by Matt Donner, Pyramind Chief Academic Officer

Lets face it, the music business has changed over the last 5 years - dramatically.

Once the great cash cow of the industry, CD sales have dropped by 30% per year since the release of Napster (remember that?) and Apple’s iPod. The world market has proven that it loves Music more than ever, but it loves convenience more than it loves the music business. This sales slump has sent shockwaves through the RIAA and major record labels, but more importantly, has also opened up the door to a new breed of successful artist, one who possesses both musical skills and business savvy.

No longer beholden to major labels, today’s artist enjoys powerful production tools that capture and output high-quality sound rivaling many large-scale recording studios of the past. In fact, it is safe to say that for every big recording studio opening these days, two more are closing. Further, the world’s music-demanding market is also no longer inaccessible, but rather easily reachable via the Internet using simple (and often free) digital tools.

With these two formerly-insurmountable challenges out of the way, today’s artist has an even greater chance for success. However, the path is not always clear and some core business fundamentals remain.

Among them is that art still needs to be well-produced, sales still need to be made, and the technology is still not always easy to learn or use. For every Artist, there is a Producer helping them execute their vision. Artists need Producers and vice-versa. However, the line between Artist and Producer has also changed. It has blurred to the point of being nearly indistinguishable. Consider Artists like Prince, Squarepusher, Trent Reznor / Nine Inch Nails, and Dr. Dre. They all produce their own works. Or consider producers like T-Bone Burnett, John Legend, Will.i.am, and the late Tom Dowd. They are all performers in their own right. Theirs are dream careers.

If you’re reading this, then you have the dream too. In this dream, there’s no punch clock, no 9-5 schedule, no mundane reports to fill out and most certainly, no overbearing boss making life miserable. They say that you don’t get to choose music as a career - it chooses you. You either hear it in your head all day long or you want to hear it in your ears all day long. In either case, you’ll never be happy until you feed the dream in your life.

The best part of this dream is that anyone can pursue it. A career in Sound doesn’t require a Masters degree or even a Bachelor’s degree. It requires only two things: Dedication and Hard Work. No better metaphor for the American Dream exists. If you work hard enough and never quit, you will make it. It might take longer than you like and you may not become the next Super Producer, but a happy and fulfilling career awaits you if you have the mettle to make it there.

Working in this business is a dream - one that comes true for people all the time. Not a pipe dream, this is real. Real people make real livings in Sound - and they love it! Not all who try succeed - the road is treacherous and paved with the good intentions of those who waited passively for their shot. The road is crowded too - you’re not the only one with this dream. The person next to you is prepared to give up their Saturday night fun for a recording session every weekend. The person next to them is prepared to give up every night!

Are you?