Hi all,
I have a question if you all wouldn't mind taking a second to answer -
particularly those of you running MIDI / Demo / Backing track / other
related businesses/hobbies.

I've been considering starting a small business producing custom MIDI
backing tracks (mainly as audio CDs for singers but also GS/GM MIDI files on
floppy disc if/when required).
I presently do some custom MIDI sequencing now & then as a hobby and
everyone I've worked for has praised the quality of my work, saying I could
go into business doing it by myself.

What I'd like to know is what (if any) market research did you do before
venturing into your MIDI business, considering there are numerous MIDI
file - and now mp3 backing track - companies in existence today?
And if you're not currently running a business/hobby in this field, what
market research would you suggest doing?

Any advice you can offer would be great.

Regards,

Chris

Hi Chris,

First... good luck with the venture, this sort of thing can be a lot of fun!

However, at least in my neck of the woods, it probably won't pay the
bills, there is just too much really inexpensive competition. To be
candid, I'm not sure how some of these places stay in business, except
that by selling on the web they are able to sell the same backing track
lots of times.

Market research... I spoke with a number of open-mic night hosts and
discovered that they were seeing more and more folks bringing their
accompanyment on CD (we won't even go there!)

I also talked to several other likely sources of clients, such as local
music schools, dance schools, even the public schools. I was very
fortunate because almost everyone I talked to was quite familiar with
the marketplace, and could comment on cost and quality of what's out
there, and how it was used.

I also sampled some of the offerings on the web.

What I learned:

there is indeed a market for backing tracks based on popular songs
current and classic. And that they better be pretty much dead-on copies.
And that people were not willing to pay much for them.

the quality from my sampling was all over the map, from "could have been
the original master minus vocals" to "you have to be kidding!" Quality
was not tied directly to price.

OK, so I can't compete on cost, and quality doesn't seem to matter for a
large part of the purchasing public... hmmmm....

I ended up taking a different approach, and I've only been experimenting
with it for a couple of months, so it is way too early to determine
anything other than I enjoy itG!

First, I only do work where I can work directly with the artist. If you
want to do this by mail order I'll happily point you to other services.

Second, I will ocassionally try to clone a backing track, but I am much
more interested in creating an interesting cover of the backing track.

Third, it is a two part process, in addition to creating the backing
track I record the artist against the backing track, so they leave with
two tracks, one with and one without vocals.

At least in my neighborhood this means I am working with kids from about
seventh through maybe tenth grade preparing tracks for open mic nights,
recitals, talent shows, etc. It's a niche marketG!

But the kids I've worked with or will work with in the near future all
share two important characteristics. First, they actually can sing...
not to be overrated! And second, they are in this for the fun of it, at
least for now, and while their parents may see dollar signs in the
future, they aren't applying a lot of pressure now. (I guess I should
add that the parents can afford the service, a third similarity.)

And it has been a lot of fun for me... how many arrangements of X can
you come up with? My first client actually had some interesting ideas
about what she wanted to do with "Over the Rainbow", she was shooting
for a cross between the original version and the Eva Cassidy cover. I'm
glad I listened to her, it turned out well right up to the part where
she needs to spend some time practicing cause she gets confused while
singingG! I think it will turn out quite well when she gets it.

I suspect you should also know that I fell into this little market quite
by accident. A co-worker kept bragging about how well his daughter could
sing. Eventually I ran out of excuses, and they came by the house. I had
spent the previous evening rehearsing the "sorry, she's not all that
good" speech, so I was nervous, but ready. Three notes into the first
song I knew I wouldn't need the speech after all.

So I did backing tracks for a couple of songs and then recorded her for
a vanity CD her dad wanted to pass around. Later her dad asked for just
the backing tracks for a talent show... no problem. Then he used the
backing tracks for a local open mic night. And from that I got calls
from three other parents looking for tracks for their little darlings.

I'm not sure I could support my studio, let alone myself with this kind
of work... but I have a good time doing it, and it makes for a nice
change of pace.



Kingy75 wrote:

Hi all,
I have a question if you all wouldn't mind taking a second to answer -
particularly those of you running MIDI / Demo / Backing track / other
related businesses/hobbies.

I've been considering starting a small business producing custom MIDI
backing tracks (mainly as audio CDs for singers but also GS/GM MIDI files on
floppy disc if/when required).
I presently do some custom MIDI sequencing now & then as a hobby and
everyone I've worked for has praised the quality of my work, saying I could
go into business doing it by myself.

What I'd like to know is what (if any) market research did you do before
venturing into your MIDI business, considering there are numerous MIDI
file - and now mp3 backing track - companies in existence today?
And if you're not currently running a business/hobby in this field, what
market research would you suggest doing?

Any advice you can offer would be great.

Regards,

Chris