IT Support for Music Studios
Music production is a booming business in our neck of BC. While Greater Vancouver has long been a hub for this creative field, the 2020 (and early 2021) ban on concerts has forced a record number of musicians from the stage and into the studio full time. Producers, audio technicians, studio managers, sound designers, instrument techs, sound mixers, broadcast engineers, digital audio editors, and administrative personnel are working around the clock to produce content. While this moment in time presents a huge opportunity for creative genius, your IT infrastructure is being stretched thin. It’s time to bring in IT support.
Why Audio Production Studios Must Secure Outside IT Support in 2021 and Beyond
You Need to Synthesize Your Digital Assets
A music studio looks and functions a lot differently today than it did decades or even a few short years ago. It’s not as simple as plugging in the old Trident Series 80 recording console and changing wire links to customize the experience. While the proliferation of digital resources has streamlined many audio production (pre and post) processes and improved studio production exponentially, there are a LOT of moving parts. You need to be able to synthesize your digital assets so that they work together with staff to produce amazing audio content. SAV Technology will work with your audio and instrument techs, engineers, and editors to make sure your hardware (workstations, control surfaces, monitors, mixers, and more) and software (Pro Tools, etc.) works together as it should, if not better.
The right IT provider can also help you expand your studio, or grow into an entirely new facility. For instance, as a part of our IT project services, we can assist with the evaluation of potential studio locations, infrastructure planning, contractor/vendor management, and technical assistance for all involved. Better yet, we will work on your studio’s schedule. As music producers you are in operation well beyond traditional business hours, and we are too – for you.
Your Studio (and work) is a Prime Target for Cybercrime
The content creation industry as a whole is a hot target for hackers and cybercrime groups around the world. Film studios and broadcasters have been taken down, and audio production studios are also on the list. Back in the day the music industry had to contend with bootleggers, but now it’s ransomware posing a threat to financials and even with artistic integrity when unfinished work is stolen and released.
Recently, a 19-year-old made headlines after being arrested for hacking into studio assets and stealing unfinished songs from prominent musicians (including Radiohead). He demanded $150,000 from artists to prevent the release before selling the work online for cryptocurrency. This was just one of many reports that have raised awareness to the vulnerability of music studios to cybercriminals.
“This embodies the very definition of piracy — a high-tech version of studio recordings that, in the past, insiders would leak to bootleggers” (Anthony DeCurtis, contributing editor to Rolling Stone)
Studios themselves may even be held liable by artists and other stakeholders, if the work is compromised through their digital assets. And if sensitive data beyond music is accessed and/or held for ransom, punitive measures via Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) along with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) could come into play. The implications studios face from this modern threat are dire. Antivirus and firewalls are not enough to keep advanced threats from reaching the shores of your audio production studio. By bringing in IT support you will gain access to enterprise level cybersecurity that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning tools to stay a step ahead of the 350,000 new malware variants being generated every day.
Digital transformation is the key to better audio production in today’s studio environment. Let us help you transform. Contact SAV Technology for a consultation.