Recording studio in rented premises
Rent a small unit and run a studio with a live room and control room for bands and producers.
- A$70k-250k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Estimates for a small start in Australia, not guarantees.
What it is
A purpose-built studio in a rented commercial or industrial unit, with a soundproofed live room and control room. It can handle full band tracking, vocals, voiceover and commercial audio work.
Your first three steps
- Build a business plan with a realistic hourly rate and a break-even number of booked hours per month
- Look at industrial units in areas that allow noisy uses and ask the landlord and council about permitted use
- Pre-sell block bookings to local bands and producers before you commit to a lease
Who pays
Bands, producers, labels, advertising and video businesses, voiceover artists and podcast makers.
How it makes money
Session fees by the hour or day, mixing and mastering per track, and block bookings for regular clients. Spare hours can be rented to other engineers or producers.
Skills that help
- Studio recording and mixing
- Basic acoustics and soundproofing
- Bookings and customer service
- Marketing to musicians and businesses
Watch out for
- Check zoning and council approval for using the unit as a studio
- Soundproofing and fit-out of a live room and control room is usually the biggest cost, so get several quotes before signing a lease
- Public liability, contents and equipment insurance
- Workers compensation insurance if you hire staff or assistants
- Income can be uneven, so keep a cash buffer for rent
Deep research report · Australia
Everything you need to start: recording studio in rented premises
Researched with live web search for Australia: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a recording studio in Australia?
Startup costs are typically estimated at around $70,000 to $250,000, depending on the unit, equipment and fit-out. Soundproofing a live room and control room is usually the biggest cost, so get several quotes before signing a lease.
How much can a commercial recording studio earn?
Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on bookings, your rates and the mix of bands, voiceover and commercial clients. Income can be uneven, so keep a cash buffer for rent.
What rules should I check before opening a recording studio?
Check zoning and council approval for using the unit as a studio. Also check public liability, contents and equipment insurance, and workers compensation insurance if you hire staff or assistants.
Other ways to run this business
Home recording and mixing studio
Record, mix and master for local bands, singers and podcasters from a treated room at home.
- A$3k-12k
- Side hustle
- From home
Online mixing and mastering service
Mix and master songs sent by artists and producers from anywhere, delivered online.
- A$1.5k-6k
- Side hustle
- Online
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