Technology and advancements in the digital sphere could revolutionise the Maltese music industry if we ride and capitalise on current industry trends.
Over the years, we were able to watch Maltese artists rise within the international music scene and receive acclaim from critics.
People like Joseph Calleja, Carmine Lauri and Brian Schembri have managed to make a name for themselves big time but there is one common thread that links their success – they all had to leave their beloved Malta and relocate abroad to gain access to their target music scenario. These top-level professional artists have possibly reached the pinnacle of what many dream of, however, a question does arise: can you make a full-time living in the music industry while residing in Malta?
Many would give you a very abrupt answer, a definite and resounding ‘no’. I have been involved in the local scene as a musician for about eight years and few have been the people I encountered who make a full-time living solely from music performances, unless they are employed by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra or are among the very few who survive on daily gigs at hotels and weddings.
Malta’s very particular geographical profile renders it a tiny market in business terms, compounded by the fact that the only way to reach mainland Europe is by plane or ferry. However, having lived in London for this past year, reading for an MMus degree at the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance thanks to a Malta arts scholarship I received from the Maltese government, I did notice a few things that made me stop and rethink Malta’s potential in the professional music scene.
While London service fees are higher, including payment to musicians, living expenses are way up there when compared to Malta. Rent is costly and daily expenditure is just as high, which means that, to live in London, earnings need to be at a much higher level than in Malta. However, we do know that budgets within the music industry are not what they used to be years ago, so can this situation be an opportunity for Maltese musicians to export their music?
During my studies at ICMP, I have built a close relationship with one of my tutors – Chuck Sabo. Sabo is a seasoned musician who has played and recorded with globally acclaimed artists like Natalie Imbruglia, Elton John, Tom Jones, Chaka Khan, Brian Adams and many others. While he was a first-call session drummer some years ago, his main and almost only present income comes from online recordings.
Online recordings are quickly becoming a trend within the music industry, which involves hiring a musician to record your project from his own home studio without the need of hiring a professional studio or having all the band in the same room. This saves big money on travel expenses, equipment hire and the costly studio time.
This could be an unmissable opportunity for Maltese musicians to export their music and professional services
Many might think this kind of recording method exists only at a semi-professional level. However, top-end musicians such as Sabo and Ash Soan, who’s recorded for the likes of Adele, Robbie Williams, Cher, Seal and others, are all jumping on this trend and are mainly working from their own private home studio. Others also apply the same concept to online teaching, being able to reach clients and students all over the world from the comfort of their own home.
When compared to a recording session in a professional studio, this method of recording cuts costs immensely since the bulk of the fee goes directly to cover the session musician’s services and involves minimal costs beyond that.
Getting back to Malta, can this new trend of online recording and teaching be a holy grail for local musicians? My answer to this would be yes, if we capitalise and understand the advantageous position our geographical location offers us.
The cost of living in Malta is a fraction when compared to that of top western cities and, therefore, would allow us to be much more competitive when charging for the service, while also giving some headroom to charge more than what the Maltese scene can afford.
Having been involved in the Maltese music scene for quite some years, I believe there is no shortage of talented musicians and these could easily set up their business online selling their online recording and teaching services.
The main advantage this type of recording brings with it is the fact that you do not need to wait for calls from major artists because it is affordable enough for independent artists who are able to produce their music with musicians around the world at a fraction of the cost of traditional recording.
This development, together with the accessibility of music recording software and equipment needed to set up such an activity, has opened up the barriers and given the chance to smaller artists, with reduced budgets, to make their music and then sell it through digital distribution channels.
During my studies, I had the opportunity to research this area of online recordings, teaching and distance performance closely and while there are many positives, it does have some downsides too.
Firstly, it does rely heavily on technology and while this is becoming increasingly robust, it’s still not at a stage where real-time, synchronous distance performance can be considered accessible, which brings us to the next point.
With most of these recordings being produced asynchronously, that is with musicians overdubbing their take on pre-recorded music, it does lose on the humanness and social experience a traditional recording set up with people in the same room can offer.
Another aspect to consider is that with increased accessibility to technology and promotion channels for musicians offering online music services, an increase in competition can be registered, which, at times, can also hurt the quality of music that is produced, making it increasingly difficult for good music to cut through.
That having been said, this new trend within the global music industry could represent an unmissable opportunity for Maltese musicians to export their music and professional services, expanding to reach a global market by positioning ourselves competitively, given the advantages our island is able to offer.
Many predict that, as technology keeps improving, similar methods will become even more widespread within the music industry and getting in at such an early stage can help us be ahead of the curve.
Definitely, some food for thought.
Steven Bartolo is a music business and communications professional.