own home studios (provided they know how to use the equipment they have properly) have the ability to produce high quality albums for little to no additional costs except equipment. Like I mentioned above, the affordability and mobility of audio equipment is taking the artist from the studio to someone’s back shed or basement, which in turn is drawing artists and business away from larger production companies and studios to smaller DIY music production groups.