Creative Industry Finance
Sound Savers is an analogue & digital recording studio and rehearsal space in Hackney, London.
My two business partners and I have been running Sound Savers for just over a year. We are an analogue & digital recording studio and rehearsal space in Hackney. It’s a grassroots operation providing support and access for local musicians, so we provide equipment and expertise in a relaxed environment in order for bands, groups or individuals to create professional recordings, and we’re really committed to keeping the studio accessible and low cost, without compromising on quality. In the first year we built up a small base of bands and artists who use the studio regularly and now our calendar is always very busy. A few of our recent recordings have been released through renowned London indie imprint Upset The Rhythm, as well as other international labels such as Captured Tracks. In order to reach a larger audience we have started making a monthly podcast to showcase music recorded at the studio, which is broadcast online. We have been working with local venues in East London, organising nights, DJing and recording live sessions, all of which help to bring new and repeat business to Sound Savers. We have been looking into broadcasting in order to help fill the calendar and the studio is now starting to be used by radio DJs to record material for their shows in advance.
We’re passionate about using our skills to help our peers document their work in the best way possible. All three of us work in the local music community as live sound engineers at venues in East London including Power Lunches and Birthdays. I’ve worked with Core Arts providing support for vulnerable adults, and Henry has been working closely with the the Hackney Pirates music charity, building a small recording studio on their premises and providing technical support and training.
We’re very confident about the demand for our work, but quantifying this in an official way can be a challenge due to the often informal way we secure new business. Getting help in these areas from our business advisor so we can work out the financial details of what our expansion will look like has been really empowering. The Creative Industry Finance loan has enabled us to push ahead with our expansion plans, growing Sound Savers by expanding to include a second premises, building in renovations, sound-treatment and new equipment into our budget. These new premises will enable us to create higher quality recordings and work with more of the emerging bands we love.
