1. Interview with David Blacker, Co-founder AirGigs – 5/3/21.
- When you launched AirGigs in 2012, were you reacting to what you saw as a changing marketplace or did AirGigs, and the subsequent emergence of other sites offering online session players and music production, change the market?
The truth is that my partner and myself wanted to use a service like AirGigs to hire great talent for projects, and it didn’t exist. There was a company called Esession.com that started in the early 2000s, but it had closed at the time we opened AirGigs.com. We were the first marketplace for hiring professional studio musicians, vocalists and engineers. Then months later other companies came onto the scene, and now there’s more than a few. We’re grateful to still be a leading force in the remote production space, and it has been an amazing evolution.
- As your service has grown has the overall market grown? If so, why do you think this is?
Yes, the overall market has grown pretty fast in the last 9 years. There are many factors that contribute to it, from inexpensive access to pro recording gear, the growing trend in the direction of remote working, and more and more pros see it as a viable way to do sessions.
- What kind of growth in service users and service providers has your first 9 years seen? Some ballpark statistics would be really useful if you are able to provide them.
We’ve grown tenfold growth in under 5 years.
- Have you changed how musicians work? Or are most of your registered service users/providers a new breed of musicians, producers etc.?
Interesting question. I don’t think we changed the way musicians work, as a lot of us were remote working in the late 90’s by swapping hard drives etc. Maybe we “validated” a new way to work, but if it wasn’t us it would have been someone else – i.e. it was coming one way or another. Today’s musicians and engineers are definitely bringing a lot to the table. They’re a new breed, and they are tech natives comfortable with digital production tools and online communication. Generally speaking we’re really impressed by the attitude and business-mindedness of today’s musicians and engineers.
- Has the COVID pandemic accelerated this change as more musicians have set up their own recording studios?
Yes the pandemic has definitely forced interest in remote recording. The first few months of 2020, our phone was ringing off the hook, and our help desk was swamped with questions about how to get into remote recording.
- Have you changed anything you do as a business as a result of COVID?
Our team was really lucky as we were pretty remote before Covid. But the increased interest in AirGigs that resulted from venues closing and musicians being out of work, really stressed our systems. We had to adapt quickly to the new demand on many different levels.
- Do you think post pandemic musicians will move back to their traditional recording studios / session musicians or do you think this change to online is going to stay with us?
From the start we’ve had no intention of replacing traditional recording studios. I mean, we all love being in studios, and we at AirGigs work with many of them as well. We’re just another option for folks needing recording services. There’s great things about working in a traditional recording enviroment – but you can also book your perfect part at 11PM on a Sunday night via AirGigs.com.
- What innovations in internet-based services do you see happening in the future? And how do you see your service growing?
We stay laser focused on improving the remote production experience. Wherever that leads – we will go 🙂
- What positives and negatives do you see in the music world as a result of the growth of internet-based services?
I think there has never been a better time to be a creator, and to be paid for the creative services one provides. That said, whether it’s online or off, making a career in the music business takes work, commitment and sacrifice. For those willing to walk that road, there’s a ton of opportunity.
- And finally! Is the future of music and music production internet based?
Yes and no. There’s no one way to produce art. I think it opens certain options to work remotely, but with those new options comes a sort of responsibility to use them wisely. Thank you and all the very best!