Coworking + Recording Studios: The Future of the Music Industry?

There’s a lot to be excited about in the coworking industry — but one of our favorite trends has to be niche coworking spaces.

We’ve written extensively about coworking niches here at Optix, from micro-gyms to medical coworking and everything in between.

In this article, we’ll be diving into one of the lesser-known coworking niches, coworking recording studios.

While still relatively new to the market, this trend is transforming the way artists and independent creators master their craft.

What is a coworking recording studio?

Coworking + Recording Studios, also known as a coworking recording studio, is an artist-oriented shared workspace outfitted with professional-quality recording studios. 

Imagine a coworking space full of private offices. Now, instead of each room having a desk, chair, and monitor, each room is a turn-key, state-of-the-art recording studio. That is what a coworking recording studio looks like.

The goal is that anyone can walk in off the street, purchase a few hours of studio time at an affordable price, and create high-quality audio content. This is a radical shift compared to the way recording studios have traditionally operated.

Where did the idea of coworking recording studios come from?

Coworking recording studios were born out of the need for artists, content creators, and podcasters to access high-quality recording studios on-demand. For Jason Jet, Founder at Grindhaus, the idea came after he struggled to find a recording studio to work out of in New York City, forcing him to make music in his noisy (and distracting) apartment.

He dreamt of creating a “YMCA for musical artists”, a place where anyone could walk in off the street and start making music, no experience required. Now, that dream is alive and well with Grindhaus.

The old way vs. the new way of recording

Traditionally, if someone wanted to record a song or a podcast episode, they would need to access a professional recording studio. These recording studios were:

• Overly complex and expensive 
• Geared toward professional musical artists
• Available only in major cities or art hubs
• Unable to be booked turn-key
• Not designed for podcasters or YouTubers

For the average person, accessing a recording studio was not possible. Even for a professional musician like Jason, the traditional model limited his creative ability by limiting access to studio time.

But now, there’s a new way of recording audio.

Coworking recording studios aim to make recording audio accessible for the everyday creator. They do this by:

• Offering different kinds of recording spaces to meet a wide variety of needs, from cozy podcasting rooms to high-end music studios
• Creating affordable membership plans for their members with minimal commitment required
• Equipping their space with professional equipment at a fraction of the cost
• Providing in-house engineering and how-to lessons to build confidence in new creators

With this, coworking recording studios have been able to serve an unmet need in the market, while flipping the traditional recording model on its head.

Who are coworking recording studios for?

A coworking recording studio is for anyone who is wanting to create high-quality audio content at an affordable cost. This typically includes:

• Content creators
• Podcasters
• Aspiring musical artists
• Voice actors
• Producers 
• Corporate clients looking for professional recording equipment

The last point is an especially interesting one for aspiring operators. As companies look to incorporate more video and audio content into their marketing strategies, they need access to high-quality equipment. However, many lack the knowledge to create audio content successfully. 

This creates an opportunity for coworking recording studios to support corporate clients with creating audio content, like voice-over recordings or podcasts.

Coworking recording studio amenities and offerings

Coworking recording studios are still a new concept, so no two spaces are the same. However, there are a few unique amenities that we see most often.

1. State-of-the-art recording equipment and studio rentals

The biggest draw (and most important aspect) of a coworking space for musicians is the studio space. Every space will offer state-of-the-art audio recording equipment available on-demand or as part of a membership plan.

For example, Jason offers four different studios at Grindhaus for his members:

• The Skybox
• The Podcast Room
• The Game Room
• The Gallery

All studio spaces include professional-quality equipment with additional resources available as an add-on. Each studio has a unique look and feel to serve a variety of members. 

2. Online or in-person community events 

True to its coworking roots, many recording studios will offer events and programming to bring the community together, whether that’s online or in-person.

Past events at Grindhaus have included an inspiring summer songwriting session, as well as Sip & Song, an evening of writing, singing, and enjoying some casual drinks with other members.

3. Audio engineering and other professional help and mentorship 

Coworking recording studios pride themselves on being an all-in-one solution for the average individual. Because of this, it’s very common to see audio engineering and other mentorship resources offered as add-ons or as a part of a membership plan.

Jason designed a Self-Made Engineer course to help teach artists how to take control of the creative process, end-to-end. It’s perfect for aspiring musicians who want to deepen their knowledge of audio engineering, and it’s available to members at an affordable cost.

Benefits of a coworking space for musicians 

The greatest benefit of music coworking spaces is they make professional-quality audio recording accessible for the average individual.

High-end audio and video recording equipment is expensive, easily costing thousands of dollars, if not more. Not to mention, if you want to record yourself for a video podcast, you’ll need to consider where you’re recording and how you look on camera.

Coworking recording studios offer creators the opportunity to record and film in a beautiful space with professional equipment without investing a large sum of money. This access to equipment is invaluable to those just starting out.

Other key benefits include:

• Access to resources and mentorship including audio engineering
• A sense of community
• Ability to develop skills faster than if going alone

Examples of coworking recording studios in North America

Curious to see what a coworking recording studio looks like in action? Here are two Optix clients that are shaping the way we think about recording studios and coworking spaces.

Grindhaus Studios

You can’t talk about coworking recording studios without talking about Jason Jet and Grindhaus Studios in North Carolina. Grindhaus Studios was established in early 2021 to serve the unique needs of aspiring musical artists. 

Here, artists can access state-of-the-art recording studios on-demand, work with professional audio engineers, and tap into a community of like-minded artists. It has been an incredibly powerful project that has served the needs of the community in more ways than Jaosn could have ever imagined.

Learn how Jason is using Optix to power his community of musical artists →

Recordical

Recordical is a coworking recording studio offering fully-equipped recording studios, studio-in-a-suitcase equipment rentals, premium content, and a diverse audio community.

They designed their space and services based on the needs of hundreds of creators that they surveyed. As a result, they offer one of the most customer-centric recording spaces there is, complete with flexible pricing plans and mentorship to help aspiring creators achieve their goals.

The intersection of recording studios and coworking 

At first glance, flexible recording studios and traditional coworking spaces may not seem to have a lot in common. However, much like other coworking space niches, coworking recording studios borrow from the coworking business model.

Coworking recording studios primarily make money by selling space in the form of on-demand bookings and long-term membership plans.

Instead of offering hot desks and private offices, they offer studio space access. But the primary driver of revenue is the space itself and the promise of community – just like with coworking spaces.

Coworking recording studios and coworking spaces have a few other things in common:

• They’re made for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and freelancers: coworking recording studios are designed for independent artists and creators, much like how coworking spaces originally catered to those who worked independently.
• They can be a driver of community: both coworking spaces and coworking recording studios can be used to create community, especially amongst populations where a community may not be as easy to come by, like independent creators. 

They’re best managed with the help of technology: both coworking spaces and coworking recording studios can benefit from technology and automation.

Optix for coworking recording studios

Technology can greatly improve the success rate of opening a coworking recording studio. By automating redundant manual tasks, technology can be the team member you’ve always dreamed of, running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at a very low cost.

At Optix, we power a number of coworking recording studios, helping them automate their day-to-day, engage their community, and grow their business.

With Optix, operators like Jason can:

• Automate studio bookings and payment
• Advertise upcoming events to members
• Sell add-on services like audio engineering
• Automate member onboarding and ongoing email communication

Want to learn more about how Optix can support your dream of operating a coworking space for musicians? Book a demo with a member of our team today!