Is a small independent record label Relevant anymore?

Yes.

1). Recording

Just about everyone can get a computer that has enough horsepower to record multi tracks these days. With software like Garage-band, Cubase or Pro Tools you will have more knobs to turn than you will ever use. There are some great cabinet, room and effects emulators that in theory will give you any sound quality that you want. What it takes to get the right sound might be in your software, but it will take a trained ear and the knowledge of how things where done "back in the day" to get it right. Did you ever wonder why the big recording studios maintain a room of old amps for recording? That is because the sound of a VOX amp with the resistors on the verge of frying, an old fender amp with the plate voltage turned up and the tubes glowing blue or a vintage cabinet with paper cone JBLs that are tattered are going to give you a sound that no software can reproduce. Of course the sound of these things are indelibly etched in our minds because that is how many iconic tracks were recorded. We can take your digital tracks and run it through our tweaked set of filters / emulators to get that recording patina you are looking for. When necessary we will even bump one of your tracks through a vintage cabinet and appropriate mic to capture the perfect tone.

2). Touring

So you have your perfect retro sound with your vintage rack and amp and you sign on for a extended tour or for some of those Eastern European Block festivals. How long is your vintage fender amp going to last? How many spare parts will you carry? You can shell out the cash for a new Fender amp or a line 6 and get most of the tone and better reliability. Or you can try a custom rack and play what ever amp the site can give you. Since our original artist tour, using Scholz Rockmans and a power mixer, we have honed the light weight touring rig. Essentially, we develop a tweaked front end rack that will give your band a very playable, durable and portable approximation of your recorded sound. This eliminates all of the hassle of touring with vintage equipment and also has built in filters to deal with the most horrible stage conditions you will encounter (e.g. an outdoor Bulgarian festival powered with Russian generators throwing square wave power and all kinds of EMI). The Line outs from the rig will be as clean and compatible as it can get, so you can use what ever amp is available or go direct to the PA. We will train you to get the system setup regardless of the output and you will be able to get it done without using up all of your sound check allotment. Generally we get all this into one single transport cabinet making travel a breeze.

3). Marketing

With iTunes, YouTube, Twitter and FaceBook plus selling home burned CDs and Thumbdrives at concerts who needs marketing? Anyone who spent time updating MySpace knows that great music often goes unnoticed. Music promotion has changed, yet it is just as important as ever to get your music noticed. The more you are tuned in to the modern music discovery system the more fans you will acquire and that is what we do best.

If you want to talk to us about our current stable of Artists or are interested in our services, drop us a note.
ogden Street records