music producer travel

Business & Money

How To Become an Audio Nomad, Produce Music & Travel The World

I remember the time when I first built my humble home recording studio . I started off as a music arranger, but the thought of having my own recording studio and a space to work began itching in very quickly.

So I read all the best-selling books to building a home studio I could get my hands on and scoured the internet for almost every tip & trick I could get, to build a home recording studio. What are types of acoustic foam I could use? The construction of the entire room. Everything.

Few months down the road and finally found myself in a humble self-built recording studio. It wasn’t the best studio, but it worked.

Composing and recording music in the small studio of mine was a dream came true. I loved every minute of it. Even my friends love visiting and hanging out at the studio. It was surreal, fun and most importantly, very inspiring to make music in.

However, few years down the road, something changed.

The recording studio that I was making great music in didn’t feel so inspiring anymore. I dreaded sitting to work in that studio.

That was then I realized that making great music is not just about sitting in an oddly shaped room for the rest of your life.

I started taking my work outdoors. And work while I traveled to different places. The experiences I gain through the travels gave me a different thinking perspective and have added to the creativity of my music.

Then I realized, that I’m wasn’t the only music producer doing this. There were many music producers, who travel the world while working and making really good music.

The ‘traveling music producer’ and why do it?

You may be a music producer who owns and produces music at your own recording studio. As time passes, you may feel like you lack inspiration because of the same daily routine.

Maybe you just want to meet more people to collaborate with.

Well, the most interesting thing you can do is travel. Traveling as a music producer may be fun but it is not going to be an easy thing to do.

Though, there are many perks, to traveling as a music producer.

One of them is meeting new people who have the same interest. Often, you get to explore the different musical influence and styles people bring with them. That itself, would at a lot into your music arsenal.

Expanding your circle of music producers, audio engineers, and your network will come useful when you need help in certain situations.

However, despite all of it sounding like a dream, it’s not easy to travel as a music producer, mainly due to the many pieces of equipment you’ll need to produce music.

Besides, traveling takes up lots of time, energy and money. You need to plan your time properly, the type of music gear to bring along, manage your money well & business well – along with many other things.

Let’s start with the music gear a traveling music producer, or the ‘audio nomad’ brings.

What You’ll Need For Your Portable Recording Studio

You may have the best studio monitors , mic preamps, and audio interface , in your recording studio but when it comes to traveling as a music producer, you often don’t get to carry that many gears with you.

The most important thing to bring along is the necessities to be able to produce music, such as:

• A decent pair of monitor headphones
• A portable audio interface
• Portable audio recorder.
• A carry-size MIDI controller
• Decent spec laptop
• A hard drive or SSD containing all of your sessions.

The difference between bringing along an audio interface and a portable recorder depends on what you do as a music producer.

As a traveling audio engineer, a small sized audio interface usually does the trick.

If you’re planning on interviewing or quickly recording other musicians or producers you meet, I found that a portable recorder like the Zoom H5 or Zoom H6 , to work great.

You could go without a MIDI controller, but according to most music producers that we’ve talked to, having at least carry-size MIDI controller helps.

I’d advise getting a MIDI controller with more keys rather than pads. While pads may be fun to play with, when it comes to practicality, you can program drums using keys as well.

It is key to keep things minimalistic when traveling because you don’t want to have a bag or luggage filled with heavy gear, weighing you down.

Also, note that with extra gear, comes the extra cost. If you fly a lot, flight companies would often charge more for heavier or bulkier items that you bring onboard.

Keep in mind, that besides your music gear, you still have your daily living essentials that you bring along.

Here are some examples of really bang for your buck equipment when traveling as a music producer.

Audio Interface/Portable Recorder:

• Focusrite Scarlett (Solo, 2i2, 2i4)
• Audient iD4
• Apogee Duet (Only for Mac)
• Presonus 2|6 USB Audio Interface

MIDI Controllers:

• Korg Microkey Air
• Akai Professional MPK Mini MKII
• Line 6 Mobile Keys

We’ve briefly talked about music gear for traveling, but if you like to explore travel-friendly recording gear, check our old post out here: The 5 Studio Equipment You Can’t Leave Home Without. ”

3 Solid Advice When It Comes To Travelling

1. Managing Your Time

Time is gold when it comes to traveling and you have to make the most out of it. This is because opportunities and open doors are at hand and you don’t want to miss them.

Because traveling takes lots of time, naturally you’ll find that you need to work at odd hours, where others are not working.

Always watch your time. You’ll hear all sort of advice such as, get up early in the morning! Use this app to stay super productive! Want to know how to stay productive and manage your time wisely?

Stop obsessing over the perfect productivity app or perfect strategy to use.

Here’s what works for me:

Write down 6 things to do every day. (Only six!). I know music producers and folks, who often write a really long list of things to do and then completely fail to finish everything. After a while, they stopped the habit of writing a to-do list.

The reason for writing only 6 things to do, is so you focus on your top priorities only. They could be something like this.

• 9 AM – Finish Ricky’s mixing project
• 11 AM – Clean up and transcribe orchestral scores.
• 1 PM – Lunch & meet Steve, the producer
• 3 PM – Vocal recording with Nancy
• 5:30 PM – Settle flight tickets to Peru
• 8 PM – Dinner & scale practice.

Write it down in a book, a piece of paper or Google Calendar. Where you write it doesn’t matter. Just commit to only 6 major tasks in a day and stick to it.

Do that, and you will see just how much you are able to actually achieve in a day.

Other than that, when traveling, try not to waste too much time lazing around in the hotel. You may be there only once in your life, but be extremely careful of setting up your calendar for work and pleasure.

2. Spending Money Wisely

It’s expensive to travel.

When traveling, always keep track of your spendings and plan for the future.

Exchange rates in different countries differ depending on where you officially stay. It is good to keep this in mind because if you are traveling to a country with a high exchange rate, you may want to plan how cash you want to spend, exchange and bring along.

Rule #1 – Everything Can & Should be Negotiated 

Don’t live like a beggar, but whenever its possible, you should negotiate. I’m not saying that you should start negotiating the price of your flight tickets. Then again, it’s possible to hunt down the cheapest flight tickets with the use of clever alerts.

Things such as apartment rents or project fees can be negotiated.

Let’s take your apartment rents as an example.

Before going into a negotiation, you need to know what you bring to the table. Going directly to the owner and saying, hey, I want a $100 deduction in the rent, isn’t going to get you anywhere. Negotiation starts by clearly understanding the intentions of both parties and positioning your offer in a way that clearly benefits you and the other side.

Landlords will be happy to lower the rental rates for:

• A longer lease, giving them security for the next few months
• Tell them that you don’t smoke at home (So they can easily rent it out to the next tenant.)
• Offer few months/weeks of advance payment.

What other offers that you can think off when negotiating?

Rule #2 – Don’t Minimize. Maximize Effort Instead

This is a rule taken from Grant Cardone , a best-selling author in sales.

In his book, Grant advises people to start taking more action rather than to downsize. When people are hit with financial difficulties or project setbacks, they often look to cut down expenses and start spending even more frugal.

For us as music producers, this means cutting down on buying new plugins, audio equipment and maybe lattes at the local coffee shop.

However, cutting down on $5 lattes every day isn’t going to make you rich. What’s going to make you live comfortably, is when you maximize your effort and start producing more. Start looking for more opportunities for work and projects that you can take on.

Often you’ll find that with the right effort placed in, you’ll find yourself getting exposed to more opportunities. Always maximize effort, not minimize your standards.

Other than that, make sure to give yourself a spending budget limit. While maximizing effort and looking for opportunities works great, you’ll need enough time to do it. Don’t blow all your money into touristy stuff when visiting a new city or location. Often times many travelers, get carried away and spends money on unnecessary things, just because they’re visiting a new place.

Businesses know this habit and often use it on their customers.

Have you walked into a restaurant before, telling yourself that you’re going to only spend $20? As you flip the menu, you ordered a lasagna for $15 and a drink for $2. The waiter then told you about an offer to get an extra dessert for only $5 extra. Chances that you’ll get the dessert is high, because you thought, “oh well since I’m here, I might as well get it.”

As a traveling music producer, you need to be aware of this and know how to budget your spendings wisely.

3. Live Like A Local

One of the biggest mistakes made by travelers or working nomads, when traveling, is to live like a tourist or foreigner.

When traveling to different places, the best way to budget your spendings and maintain a sustainable lifestyle is to live like a local. This isn’t the same as taking a holiday. You’re traveling to different places, but also working at the same time.

Observe what the locals do, how they transit around the city and where they get their meals.

Usually, the secret to sustaining a lifestyle in a foreign place is to simply live like a local.

Making Money & Working on Audio Projects While Traveling

Today, taking music production as your career is something only maniacs would do. Don’t believe me? If you’ve just finished schooling or college, tell your parents that you want to start a career, composing and producing music, and observe the way they look at you. Or if you’re married, tell your wife that you’re planning to quit your full-time job at the office and become a full-time independent music producer.

Its tough to survive and thrive as a music producer these days. Let alone, traveling the world and doing it.

The first thing you need to understand is that the rules of the music industry have changed. Drop the thinking of traditional music producers of the yesteryears. While musicians made some money by selling records on CDs, do you think CDs will still sell well in this era?

Yet, you see thousands of young aspiring musicians and producers, coming up with CDs & physical albums – just because that’s what musicians seem to do for decades.

So understand that the industry has changed immensely and learn to adapt to it. This requires you to start thinking creatively about bringing in music projects, creating income flows and building sustainability.

Quick Money Making Ideas for Music Producers

1 – produce music for games.

The gaming industry is growing at a ridiculous rate. With the availability of cross-platform gaming – desktop, console and mobile devices, the industry is showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, the mobile gaming market was expected to grow up to $108.9B in the year 2017 alone.

What does this mean for music composers and producers?

This opens up a market for producers to go into composing game music, creating sound effects, recording Foley, voice-overs and doing sound design. Even prolific film composers such as Brian Tyler , have been actively composing music for games.

It’s easy to get started with game music & sound design. Here’s a list of stuff you probably need at bare minimum.

• A decent music production laptop – Game music requires you to compose to picture. You’ll need the CPU firepower.
• Sound design plugins & samples – Collect as many samples as you can and get reliable VSTs instruments & synths. You’ll need them.
• An audio interface – If you’re doing sound design or foley, you’ll need to record sound, so get a decent interface.
• Online presence – You don’t have to be a superstar producer. You’d want to be active in game development forums and offer help to potential game developers you can work with.

As you’re starting out, you’ll find it easier to start working on projects with independent mobile game developers. There are tons of these people around, and most of them need help with good music & sound design to make their game stand out. Just reach out to them and offer help.

2 – Produce Stock Music & Instrumentals

The beauty of producing stock music & instrumentals is the recurring income you get – if your music sells.

If you don’t know yet, stock music or royalty-free music is usually bought to be placed into commercial screenings and applications. Think about music people use in a commercial, a short film, a game or a corporate video.

While selling stock music may seem like a low-income venture, don’t underestimate the power of recurring income. If you build a library filled with high-quality stock music that sells, you might even find producing stock music to be your main revenue.

There are few online stock music libraries you can try today.

• AudioJungle

To be successful in stock music, you need to put yourself in the shoes of the people who will potentially buy your music. What kind of music are they looking for? If I’m making a romantic wedding video, what kind of music would I want?

As for instrumentals, there are thousands of rappers and hip-hoppers looking for beats to put their lyrics in. Many of them do not have the skills necessary to produce a good sounding track, so that’s where you can come in.

3 – Make Sample Packs & Loops

Music producers around the world, especially computer-based producers are always in constant look for the freshest and most unique sample packs and loops that they can use in their tracks.

To some, using samples and loops are somewhat ‘cheating.’ But if you reframe your view around it, you’re simply buying recordings that you can’t record yourself, because of playing capability or mobility. How you creatively use it in your music, later on, is where the real creativity comes in.

That said, if you’re great with recording unique sounds and good at sound design, you should try to take a shot at creating loops and samples. Being successful in this domain requires you to be consistent in coming out with unique sample packs and try to be unique whenever possible. Creating the next 808 kick sample pack isn’t going to get you anywhere far. But coming out with a ‘Duduk’ sample pack might get you in a very profitable niche.

Don’t know what a Duduk instrument is? Google it, or listen to that ‘flute’ from the Dota 2 anthem below: (The person who created the video didn’t know what a Duduk is.)

Getting Ideas & Practice When Traveling

A post shared by Jordan Reddington (@lakeyinspired) on Jun 6, 2017 at 8:06pm PDT

This must be the best part to travel as a music producer. You get to see new places, see the fascinating sites of the world and experience different things. This is when fresh ideas start to come in.

Sometimes just sitting down and working on something new is great because it forces you to bring something that is not just out of inspiration but rather out of pure hard work & experimentation.

I found that with traveling, you can quickly get rusty at your music and technical playing proficiency. Using an online virtual piano keyboard keeps you close to the art, where you can quickly take down musical ideas or audition as you travel.

An app I sometimes use, to get a quick fix at improving my music & technical playing proficiency is OnlinePianist. It works on my iPhone, iPad, or laptop, and normally I find myself practicing and learning with it during long bus rides or flights. The idea here is to maximize your time as much as possible and try to have as little unproductive downtime as possible.

Downsides To Being An Audio Nomad?

Being a traveling music producer or audio nomad is a huge commitment. It isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Despite what the media tries to tell you, while there are perks to being someone who can travel the world and make a living at the same time, there are few downsides to being an audio nomad.

The points below came from experience, and I hope it gives you some insights and food for thought before you boldly exit your front door, to a world full of mystery.

1. You will most probably be traveling alone (at first).

When planning your first trip and being an audio nomad, you will most probably be traveling alone. If you’re perfectly okay with being alone most of the time, then this shouldn’t be an issue.

However, if you’re someone who yearns for human interaction to stay sane, perhaps its time to polish your networking and communication skills.

2. You may find it hard to find a place to stay

The tough part about being a music producer who travels is finding a place to stay. Hotels would be out of the question, as your goal is to live like a local.

The trick here is to be resourceful to find places that allow you to rent or stay for a certain time length.

3. Homesickness

If you’ve never been traveling much before being a traveling music producer, you’ll quickly hit into homesickness. You’ll miss the comforts and stability of home, and perhaps your family and friends too. This is something to keep in mind if you are planning to travel.

4. Not knowing anybody at all 

There is one fear that many people can relate to when traveling. The fear of not having anybody around you that will lend a helping help when trouble hits. If you’re traveling with a friend, then this shouldn’t be a huge issue, but when you’re doing it alone, you have to have plans for when trouble arises.

Who can you go for help? Where should you go if you’re feeling unwell?

5. Expensive plane tickets

Purchasing flight tickets can be expensive without pre-planning your trips. To travel for much less, consider using websites like Airfare Watch Dog to get alerts of cheaper flight tickets for the destinations you’d like to go.

There are many great and wonderful reasons to travel as a music producer.

Being able to see new places, absorb new experiences and collaborate with different music producers, is only the start of this whole exciting adventure.

But you want to look at sustainability, and this includes careful management of your money and time. If not used wisely, your traveling adventure could be quickly cut short.

If you’re seriously looking to attempt being a traveling producer, I suggest reading Aleix Ramon’s guide to being an audio nomad , learning from his experiences and then applying it to your own.

All said and done, I want to know what you think about traveling as a music producer.

Are you already a traveling music producer or audio nomad yourself? Are you thinking of diving into it? If you are a traveling music producer/audio nomad yourself, what are your favorite things about traveling and what do you dislike about traveling?

Let us know in the comment section below.

Step into the producer's playground

• Music Theory
• Routines & Process

Our top hardware picks for traveling music producers

Maintaining a disciplined routine and striving for output-based goals can be key pursuits for promoting creativity and success as a musician.

One of the most obvious yet inevitable ways in which these goals are confronted would be in times away from home. Whether it’s due to daily commutes or international touring, our home setups (or the studio spaces in the cities we’re based in) won’t always be available to us when inspiration hits, or when we find ourselves with the time to explore an idea. In these moments, a few pieces of hardware that can endure the road—and ideally leave some bag space for our necessities—are crucial.

If you’re reading this and thinking, “My music gear is a necessity,” then you’re in the right place, but please, don’t forego a toothbrush or a phone charger!

How we chose the hardware on our list

The variables considered when building this list were a combination of dimensions, weight, shape, and user sentiment, primarily around durability. These pieces of hardware should be suitable for a backpack as well as a purse, a sling, or whatever shrinking image of a bag is currently allowed by basic economy airline tickets. This list isn’t meant to be exhaustive, though we’ve intended to provide you options suiting a range of budgets.

For many producers, purchasing a travel-ready piece of music hardware is likely not about building a separate gear locker to only be utilized in times of travel. Rather, financial and spatial limitations would lead us to identify tools that compliment existing gear and also serve a purpose at home. This includes, as one Splice team member shared, a piece of gear whose proper place in the home is right on the living room couch!

Portable electronics

1. Teenage Engineering Pocket Operator (~$49.00, 0.2 lb, 2.4” x 4.9” x 1.2″)

With a wide range of options to choose from, and the ability to chain them together for an expanded sonic playground, the Pocket Operator series is a no-brainer for jamming on the go. Each model touts 16 patterns, 16 core sounds, 16 effects, three BPM settings, and the ability to loop custom chord progressions.

The user experience can be absolutely hypnotic, though as an exposed circuit board, it’s best to plan for some level of protection rather than throwing it loosely in a bag. The Teenage Engineering website and countless Etsy designers provide a range of cases for pocket operators. That said, repurposing a microphone pouch can also be enough to keep it secure, prevent its solder points from catching on clothing, and keep it safe when it’s not in use.

It would be silly to not recommend the OP-1 as well, a well-known staple by the same manufacturer (but a far more significant investment). To each their own!

2. KORG Volca Series (~$129.99, 0.79 lb, 7.60” x 4.53” x 1.57”)

This pocket synth is an absolute staple for many producers around the world, and for good reason. With ten models and counting, the Volca series is one of the best ways to experience a taste of KORG’s brilliance without investing in their higher-end products.

If you’re not sure which one to try, take stock of two things: your existing gear (and what sonic gaps you might be able to bridge), and what type of sounds you’re interested in exploring when moving about the world.

Our picks for portable audio interfaces

1. Behringer UM-2 (~$59.00, 0.57 lb, ‎6.3” x 8.3” x 3.5”)

No frills here, though this audio interface is unique in its accessibility to beginners and functionality for experts. At this price point, and with reliable performance, this piece is ideal to pick up knowing it’ll be wedged in a tight corner of a bag someday.

2. Arturia MiniFuse 2 (~$149.00, 1.1 lb, 7.9” x 3.9” x 1.7”

While the price jump is notable here, many would argue it’s worth it for the difference in sound quality for this bus-powered interface from Arturia. This purchase also comes with 500 of Arturia’s legendary presets, a Splice Creator Plan, three months of Autotune unlimited, and access to Ableton Live Lite, among other benefits. If you’re in need of more or less inputs, there’s a single input model for $50 less or a four-input model for $70 more.

3. Apogee One Interface (~$179.00, 0.5 lb, 6.3″ × 2.2″ x 1.2″)

We’ve decided to highlight the original model, though there’s also an alternative designed to specifically cater to Mac and iOS users. That model even charges Mac products, should you need that in a pinch! This little guy provides two ins / outs, as well as an omnidirectional microphone for additional on-the-go flexibility.

4. Focusrite Scarlett series (exact size and pricing varying depending on the model) Focusrite’s Scarlett series is another proven go-to, especially for new producers. The price points, especially for low-input interfaces, are difficult to beat when considering the quality and durability of the product. With the 4th Generation launched ahead of Black Friday 2023, it has earned a special mention.

Portable control surfaces

Dj controllers:.

1. Numark DJ2GO2 Touch (~$89.00, 0.8 lb, 12.4” x 3.4” x 0.6″)

If this isn’t the tiniest commercially-available DJ controller on the market, please write in to correct us. This is an excellent toy to get started with, or just to travel with lower anxiety with if something happens to it. Owners enjoy the included access to Serato DJ Lite.

2. Reloop Mixtour (~$319.00, 1.77 lb, 5.08” x 12.2” x 1.02”)

A special mention here for those who have more prescriptive needs for their DJ sets, such as spontaneous sets in non-traditional venues, and also have a bit more to spend than the Numark requires. If you’re running sets through an iPad or other mobile device, this piece is for you.

MIDI controllers:

1. Novation Launchkey (~$109.99, 1.5 lb for the smallest size, 13.0” x 6.8” x 1.6″)

Here’s yet another product that allows you to pick the size that’s best for you. For the purpose of an article like this, we’re looking at the smallest of four sizes with 25 keys. Novation brings us this line of controllers touting built-in Ableton Live integration, a solid collection of plugins and samples, and standalone functionality if your computer has to take a nap in the overhead compartment.

If you fall in love with this piece of hardware, you can always add the largest 61-key model to your home studio. That’d certainly make for a seamless transition between home and on-the-go production! 2. ROLI Seaboard Block M ($349.00, 11.0” x 5.5” x 0.8″) ROLI, pioneers of Midi Polyphonic Expression , re-introduced the portable Seaboard series in late 2023. For producers who embrace the newest of MIDI technology, finding a portable option is a particular challenge. While many professional musicians might travel with their Ableton Push , another powerful MPE instrument, many of us won’t have that much space. Enter both the Block M and more traditional LUMI Keys , which can even be snapped together and played simultaneously if you so choose. Both are instruments like any other that could make time fly on even the longest of travel days. Make sure to pick up a snap case when they are in stock as well, for maximum protection of your instrument while traveling!

Sequencers and samplers:

1. KORG SQ-64 Poly Sequencer (~$329.00, 2.2 lb, 14.49” x 5.67” x 2.91”)

We’ve crossed two pounds for the first time—this is getting dangerous, but we couldn’t resist. The only polyphonic step sequencer included today, the SQ-64 is a sleek piece of hardware with a versatile set of 64 buttons to play with. If it can make the cut on the road, there may be no better piece of hardware to pass hours of time with than this one, no matter your skill level.

Depending on the time you’re reading this, Reverb has a number of these available at a $200 price drop via the KORG USA Warehouse Outlet. Be sure to check that out and use this as a reminder to search your trusted new and used marketplaces for the other products you’re interested in from this list.

2. Roland SP-404MKII Sampler (~$559.99, 1 lb, 5.1” x 9.1” x 17.1”)

Certainly one of the larger products impacting bag space and wallet space, the Roland SP-404MKII Sampler boasts “Guerilla beat making” capabilities through 17 velocity-sensitive pads (including one sub pad), six effects buttons surrounding the display screen, thousands of samples and patterns, and customizable face plates to top it off. Many consider this to be a “buy it and you’ll never need to level up again” type of purchase.

Travel-friendly microphones

1. Shure MV88 (~$249.00, video kit)

With the original MV88—optimized for iPhone and an absolute game changer for this writer in a past life of podcast production—discontinued, enter the MV88+ optimized for video. One downside is that the microphone isn’t available as a standalone product. Still, the cost of the accessories haven’t pushed the price too high for what this powerful little stereo condenser provides. The Shure MOTIV app allows for a surprising amount of control and flexibility for both audio and video, making this a must-have for any traveling creators in need of capturing vlog footage or other types of social media content.

2. LOM Audio Geofón (~€160, 190 g / 0.42 lb including the cable and magnet, 52.5 mm in height, 36.5 mm in diameter)

We know that recommending a sold-out item is a brutal move. But, hear us out—Bratislava-based LOM Audio produces some of the finest field microphones in the world, though their stock tends to sell out quicker than festival tickets.

Many of the recommendations on this list help us look inward, to find the flow of creativity and conjure something special no matter where we are. This product (or a future release by the brand in general) is for those who are eager to look outward , to capture the sounds of the exact place in the world that you find yourself in. If interested, also check out their label on Bandcamp .

3. Sennheiser MKE 400 (~$199.95, 0.2 lb, 2.6” x 1.5 x 5″)

Our sole shotgun microphone recommendation for today, this piece mounts easily to DSLR cameras to distinguish itself from the functionality of the Shure recommendation. This supercardioid features a low-cut filter, three sensitivity settings, and the ability for sound checking via an independent headphone jack.

You may be all heads-down as a producer on the road, but if you’re looking to promote, educate, or capture multimedia content, this could be for you. If you’re tempted but find the cost too high, consider the MKE 200 for half the price.

In closing…

This piece only scratches the surface of gear that could be labeled as travel-ready. With new products constantly in the pipeline, what’s important is that you surround yourself with the tools that you feel comfortable with, connected to, and challenged by. Musicians don’t exactly have the best reputation in terms of using all of their gear, and there’s nothing worse than lugging unnecessary weight while traveling.

This is all to say that we hope this piece helps you begin your journey of realizing your ideal travel rig. As you discover new products, or if we missed a staple of yours here, please let us know by starting a conversation on the Splice Discord or emailing me directly at [email protected].

One final word—be sure to not forget the accessories. Products like a mobile battery, laptop cooling stand, durable headphones, and an external hard drive for constant backups should also be in consideration. So get scheming, creators!

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THE FIRST STEP: How I've Been Traveling The World & Producing Music For 2+ Years

Embracing a lifestyle of long-term travel.

April 1, 2020 Update : This article was originally posted on February 6, 2018. As of 2015, I've traveled to over 40 countries around the world. In 2018, I decided to plant down in Berlin, Germany, which is where I'm currently based.

As I re-read this article, I can only say that everything I wrote in the original post still rings true. At any given moment of your life, you can shed the past, imagine the future, and create change all with a single decision that you commit to. There's big magic in writing down your goals, your fears, seeing it all in black and white, then taking effective action.

I wish you the best as you acknowledge a decision that, deep down, you already know the answer to.

IT STARTS WITH A SINGLE DECISION.

In April of 2015, I left my full-time job in broadcast/media and my LA-based music studio behind to embrace a lifestyle of endless travel. Since then, I have produced my biggest projects entirely remotely. Over the course of two years, I have kept a vow to continually find the optimal mobile music production setup – one that allows us to minimize travel gear while retaining top-notch studio sound quality.

I began producing music as a hobby in the mid-90's and started to DJ at clubs and parties in the year 2000. Shortly after, I entered the world of broadcast – first through college and public radio followed by various production roles in commercial radio. After returning to the States from an exchange program in The Netherlands, the travel bug had forever sunk its teeth into my skin. I wanted to see the world. The average two-week vacation wasn't going to be enough to cover the 196 countries of the world in a lifetime.

So how does one combine a mentally-absurd passion for music with an equally ridiculous obsession for travel? Ten years ago, us music producers would have been locked down by all of our hardware gear. Today, we are blessed with the fruits of the digital revolution. Two years ago, I sold off most of my gear and went completely in-the-box. Today, my mantra is "mobility first." I have realized that embracing a philosophy of minimalism is not only essential in my travel life, but also in my music as well.

get started. embrace your fears.

Before I pulled the trigger with a one-way ticket to Thailand, there were a mountain of obstacles and "what ifs" to overcome. The thought of showing up in a foreign country was daunting. What would I do with my home? What about my job? My friends at home? My bills? Responsibilities? How could I just leave ? Wouldn't the world I've worked so hard to build collapse? What about my network? Would I lose touch with my friends and co-workers? Would I destroy everything I had built, only to show up in a foreign country with nothing?

These are all normal fears, especially when you're dealing with so many unknowns. Sure, you know what to expect when you're in your own neighborhood, your own state or province, your own country. Maybe you took a trip to another city, even in your own country, and realized how different it was. How would a different city in your own country compare to being in a completely foreign land?

If you think of all of these questions and try to solve them in your head all at once, it's daunting. First, because you do not yet have the experience to come up with a solution, and second, because it may seem unquantifiable and overwhelming, so you may just put it off until "some day." You may have a dream that's so alive in your heart, but as soon as you move that dream to the practical plane of your mind, it dissipates.

write your fears down.

The first step, is to write down all of your fears right now . That's right. Stop what you're doing, grab a blank sheet of paper and a pen, and at the very top, write down: " I'm suspending my dreams of travel because... "

I suggest you actually write and not type your notes because there's something that's inherently more tactile about getting your thoughts out on paper than typing it on a digital screen. In my experience, you're actually about to get it out of your mind and onto a physical medium, rather than typing it out. I've found that the same thoughts take up less mental space after I use pen and paper, compared to typing.

Don't move into the next section until you've written until you can't write no more. Write down all of your fears. Not just the first few that pop into mind, or the easiest ones. Write every single one of them down.

Done? Good. If you've got a few more to squeeze out, now's your chance. Here's what mine looked like:

talk back to those fears.

Now that your fears are in plain sight for you to observe, they're no longer taking up mental space with no solution on the horizon. These exact fears are what are holding you back from living the dream that's in your heart. Now, let's address those fears one by one.

The world, full of its infinite possibilities and solutions, is not holding anything back from you at this moment in time. Only you can do that. So let's have a shift in mindset to finding solutions and creating possibilities, rather than playing into our fears and remaining stagnant. Try to think of 3 possible solutions that would address each fear. Even a single good one is good enough, but trying to think of 3 will put your brain into a higher gear.

Have fun with it! Here's what mine looked like:

If you're having trouble reading my scratchy handwriting, I've typed out the entire list, including the solutions, here:

I'm suspending my dreams of travel because...

What will I do with my car?

• Leave it with friends/family to drive periodically.

Motorcycle needs to be fired up regularly.

• Leave it with a friend who will appreciate riding it from time-to-time.

What will I do with my place?

• Rent it out.
• Leave it in a friend's care or AirBNB .
• Property management company.

All of my hardware gear/speakers/synths

• Leave it with a friend.
• Sell those I haven't worn in a while or put it up in a yard sale.
• Donate to charity.
• Go paperless everywhere possible.
• Forward it to parents.
• Ask roommates to collect for me.

How will my bills get paid on time?

• Enroll in auto-pay.
• Request electronic billing.
• Enlist the help of a friend or family member (if you must write a check, still) and pay them electronically via PayPal, bank transfer, etc.

Losing touch with friends and co-workers

• Skype/Facebook/FaceTime video calls.
• Schedule regular calls to catch up via What's App, Facebook, FaceTime Audio, LINE, etc.
• Give them an excuse to travel and visit you!
• Donate them.
• Give them to my friend's dad who loves gardening.

People will think I'm crazy

• Those who have also done this will not.
• My life. Not theirs. Who cares?
• Only those who have never done it themselves will think this way.

What if I destroy my career?

• What if I build a new one?
• What if this helps my career?
• How can I find newer and better opportunities while traveling?
• What if this is a chance for me to move closer towards what I really want to do?

What if I can't find work when/if I come back?

• Use this time to educate myself.
• Learn a new set of skills while traveling.
• Travel is one of the greatest teachers.

What if I regret this decision?

• People regret the things they didn't do more than the things that they did do.
• I'll regret it if I don't do this!
• What if I regret living the same life I've been living and being too afraid to change it for the better?

What if I run out of money?

• Save for 6 months of travel.
• Secure online work opportunities.
• Worst case scenario: I can always fly back.

How will this look on my resume/CV?

• It will set me apart from the competition.
• I will gain an expanded world view.
• Potential for international job opportunities. I'll meet people around the world that I never would have otherwise.

What if I get lonely?

• I will connect more with myself.
• I'll go out and speak to 3 new people per day.
• Join social events.
• Call friends and family back home.

Can't make decent music in headphones.

• Some engineers mix/master solely in headphones.
• False! I've written some of my best work while traveling. Check out the Nomadic Music Producer's Handbook for an in-depth disclosure that explains exactly how.
• Have multiple sources of monitoring.

What if my gear is stolen?

• Cloud backup.
• Items can be replaced or purchased.

What if I get sick or hospitalized?

• World Nomads travel insurance .
• It's unlikely, but if it happens, I'll survive.
• Same thing can happen anywhere, even here at home.

What if I catch a tropical disease?

• Take lots of mosquito spray.
• Make sure immunizations are up-to-date.
• Travel insurance .
• Wear white instead of dark clothing (mosquitos are attracted to darker clothes).
• This is highly unlikely in the areas that I'll be visiting.

How will I stay fit without a gym?

• Body weight exercises.
• Enroll in Anytime Fitness (worldwide network of gyms).
• Hiking/running.

What about clean, healthy foods?

• Buy food fresh from local markets.
• Research areas and food supplies beforehand.
• Cook at home.

How will I communicate without knowing the local language?

• Learn the basics of the language before going.
• Immersion! The best way to learn a language is just to throw yourself into the culture. I'll learn when I get there.
• Go with a friend who speaks the language.
• Network with expats on Facebook groups before going there.

PICK A DATE. TAKE ACTION.

Great! Now that you've figured out exactly what's holding you back, you've also gained some new insights on how you can tackle those fears. You may also have some new perspectives on how you can work around these fears. The antidote to fear is courage ! And the only way to practice courage is action .

Think of how much richer you'll be as a person, how much more developed your character will be, how much more confident you'll be once you step far outside of your comfort zone. Only by making this decision now will you gift yourself the opportunity to go far beyond what you're normally used to. On the other side is YOU, version 2.0.

The difference between "some day" and "I did it" is that single moment when you decide to take action. So let's start building some momentum now.

Grab a marker and your calendar, or open up your Google Calendar or iCal, and pick a date that seems far away enough, but not too far. 6-12 months time is a good time frame, depending on how ready you feel. 18 months may feel better if you're not quite ready, but I wouldn't push it beyond that. If it's too far away, you'll lose momentum or circumstances in your life may change, making it harder (but not impossible) for you to ride the momentum you've already created for yourself, just by reading this article.

Now keep your destination in mind and write it down. For example, "Flight to Thailand" or "Backpacking trip begins in Peru" or "One-way ticket to Hungary" or "World travel begins!"

By the way, if you'd like to plan your travels around essential dance music conferences around the world, click here to grab my free guide that lays it all out for you.

If you can book that plane ticket now, do it! By booking that plane ticket, you're committing yourself to this whole-heartedly. Once you do that, everything will begin to move forward to support your commitment.

This quote by William Hutchison Murray has always stuck with me:

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too . All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”

THE NOMADIC MUSIC PRODUCER'S HANDBOOK

The Nomadic Music Producer's Handbook is the result of over two years of trial-and-error as a nomadic DJ and music producer. I have made mistakes, spent money unnecessarily, overdone it and underdone it – but you don't have to! I overcame my fears to help you realize that if I can do it, you also can. I discuss ways you can earn an income remotely as you travel, landing DJ gigs, finding free meals and accommodations, staying fit while traveling, my take on mixing and mastering, preparing for travel, and much more.

The life you dream of is easily within reach – and whether you want to live a nomadic lifestyle for a few weeks, a few months, or a few years, what I have to share in this book will help you get there on your own terms.

Don't let your dreams of long-term world travel and producing music escape you!

Free Download : Grab the International Dance Music Conferences guide here . Purchase the Nomadic Music Producer's Handbook here .

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How to be a travelling, digital nomad music producer.

So you want to be a traveling music producer but are worried about taking your home studio and music gear around. Is it possible to travel and make music? Will the quality of my mixes and masters suffer? I’ve personally been a traveling music producer and I’ve spent the last 3 years running a freelance business in the music industry. In this article, I’ll share how you can do the same.

It’s possible to produce music and be on the move – it’s just a little more difficult than having a studio base.

Important Starting Note – Traveling Audio Engineering Isn’t Really Logistically Possible

Being a traveling music producer, beat maker or composer is much easier to pull off than for those of you who want to be audio engineers. With audio engineering, you need a huge deal of equipment to get professional recordings, often need soundproofing setups to mix and master music, and these aren’t really portable.

The one workaround to this would be to travel from location to location but to carefully plan your trip before, so you’re always near a studio that you can rent out.

Although this makes mixing and mastering much more possible during your travels, it’s still very difficult to plan and be mobile like this, because studios are commonly fully booked and find it hard to slot people in.

A great way to travel as an audio engineer would be to scout your studios first (5-6 months in advance of your travels), and contact them each to book long periods of use.

No studio is going to turn down an entire month’s booking if they have the space, it’s guaranteed money for them!

You’ll have to do this for your entire travel and it holds you down to single locations for weeks and months at a time. If you’re ok with this, then it’s entirely possible, but realistically speaking – for a lot of audio engineers – being a traveling producer just isn’t feasible.

Tips For Mixing and Mastering While You’re on The Move

Although you will always get a better result in a studio environment, there are ways to mix and master audio, without needing the fancy setup.

To mix and master professionally while traveling, you’ll need these things:

• A portable audio interface
• A set of flat-frequency response mixing and mastering headphones that you know well
• Mixing and mastering meter plugins that don’t need hardware or online authorization
• Headphone flattening curve software like Sound ID Reference
• Studio emulation software such as Waves CLA NX
• Multiple reference devices – headphones, mobiles, portable speakers etc.

You want to ensure that you have a pair of headphones you know inside and out, because these will most of the time be your only reference source, apart from phone speakers and extra pairs of earbuds.

This knowledge, combined with studio emulation software can help you make more informed decisions in the process.

They will never be as good as the real thing, but if you are hell-bent on traveling as a mixing or mastering engineer there are many that do, using this software to pinpoint mixes and masters.

The most useful software I have used to get pristine mix and masters on my sample packs are:

• Sound ID Reference – flattening headphone response (even flat headphones aren’t entirely flat)
• CLA NX – studio simulation software. This really helps to gauge bass especially and multiple times I’ve overdone the bass in headphones, this has been my saviour in hearing the problem
• Soothe 2 – combine with CLA NX, I use Soothe to reduce the bass, without ruining the thick boom that I want from sounds. It really helps to clean up the low end on mastering
• L3116 Limiter – fantastic multiband limiter for pushing tracks to the max without causing unwanted artifacts or distortion

Traveling As A Beatmaker, Music Producer, Sound Designer etc.

As a beatmaker, sound designer, or composer all you need is a laptop, your plugins, and a good set of headphones. I’ve personally made entire, professional sample packs on the move.

You can see the process I followed in this series I wrote for Pirate Studios:

• How To Make and Sell Sample Packs (Part 1)
• How To Make and Sell Sample Packs (Part 2)

I also have videos where I break down my melody writing and my sound design process, and my thoughts. I only use headphones, the MIDI roll, and plugins – that’s it!

Your Portable Studio Setup

Personally, I would recommend traveling as light as you possibly can. We’ve been traveling the world using one bag to live out of for a while now, and while you’re on the move, the heavier stuff is, the more cumbersome you are and it’s going to bog you down.

I’d personally recommend dropping the MIDI Controller.

If you really need a MIDI controller the most portable one, with the most keys is the M-Audio Ministation 32. However, you should really consider how much bag space it’s going to take up. Once you implement a good MIDI chord drawing workflow (full guide) it’s much quicker to smash out melodies and chords too.

Here’s what you should take for music production while traveling and what I’ve manged to survive with during my travels:

• 16GB Ram (you can get by with 8, but it’s annoying… trust me I know from experience)
• dual-core i5 or higher
• Zoom H1n – cheap and works perfectly fine (I used this to design all my audio samples in my packs, from scratch), no mic inputs or anything special
• Zoom H2n – same as the H1n, but allows surround sound recordings
• Zoom H6 – 2 XLR inputs, stereo and surround recording, removable and replaceable mic heads
• Any of the Scarlett audio interface range is great and have good mic preamps
• ID44 is a fantastic audio interface too
• Audient Evo 4 is another great budget pick
• Beyerdynamic closed-back DT770 is a great choice
• Audio Technica ATH M50X are good closed-back headphones
• I wouldn’t recommend open-back because, while traveling you need your sound to be focussed and with closed back headphones you can hear everything surrounding you
• Seagate cheap HDD works fine. Got mine for £30-50 and I’ve used it for over 2 years now, no problems, dropped multiple times etc.
• USB Hub and adapters
• This 25000mah one works well, it’s cheap and cheerful (don’t expect it to last a long time, but it’s £30

That’s it! It’s really all you need to be a traveling music producer. You can easily fit this in a 40L bag, and you can take your 40L bag as carry-on luggage to save money on flights.

Deciding on A Good Bag To Take Traveling

If you’re backpacking and moving from place to place, do not take checked luggage with you. It will put the prices of the plane tickets up by a large amount, and you’re not going to be able to be mobile with a load of bags.

I personally recommend (and use myself) a 40L bag, which is carry-on size and passes all airline requirements.

Important note: don’t scrimp on a cheap Amazon bag. This bag is going to be your life for however long you are traveling, it’s good to invest in one that is high quality and will last.

Here are a few things to consider deciding on a bag for a music producers who want to travel:

• Carry-on dimensions – 50 x 40 x 20 and prevents you from paying for cabin bags
• Strong frame – it shouldn’t misshape when you pack it.
• Good back and shoulder support – you will want this when carrying it around all day going from place to place (trust me). Make sure you get the correctly gendered bag
• Mesh straps and back support – if you’re going somewhere hot, this is a godsend. You also want a frame that comes off the bag so there’s support and air flowing
• A hip belt – great for big weights to support you
• Multiple compartments – you’ll know where everything is, you can put your electronics in one place, have easy access compartments for recording devices etc. trust me, pack wisely here – it’s so useful.
• A reputable brand name – you want to make sure that you have a good returns policy and a warranty if anything goes wrong.
• A bag that fits you well – make sure to try it on in the store before! Don’t just buy one online – go to the shop and get one you like

A few options for bags for music producers who want to travel are:

• Osprey Farpoint 40 (I use this can’t recommend it enough)
• Tortuga Outbreak 35L (Reddit user popular choice)
• Osprey Trek 55L
• Tortuga Setout
• Patagonia Black Out

Osprey Farpoint/Fairview 40

I can’t stress that last point enough – go to the store to try on your bag and to try different brands. Treat it as you’re shopping for clothes or shoes. The online process for finding fit and feel is a nightmare.

Making Your Money Go Further While Traveling

Book month stays on airbnb.

Hosts discount monthly stays on Airbnb by a huge amount. And, if you’re staying monthly, it’s still legal to rent an Airbnb in most countries ( it’s illegal in some places to rent on AirBnB for less than a month… really)

For instance, in Thailand, it’s illegal to rent out unless it’s for a month. I’ve personally rented for less than a month and had no issues doing so, but it doesn’t mean you’ll be fine.

Let’s take a look at the exact same stay for 3 days vs the exact same stay for an entire month. We are staying in this place in the future, so I have blurred the images for obvious reasons.

3 days costs you almost a quarter of what an entire month does!

It’s important to look at the terms and conditions of each stay you book because some will charge extra for electricity and water per month, but it’s usually not much at all.

Airbnb is your best bet when traveling because you don’t need a proper visa to be able to rent, sign papers or get into some kind of mortgage contract. However, if you do have the proper Visa (in Bali for instance), you could get the same place for £200-300 rent per month instead of the £400 asking price on Airbnb.

Limit Drinking and Eating Out (Unless You’re Somewhere Really Cheap)

Drinking alcohol is fun and all until you wake up the next day and realize how much you spent and how many stupid decisions you made the night before. I know as musicians, we love to go out and party, but honestly, when you stop screwing with your body, your mind becomes so much clearer.

Drinking also costs an absolute bomb no matter where you go.

It might be cheaper in certain countries, but if you’re going out 4 times per month, you’re still going to be spending quite a bit on drinking alone.

The other big cost is eating out. If you’re in South East Asia it’s really cheap to eat street food in the non-touristy areas.

If you want to save money and eat out do this:

• Don’t eat in the mall (Starbucks, KFC, McDs all charge premium – why would you want them anyway? )
• Don’t eat in touristy areas (look for locals, it’s the sign of good food and good value – even in touristy areas you can find cheaper, better food)
• Don’t eat in many sit-down restaurants (these charge a premium for the atmosphere and the admittedly better food)

Avoid Touristy Areas

Like we mentioned above in the food section, touristy areas are much more expensive, and you’re much more likely to get ripped off or scammed here.

For example, for the same street food in Thailand in KhaoSan road, you’re paying triple, and you’re getting the exact same thing. Just go a little out of the tourist trap areas, and get the same food 3x cheaper – it really is that simple.

The same goes for drinking – drink at local bars! It’s more fun anyway. You’re here to travel and experience other culture, get involved in it! People love to share their culture in my experience and the places that “look” bad are usually the ones you have the best time in and find the most friendly people in.

It’s Not A Holiday Don’t Treat It As Such

It can be easy to think because you’re abroad, in the sun, with a pool or by the beach that it’s a holiday. Don’t let your mind break its routine. Keep up your exercise, keep waking up early and getting your daily tasks done.

I like to keep Mon-Fri workdays 9am – 5pm. After 5pm I can do what I like, but I often work later than this, because that’s just the nature of owning a business.

Make sure you keep your healthy eating in check too. Eating like cr*p makes you feel like cr*p and you’re more likely to be a lazy slob if you kill your diet. Staying physical, and keeping your diet and routine are key to having a sharp, productive mind.

Generally, I like to have a more relaxed Friday. Then on the weekend I go do whatever I like! Explore wherever, rent a motorbike, ride around, go to the markets, travel somewhere local, and meet new people!

Take Public Transport

Getting public transport is completely safe in most countries, even if the buses are a little bit rougher around the edges. You will save so much getting the public transport the locals get.

The stuff with AC that looks a bit more pristine will cost a lot more and it really does mount up.

Digital Nomad Visa Options for Travelling Music Producers

Ok, so you’ve figured everything out. How you’re going to get there, where you’re going to stay etc. But what about Visas for long stays? Can you work on a tourist Visa in your desired country? What requirements do you need to access Visas that open the doors to renting properties, getting an official bank account etc?

I’ve personally been to South East Asia (for now) so can only speak on the Asian Visas.

Most Asian countries offer 30 days Visas on arrival (depending on where you’re from). There are different rules for each country on what is considered work and if you’re actually allowed to work in the country while on a tourism Visa. We recommend checking out this digital nomad Visa guide for Asia to help you understand further.

For instance:

In Thailand, you can still manage a Shopify store , blog, or other forms of business during your stay, as long as you are not offering services to Thai people, or taking work from Thai citizens, that could be done by Thai citizens.

You can’t get a job or offer mixing and mastering services to a Thai person. It’s better to work remotely because remote work is difficult to track and it’s very unlikely you’ll get pulled up for it.

However, we always advise you to get the proper Visa for where you’re going.

If you’re a freelancer, you’ll want to look into Business Visas, and the different nomad Visa options available. You will have to meet some requirements for different countries, so check your individual country and see what you need to qualify.

Some are much easier than others. For instance, Indonesia is offering a 5-year residency, tax-free if you can prove an income of $1500/month. This is insane, and if you already make this from remote studio work, you can relocate pretty quickly and easily.

For the most part, as long as you do not take work from someone in the country, offer services to anyone in the country, and are making money outside of the country’s borders – you’ll be fine.

But, we always recommend getting the correct Visa for your travels to be sure.

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How to Travel and Produce Music - Our Setup & Gear to record the World

Go where the Sounds are!

When you are a producer at heart, you want to spend every minute doing what you love - even when you are traveling or on the road.

But since you can´t push your whole studio or your home-recording setup in a backpack, you need to take some smart decisions on what to bring and what to leave back home.

We are currently traveling across Latin America to talk to producers and musicians where we find them and of course to record cool and easy to use exotic samples and loops for you.

Because we are on the road a lot, we already have a setup that works for us and that we want to show you. Of course depending on the countries we visit or the stuff we want to do, we mix it up a little, to get the perfect combination of light weight and performance.

Disclaimer: we don´t get money from any of the companies featured below !

Let´s get started!

1. Laptop: Mac Book Pro 13’

Yes, the 15’ Mac Books are usually more powerful, but the 2016 Pro with 16 GB Ram does almost everything you need to sketch ideas, record audio, arrange your tracks and capture new songs right where inspiration hits you - and that happens a lot when you travel!

Of course we have Ableton 9+10 installed with our studio setup and all necessary samples and VSTs.

Workflow Hack : while traveling we use our own Templates and Presets a lot, because when you find a cool singer in a bar or at a concert, they don´t want to wait until you are all set and ready with the perfect sounds.

So prepare in advance and save some synth presets, arrangements or whole templates, so you just have to browse through them to pick the right sound for the right situation.

What really works well on the road to get an arrangement quick, are our  Deep House  &  Summer Pop  templates.

And to get your Beats sounding good from the beginning, without thinking and tweaking too much, we use  Our Favorite Drum Kit  for most electronic genres!

2. Audio Interface: Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6

First thing you will notice? It is extremely robust and rock solid - perfect for the road! But more importantly it sounds amazing and crystal clear, due to the Cirrus Logic preamps and converters.

You have two symmetric Mic/Line In channels and two more Line Ins on the back, so you can plug in probably more instruments and mics that you need on the road. The clean sound either of the mic-preamp and the instrument line in channel are a very good starting point, to get your recordings going on.

On the back you find the usual: more balanced in and outputs, SPDIF in and out and of course MIDI. The phantom power button completes this trustworthy companion. Since you always have to worry, that your equipment gets stolen on the way, the interface is also fairly cheap with around 230$.

More info here

3. Microphone: Alctron MC001

Yes, this is literally one of the cheapest microphones available and yes for recordings on the road this thing does a great job.

It gives me peace of mind to know that I can record very good audio signal, without worrying about dragging a very expensive Neumann, AKG or Røde with me, which we use in the studio. Is the Alctron comparable to the just mentioned high end sound wonders? No, but it is still better than almost any portable recording device and helps you create a “studio feel” while recording anywhere you want.

(e.g. like here in the woods near a cenote in Tulum, Mexico)

Its characteristics can be best described with: crisp, full, good frequency range and diverse dynamics.

Info on the Mic

4. Portable Recording Device: Zoom H2n

Why bring a microphone and a portable recorder you ask? Indeed it is very intriguing to be able to setup a whole studio in the middle of nowhere (as long as your batteries will do at least), but sometimes you just don´t have the time to get your laptop for capturing a quick idea or find an interesting artist on the street. In these situation the Zoom H2n (or any other device) helped me out a lot and some of the samples featured in one of our new packs was recorded with it. Especially when the surrounding sounds are not too loud, the Zoom H2n gives you good results, even with very high incoming impendences, due to the very helpful gain regulation. All files are recorded in .wav format and ready to use!

I like going jogging with it, because somehow I am more aware for sounds when I pass by faster and just pull it out and record everything that sounds cool to me and can be used as textures or actual samples for sounddesign.

Find out more about this device here

5. Portable Silicone Roll-up Piano

All the question marks in your eyes are completely ok and I had the same reaction, when I first stumbled across this “piano”.

As mentioned above, if you want comfort on the road, you need to make compromises. Since I definitely want to be able to record chord ideas or drum patterns laid out on a whole scale with Abletons Sampler, I need something that is portable, has more than 20 keys, has bigger keys than the teeny tiny Korg controllers (which I really like, but not for the purpose on the road) and fits into my suitcase. Enter the Costzon Roll Up Piano with 88 keys.

Do not expect utter accuracy or great dynamic control, but if you have a musical background in playing the piano, you might get the feeling of being limited with less than 50 keys.

It is super light and gives me a piano for the road - just what I asked for. MIDI via USB and you can also charge it and impress people on the beach with your crazy piano skills and built in speakers.

Need your own? Here !

6. NI Massive with massive presets

When you are a producer, independent of the genre, you have used Massive at least a couple of times. It is an all-time classic and offers such a variety, that I always carry that bad boy with me, where ever I may roam. With our presets  I am super fast, when it comes to having exactly the right sound at hand, without having to start from scratch. Of course we use Serum, of course we use Sylenth or the new Wavetable Synth directly in Ableton, but with Massive it is always like coming home - everything is where it needs to be and you know exactly what to do.

You should of course always chose your "go to synth", but once you have worked with Massive, chances are high, that this is it.

See more at Native Instruments

7. Headphones: Green and cheap - but I know their sound

Taking headphones out of their natural habitat in the studio can often lead to them not adapting to a lifestyle out of the house and eventually cracking under the huge pressure of the outside world. In other words: headphones break - easily, especially on the road living out of a suitcase and with people treating your stuff not always with greatest care.

This is why you should always have a pair of “I know you” headphones, that you listened to a lot of different songs with during some weeks and know their strengths and weaknesses.

This way you will never achieve the perfect mix on the road, but you have the possibility of working on new ideas, that can be polished later. Also you need headphones for singers or musicians, that sing on an existing song idea or arrangement in your DAW.

Get cheap headphones, get to know their sound and don´t be angry when they break - although the less expensive ones are often longer lasting.  But yes, you will be pleased with your AKG K872 back home.

8. Cameras: Huawei P10 & GoPro 5 Session

I always want to travel light weight, especially for longer trips. Around Europe I often bring my Canon or Lumix with me, but for longer travels around the world it is just too big and / too dangerous to lose.

The Huawei P10 offers a fantastic foto and video performance with their Leica double front camera system and a lot of parameters to tweak.

I use a Black Eye tripod to stabilize for video captures and sometimes an extra wide-eye lense for a wider screen experience.

I think the GoPro is self explanatory, but comes in handy for a second view or when you find beautiful lakes or lagoons.

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3 Best Backpacks for Music Producers: Where Music and Mobility Merge

In the dynamic realm of music production, mobility is vital. The right tools can transform ideas into tracks anytime, anywhere. Discover why music producers require the Best Backpack to seamlessly blend creativity with on-the-go convenience and protection.

🎵 Ready to turn the world into your studio? 🎵 It’s time to orchestrate your rhythm in the bustling city or serene landscapes. The  Best Backpacks for Music Producers  – Have you ever considered the perfect partner for your musical escapades? 

Picture this: your gear snugly cocooned, your essentials impeccably organized, and your creativity set free, all while you move to your beat. 

So, fellow maestro, are you ready to compose, create, and conquer with a symphony of style and functionality? It’s time to carry your music with flair! 🎶

Table of Contents

Buying Guide: Your Expert Handbook to Choosing the Perfect Music Producer Backpack

When investing in a backpack tailored to your music production needs, making an informed decision is paramount. To guide you toward the ideal choice, consider these essential factors that will elevate your gear-carrying experience.

Size Matters:  Select a backpack that accommodates your equipment without overwhelming your mobility. A balance between ample storage space and portability ensures you’re equipped for any scenario.

Cushioning and Padding:  Prioritize backpacks with adequate padding and cushioning. This safeguards your gear from potential bumps and shocks during transit, providing a protective cocoon for delicate instruments and electronics.

Quality Materials:  Opt for high-quality, durable materials that stand the test of time and the demands of your creative ventures. Water-resistant or waterproof fabrics add an extra layer of protection against unexpected weather changes.

Strategic Organization:  Look for well-designed compartments and pockets to keep your gear organized and easily accessible. A logical layout saves you time during setup and ensures you’re always in control of your equipment.

Comfortable Ergonomics:  Choose a backpack with ergonomic design features. Padded shoulder straps, back ventilation, and adjustable fittings contribute to comfort, especially during extended periods of wear.

Suitability for Your Gear:  Consider how well the backpack accommodates your specific gear, whether it’s DJ controllers, laptops, microphones, or cables. Customizable compartments or dividers can make a significant difference.

Aesthetic Appeal:  Your backpack is a reflection of your style. Opt for a design that resonates with your aesthetic, enhancing your overall experience and boosting your confidence.

User Feedback:  Review reviews from fellow music producers with experience with the backpacks you’re considering. Real-world insights can provide valuable perspectives on comfort, durability, and overall performance.

Budget Consideration:  While quality is essential, finding a backpack that aligns with your budget is also crucial. Strike a balance between features and cost to maximize your investment.

Future-Proofing:  Anticipate your evolving needs. Choosing a backpack that can adapt to changes in your gear or workflow ensures a longer-lasting partnership.

By factoring in these considerations, you’ll be equipped to select the ultimate backpack that complements your music production journey and enhances it. Remember, a well-chosen pack isn’t just an accessory – it’s your creative companion on the road to sonic excellence.

Harmonizing Creativity and Mobility: 3 Best Backpacks for Music Producers

Unveil a symphony of style and functionality with our top picks for music producer backpacks. Elevate your gear game while staying in perfect rhythm with your creative flow.

Gator Club Series DJ Backpack: Where Protection Meets Performance

Product Overview:  Introduce the Gator Club Series DJ Backpack – a versatile solution for safely transporting DJ controllers, mini-synths, and gear. Its rugged nylon exterior and bright orange accents are designed for both durability and style.

Key Features:

• Secure Interior Setup:  The backpack boasts adjustable internal straps and foam pads, ensuring a snug fit for various controllers and equipment. Say goodbye to shifting gear during transit.
• Tech-Friendly Compartments:  A zippered compartment houses two large padded pockets, perfect for laptops and collapsible laptop stands. Two more oversized outer zippered pockets provide ample space for cables and accessories.
• Comfortable Portability:  Ultra-thick padded hide-away backpack straps make carrying your gear effortless, even during extended journeys.

Specifications:

• Interior Dimensions:  Length: 29″, Width: 15″, Height: 4″
• Compatible with  Pioneer DDJ-RX, DDJ-SX, DDJ-SX2, and mini-synths like the Roland GAIA SH-1.
• Adjustable Foam Pads:  Customize the backpack’s interior to easily fit your specific gear setup.

Product Description:  Detail how the Gator Club Series DJ Backpack is optimal for DJ controllers, mini-synths, and other gear transportation. Emphasize its compatibility with various equipment models, such as the Pioneer DDJ-RX, DDJ-SX, DDJ-SX2, and mini-synths like the Roland GAIA SH-1, Dave Smith mopho x4, Dave Smith Pro 2, Electron analog keys, and the Waldorf Bloomfield. Highlight its robust construction, padded interior, and bright orange lining, enhancing visibility in dim environments.

Why Choose Gator Cases:  Mention Gator Cases’ reputation for innovative and protective products. Convey the brand’s commitment to safeguarding equipment and gear with various sizes, materials, and protection levels.

Conclusion:  Summarize the backpack’s standout features and potential to elevate your gear transportation experience. Encourage readers to choose the Gator Club Series DJ Backpack for its combination of durability, versatility, and style, making it the ultimate companion for music enthusiasts on the go.

MAGMA DJ Bag Riot Backpack XL: Unleash Your Pro DJ's Travel Companion

Product Overview:  Discover the unparalleled durability and organization of the MAGMA DJ Bag Riot Backpack XL – a rugged yet stylish solution catering to the needs of the traveling Pro DJ. Designed to house controllers, mixers, laptops, and accessories, this backpack is the epitome of protection.

• Tailored Compatibility:  Fits a range of gear, including Pioneer DJM-S11 & S7, Reloop ELITE, Rane Seventy-Two MKII, Denon Prime GO, and more.
• Waterproof Design:  Crafted from heavy-duty and 100% waterproof Tarpaulin material, safeguarding your gear in all weather conditions.
• Versatile Interior Layout:  “Zip-Around-Expansion-System” doubles main compartment capacity. Customizable dividers, protection panels, and foams adjust for various controller or mixer sizes.
• Laptop Protection:  Padded laptop compartment up to 17″, ensuring your digital workhorse remains secure.
• Optimized Organization:  Two accessory pockets with mesh pouches and organizers accommodate essentials and personal belongings.
• External Dimensions:  22″ x 14.5″ x 3.5″
• Internal Dimensions (Controller Compartment):  20″ x 12.5″ x 3″
• Material:  PVC Tarpaulin
• Weight:  5.69 pounds

Product Description:  Highlight the MAGMA DJ Bag Riot Backpack XL’s construction from hardwearing PVC Tarpaulin, ensuring gear protection in even the harshest conditions. The backpack accommodates gear from Traktor Kontrol S4 to Rane Sixty Two, Pioneer DJM-T1, or Traktor Kontrol Z2. Its interior layout features removable dividers, protection panels, and foams, adjustable to fit diverse equipment sizes. 

The innovative “Zip-Around-Expansion-System” doubles the main compartment’s capacity, transforming it into a packing powerhouse. A separate, padded laptop compartment up to 17″ keeps your tech secure. At the same time, the ergonomic s-curved backpack straps and cushioning panel deliver comfort during travel.

Why Choose MAGMA:  Emphasize MAGMA’s dedication to crafting high-end, rugged solutions catering to the demands of professional DJs. Mention their commitment to optimizing gear organization and protection.

Conclusion:  Summarize the MAGMA DJ Bag Riot Backpack XL’s sturdiness, innovative design, and optimized organization. Encourage DJs to elevate their travel experience with a backpack that safeguards their gear and enhances their performance journey.

Mark Ryden Anti Theft Waterproof Backpack 

MARK RYDEN Travel Backpack: The Ultimate Fusion of Functionality and Style

Product Overview:  Experience travel convenience with the MARK RYDEN Travel Backpack. This versatile companion is an expandable travel backpack and a sleek business backpack, equipped with features like a USB charging port, ample storage, and a waterproof design.

• Expandable Capacity:  Begin with 23L and expand to 40L with a full-expansion zipper. Three compartments offer organized storage for various items, including a laptop compartment for up to 17.3 inches.
• USB Charging Port:  The Integrated USB port enables on-the-go charging via your power bank, making it a functional choice for outdoor and travel adventures.
• Multi-Functional Design:  U-shaped ventilation, breathable mesh shoulder straps, and luggage straps enhance comfort. Anti-theft pocket, non-slip shoulder strap buckle, and card pocket boost functionality.
• Waterproof Construction:  Crafted from Oxford fabric and high-density nylon lining, it protects against water splashes and rain.
• High-Quality Zippers:  Heavy-duty metal YKK zippers ensure durability and smooth operation.
• Dimensions (Normal Size):  12.6 x 5.9 x 19.6 inches
• Dimensions (Extended Size):  12.6 x 9.8 x 19.6 inches
• Weight:  2.87 lb / 1.30 kg
• Fabric:  Oxford + Nylon + PU
• Color:  Black

Product Description:  Detail how the MARK RYDEN Travel Backpack seamlessly transitions from a travel backpack to a business backpack, catering to diverse needs. The expandable capacity, USB charging port, and multi-functional design make it an ideal choice for various occasions. Its water-resistant fabric and high-quality YKK zippers ensure lasting protection, while the thoughtful design elements like card pockets and adjustable buckles enhance convenience.

Why Choose MARK RYDEN:  Emphasize the brand’s commitment to delivering innovative and stylish solutions that excel in functionality and aesthetics.

Conclusion:  Summarize the MARK RYDEN Travel Backpack’s exceptional features, emphasizing its adaptability, convenience, and durability. Encourage individuals seeking a versatile and reliable travel companion to consider this backpack’s benefits for travel, work, and daily life.

Pros and Cons

Gator Club Series DJ Backpack:

• Pros:  Spacious, suitable for DJ equipment, multiple pockets.
• Cons:  Not waterproof, lacks USB charging.

MAGMA DJ Bag Riot Backpack XL:

• Pros:  Waterproof, ventilation design, adjustable buckles.
• Cons:  No USB charging, specialized for DJ equipment.

MARK RYDEN Travel Backpack:

• Pros:  Expandable, USB charging, multi-functional design.
• Cons:  Not specialized for DJ equipment, limited waterproofing.

Choosing the Right Backpack:

• Gator Club Series DJ Backpack:  Ideal for music producers who prioritize spacious storage and organization for DJ equipment. Not suitable for heavy exposure to water.
• MAGMA DJ Bag Riot Backpack XL:  Perfect for DJs and producers who require waterproofing and ventilation but not suited for those seeking USB charging.
• MARK RYDEN Travel Backpack:  Best for travelers, professionals, and those needing charging capabilities, offering versatility beyond music production.

Consider your specific needs, whether it’s DJ gear, waterproofing, or multi-functionality, to determine which backpack aligns with your requirements as a music producer.

Final Reflections: Uplift Your Artistry through Premier Backpacks for Music Producers

In the symphony of music creation, the significance of the right backpack harmonizes with your journey. These exceptional companions safeguard your tools and seamlessly integrate into your rhythm. From optimizing organization to offering durable waterproofing, these backpacks accentuate your professional prowess.

The fusion of style and functionality in the best bags for music producers encapsulates a dedication to both your craft and mobility. Tune your selection to match your melody, and let your chosen pack resonate with the symphony of your creative aspirations.

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Introducing Music Travel Consultants

Find out why music travel consultants is the travel planners for the finest performing arts programs in the world..

8 Best DJ Backpacks (All Budgets, All Sizes)

• September 28, 2022

Every DJ can relate to the anxiety of storing and moving their precious gear to and from performances.

The thing is — not every backpack can accommodate a DJ’s entire unique set of gear, and if it’s not up to the task, your gear could be at risk.

Thankfully a handful of manufacturers have designed backpacks specifically for DJs.

We’ve compiled a list of some of the best DJ backpacks on the current market, each with its own pros and cons.

The list below has been curated to suit various DJ preferences and price points.

What Are The Best DJ Backpacks? 

Not every DJ carries the same set of requirements or personal taste for their performance and storage gear.

These factors can make it difficult to ultimately decide which DJ backpack is the best in the world.

Selecting the best DJ backpack for you will come down to a handful of personal considerations, as well as your gear requirements and budgeting options.

So you’ll need to consider what gear you have, how heavy it is, and how much you’ll need to cart around.

With this in mind, we’ve included several options to cover the different needs of individual DJs . Here’s our list of the eight best DJ backpacks:

• Mono FlyBy Backpack (Our Pick)
• Eurcool Laptop Backpack (Premium Option)
• Magma DJ Bag Riot Backpack (Best Value)
• Odyssey Digital Stuff Backpack
• Orbit Concepts Jetpack Prime
• Pelican Urban Elite
• Chauvet DJ Backpack
• Rockville DJ Laptop/Gear Travel Backpack

1. Mono FlyBy Backpack

Carry your equipment and laptop in style with the MONO FlyBy backpack. This water-tight backpack provides plenty of space for your gear and accessories.

• Great for organizing DJ gear
• Comfortable
• Internal Dimensions: 17″ x 11″ x 5.5″ (431.8mm x 279.4mm x 139.7mm)
• External Dimensions: 20.5″ x 15″ x 9″ (520.7mm x 381mm x 228.6mm)
• Weight: 4.38lbs (2kg)
• Fits laptops up to 17″ or a small stack of vinyl
• Neoprene padded messenger strap
• Detachable laptop bag

The FlyBy DJ Backpack is an excellent backpack for DJs and our best overall pick.

It is well-made and has plenty of room for all of your DJ equipment. The FlyBy is also very comfortable to wear, and I love that it has a detachable laptop sleeve. 

The backpack has a lot of compartments and pockets, which are great for organizing all of your DJ gear .

The only real downside is that the backpack is a bit pricey if you’re after something that will just get the job done without any bells and whistles attached.

Overall, the Fly By DJ Backpack is a great investment for DJs and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a DJ backpack that will last a long time.

2. Odyssey Backspin 2 Digital Stuff Backpack  

Odyssey's Redline™ Series BACKSPIN2 DJ Backpack lets you take all your digital DJ equipment essentials from one gig to the next. 

• Well organized compartments
• Great usability
• Materials: PVC Fibers, Polyurethane
• Compartments: Multiple
• Dimensions: 19 x 13 x 20 inches
• Weight: 7 lbs
• Color Options: Black

Odyssey’s Digital Stuff backpack is designed for various digital creators and has some favorable qualities for any DJ that need a simple, no-nonsense DJ backpack.

The Backspin Digital Stuff backpack’s strength lies in its well-organized compartment design, with dedicated pockets for most types of digital gear .

The backpack features dedicated adjustable compartments for laptops, controllers, and headphones and even has a compartment for laptop stands.

The Backspin 2 can be opened in two ways: in standing mode for easy packing and unpacking in a DJ booth, or flat on its back for more organization and planning for long trips.

The Backspin 2 might not come with a range of user features, but it does offer incredible usability for its affordable asking price. 

3. Magma DJ Bag Riot Backpack

The Magma Riot DJ Backpack is the latest and most compact model in the Riot line, specially designed for digital DJs traveling.

• Plenty of room
• Extremely ergonomic
• Materials: PVC tarpaulin
• Dimensions: 20 x 13 x 9 inches
• Weight: 4.85 lbs
• Color Options: Black/Red

Any DJ or performer that needs to travel with heavy-duty controllers or mixers should consider investing in the Magma DJ Bag Riot Backpack.

The Riot DJ backpack was designed around the dimensions and specs of popular DJ controllers such as the Traktor S5, S4, and Pioneer DJM-T1.

DJs or beatmakers can easily store both their controller and a laptop of up to 17’’ comfortably in this backpack, and still have generous room for smaller belongings.

The Riot DJ backpack also features removable dividers and foam protection panels that users can move around within the bag to create custom storage configurations.

This DJ backpack is manufactured using a hardy PVC tarpaulin, which means the bag will be able to withstand a weekend festival with some harsh weather.

There aren’t any considerable add-on features that come with the Riot Backpack (such as USB charging, secret storage, etc), but it is designed with the routines of DJ gigging in mind and is one of the most ergonomic DJ backpacks on this list . 

4. Eurcool Laptop Backpack  

The Eurcool Laptop Backpack covers most of the primary requirements that DJs may need for basic gear storage. 

• Dedicated laptop compartment
• Materials: Oxford PVC fabric
• Dimensions: 20 x 13 x 6.5 inches
• Weight: 2.87 lbs

The Eurcool Laptop Backpack covers most of the primary requirements that DJs may need for basic gear storage.

The backpack is made using a high-grade Oxford PVC fabric and has a slightly rough finish on the outer layer for easy grip.

The shoulder straps are padded to help alleviate heavy loads, as well as a telescoping handle for grounded transportation.

The Eurcool Laptop backpack comes with a dedicated laptop compartment , as well as various other pockets for custom use.

The backpack features a USB charging port on the exterior, with hooks to let users hang their devices during travel.

The one vital component that this backpack lacks is a compartment that is specifically made for headphone storage.

Instead, users will have to make use of the main inner pocket to store their headphones alongside other gear, which may increase the risk of damage. 

5. Orbit Concepts Jetpack Prime  

The JetPack Prime brings all new features, configurations, and design elements into the world's best all-in-one DJ backpack.

• Built with waterproof ballistic nylon
• Includes a vinyl sleeve
• Dimensions: 20.5 x 16 x 9.3 inches
• Weight: 4 lbs

At first glance, the Jetpack Prime by Orbit might not seem like it offers much to users.

However there are a considerable amount of finer details packed into this DJ backpack’s unassuming design, and it should easily cover the basic needs and wants of most DJs.

The Jetpack Prime is constructed using waterproof ballistic nylon – giving it amazing durability while also making it comfortable to handle .

Dedicated compartments in the Jetpack Prime’s design include a mixer compartment, mesh headphone pocket, and a vinyl sleeve for anyone that performs using traditional vinyl turntables.

This DJ backpack was built for heavy gear and comes with padded shoulder straps, a chest strap, and thumb loops for easier handling.

The backpack also comes with aerated mesh padding on the back to help reduce sweat and moisture retention during long travel periods. 

6. Pelican Urban Elite  

The black U100 Urban Elite Backpack from Pelican delivers total functionality and ergonomic design in a strong pack designed to hold a laptop 15" laptop or up to 17" MacBooks.

• Super durable
• Shaped back pad - great for the spine
• Materials: Kodra Nylon, Polyurethane
• Dimensions: 19.5 x 13.6 x 12 inches
• Weight: 8.05 lbs

Some DJs need peace of mind knowing their gear is safely stored and protected, even when it isn’t within arm’s reach.

Pelican’s U100 Urban Elite Backpack is constructed to withstand considerable punishment while still keeping your gear stable and unscathed.

The sturdiest feature on this DJ back is the front compartment, which comprises an ABS thermoplastic.

This compartment is airtight, waterproof, and crush-proof, making it one of the safest DJ backpacks on this list.

The rest of the bag is made using high-grade kodra nylon, which gives the bag a rugged but comfortable finish.

The Pelican U100 Urban Elite comes with a handful of easy-access pockets , and a dedicated compartment for laptops up to 17 inches.

Users can either extend the telescoping handle on the bag for ground transport or strap it to their back using the padded shoulder pads and chest strap.

The U100’s s-shaped back pad places the backpack load appropriately on the user’s spine, making it much easier to carry for long distances than standard backpacks. 

7. Chauvet DJ Backpack  

The CHS-BPK backpack easily transports a multitude of gear and laptops. 

• Great audio-pass-through feature
• Safely stores and transports DJ gear
• Materials: Undisclosed
• Dimensions: 18.5 x 16 x 6 inches
• Weight: 2 lbs

Chauvet is a well-known brand for designing DJ-friendly gear at reasonable prices.

Their CHS BPK DJ Backpack is a fine example of their ability to understand the requirements for safely storing and transporting DJ equipment.

This DJ backpack has a well-organized set of dedicated compartments for laptops, headphones, controllers, and audio playback devices.

The outer exterior comes with a set of handy D-rings to let you hang up larger objects or keys for easy access.

One considerable feature is audio-pass-through, which allows users to run their headphone cable into the back and directly to an audio playback device for hands-free listening.

The Chauvet DJ backpack can house laptops of up to 15.4 inches, which might be a bit too small for some users. 

8. Rockville DJ Laptop/Gear Travel Backpack  

The Rockville Rvbackpack is a durable padded Gear bag that lets you take your gear from gig to gig protected and in style!

• Great for DJs constantly on the move
• Dimensions: 23 x 15.5 x 9 inches
• Weight: 6 lbs
• Color Options: Black/Orange

Rockville’s DJ laptop and travel backpack were designed with both beatmakers and DJs in mind and offer impressive size and storage properties in their design.

This DJ backpack includes padded compartments designed to store large laptops, headphones, and other personal accessories.

The Rockville backpack can also easily fit several large DJ controllers , drum machines, and boutique synths while still having adequate space for other gear.

The back, shoulders, and top handle of this DJ backpack all consist of soft padding , and the backpack features wavy-duty zippers and zipper pulls.

The Rockville DJ backpack can even fit laptop stands such as the RLS2400 alongside other gear, making it a considerable option for mobile and pop-up DJ setups.

One thing that I wish the Rockville designers included with this bag is a telescoping handle, considering that the backpacks can accommodate large amounts of gear and heavy loads.  

Why Use A DJ backpack?

• DJ backpacks provide a safe way of storing your laptop, controller, and other DJ equipment between uses. These backpacks are often manufactured using water and dustproof materials. 
• DJ backpacks are designed with compartments to fit laptops, controllers, and other equipment safely without getting knocked around during transit. Using a standard backpack could lead to your equipment getting scratched or damaged. 
• The compartments in DJ backpacks make it easier to organize and search through large amounts of equipment. This factor can be beneficial when you need quick access to something in your bag (ie, flash drives, power cables, etc)
• Specific DJ backpacks have additional valuable features like charging ports or secret pockets for added ergonomics and usability. 

Quick Tips For Using DJ Backpacks

• Never try to store any oversized or overly heavy gear in your backpack.
• Avoid keeping sharp or protruding objects inside the bag that could cut the materials. A good DJ backpack is an investment , and you don’t want to ruin it with a careless mistake.
• Your DJ backpack has a specific compartmentalized design for quick access and efficiency. Keeping your gear in the appropriate compartments will drastically lower the risk of you losing them, and will help you form a healthy habit of adequately caring for your equipment. 
• Never store any hot flasks or liquids inside your bag alone or with your equipment. Not only is there a risk of spillage, but the heat generated from the flask could ruin your backpack or your gear.
• On this note, keep your backpack out of the rain as much as possible . Many offer waterproof or weatherproof fabrics, but you shouldn’t rely on this alone to protect your gear.
• Even waterproof bags need to be turned out and aired every once in a while. This habit will help prevent any unpleasant smells from building up in your bag from excess moisture.

Wrapping Up

DJ backpacks can provide many DJs and musicians with a reliable means of moving their gear around between practices, recordings, or performances. 

When looking for a DJ backpack, always make sure of the size and weight requirements that you will need for adequate transport.

Not all DJ backpacks are designed to be the same, so this is not an investment to rush into. 

With this in mind, we hope you found this list helpful and comprehensive!

Producer Hive

We love all things audio technology. From music production tips to in-depth music gear guides and reviews, Producer Hive helps musicians and producers find confidence and clarity in their musical journey.

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What does a music producer do?

Would you make a good music producer? Take our career test and find your match with over 800 careers.

What is a Music Producer?

A music producer is a key creative figure in the music industry responsible for overseeing and guiding the production of a musical recording. Music producers help to shape the overall sound and artistic direction of a song or album. They work closely with artists, songwriters, and recording engineers to bring musical ideas to fruition.

The role of a music producer has evolved over the years, and in the modern music landscape, producers often serve as multifaceted collaborators. They may contribute to the composition and arrangement of music, employ technology and studio techniques to enhance the sonic palette, and navigate the complexities of the music business. Successful music producers possess a combination of musical talent, technical proficiency, and a deep understanding of industry trends.

What does a Music Producer do?

Duties and Responsibilities Music producers have a diverse set of duties and responsibilities that contribute to the overall creation and success of a musical recording. Some key tasks include:

• Pre-production Planning: Collaborating with artists to understand their artistic vision, musical style, and goals for the recording. Participating in pre-production meetings to discuss song arrangements, instrumentation, and creative direction.
• Song Arrangement and Composition: Contributing to the development of musical arrangements and compositions, ensuring cohesion and maximizing the song's potential. Offering creative input on elements such as chord progressions, melodies, and overall song structure.
• Studio Recording and Production: Overseeing recording sessions in the studio, guiding musicians and vocalists to achieve the desired performance. Using technical expertise to capture high-quality audio, making decisions on microphone placement, and ensuring optimal sound quality.
• Instrumentation and Sound Design: Selecting and arranging musical instruments to create a balanced and impactful sonic palette. Incorporating sound design techniques and effects to enhance the overall texture and atmosphere of the recording.
• Collaboration with Engineers: Working closely with recording engineers to achieve a polished and professional mix. Making decisions on levels, panning, and effects during the mixing process to create a cohesive and engaging sound.
• Post-Production and Editing: Overseeing the post-production process, including editing, overdubbing, and comping performances for the best possible result. Collaborating with mastering engineers to ensure the final product meets industry standards for quality and clarity.
• Budgeting and Project Management: Managing the budget and resources for a recording project, ensuring efficient use of studio time and resources. Coordinating schedules and timelines to meet project deadlines.
• Artist Development and Guidance: Providing guidance and constructive feedback to artists to enhance their performances. Mentoring and nurturing emerging talent, contributing to their artistic growth and development.
• Stay Current with Technology and Trends: Keeping abreast of advancements in recording technology and industry trends. Experimenting with new techniques and tools to push creative boundaries and maintain a fresh and relevant approach.
• Networking and Industry Relationships: Building and maintaining relationships with musicians, recording engineers, and other professionals in the music industry. Collaborating with record labels, publishers, and other stakeholders to ensure the successful release and promotion of recorded material.

Types of Music Producers In the diverse world of music production, various types of producers specialize in different aspects of the creative and technical processes. The following types of music producers often overlap, and some producers may possess skills across multiple areas.

• Mixing Engineer : Specializes in the post-production phase, balancing and blending individual tracks to create a cohesive and polished final mix. Pays attention to levels, panning, and effects.
• Mastering Engineer : Works on the final step of music production, mastering the overall mix to achieve a consistent sound and meet industry standards. Prepares the music for distribution.
• Recording Producer: Specializes in overseeing the recording process, ensuring optimal sound quality and performance capture in the studio. Works closely with artists and recording engineers during tracking sessions.
• Beatmaker or Track Producer: Focuses on creating instrumental tracks, often in electronic or hip-hop genres. This type of producer excels in beat composition, programming, and arranging musical elements.
• Film or TV Composer: Creates original music for film, television, or other visual media. Collaborates with directors and producers to enhance the emotional impact and storytelling of visual content.
• Electronic Music Producer: Focuses on creating electronic music genres, including techno, house, trance, and more. Utilizes synthesizers, drum machines, and digital production tools.
• Pop Producer: Specializes in producing popular music across various genres. Works with pop artists to create radio-friendly, accessible, and commercially successful tracks.
• Rock or Alternative Producer: Excels in producing rock, alternative, or indie music. Understands the nuances of rock instrumentation and collaborates with bands to capture their unique sound.
• Country Music Producer: Specializes in the production of country music, often involving traditional instruments like guitars, fiddles, and banjos. Works with country artists to achieve an authentic and genre-appropriate sound.
• Hip-Hop Producer: Focuses on creating beats, often with heavy reliance on sampled elements. Collaborates with hip-hop artists to craft the instrumental foundation for rap vocals.
• Classical or Orchestral Producer: Works with classical composers and orchestras to produce symphonies, concertos, or other classical compositions. Ensures the accurate interpretation of the composer's vision.
• Remix Producer: Specializes in remixing existing songs, adding new elements or altering the arrangement to create a fresh version. Often works with electronic or dance music genres.

Are you suited to be a music producer?

Music producers have distinct personalities . They tend to be artistic individuals, which means they’re creative, intuitive, sensitive, articulate, and expressive. They are unstructured, original, nonconforming, and innovative. Some of them are also enterprising, meaning they’re adventurous, ambitious, assertive, extroverted, energetic, enthusiastic, confident, and optimistic.

Does this sound like you? Take our free career test to find out if music producer is one of your top career matches.

What is the workplace of a Music Producer like?

Music producers may find themselves working in diverse environments, depending on factors such as the genre of music, the scale of the production, and personal preferences.

Many music producers spend a significant amount of time in recording studios. These studios can range from large, state-of-the-art facilities equipped with advanced recording technology to smaller, home-based studios that leverage digital audio workstations (DAWs). In the studio, producers collaborate with artists, recording engineers, and session musicians to capture and shape the desired sound. The atmosphere in a studio is often vibrant, with a focus on creativity and experimentation as producers work to achieve the best possible recordings.

Beyond the studio, music producers also engage in various activities outside the traditional workplace. They attend industry events, such as music conferences and award shows, to network with artists, labels, and other professionals. Producers may spend time in meetings with record label executives, negotiating contracts, and discussing project details. Additionally, they might travel to different locations for on-site recording sessions or to collaborate with artists in different cities.

As technology has advanced, many music producers have embraced remote work capabilities, allowing them to collaborate with artists and musicians from different locations. Virtual studios, online collaboration platforms, and file-sharing systems enable producers to work on projects without the need for physical proximity. This flexibility has expanded the possibilities for collaboration, allowing producers to connect with talent from around the country or the world.

Frequently Asked Questions

Music related careers and degrees.

• A&R Administrator
• A&R Coordinator
• Booking Agent
• Cabaret Performer
• Choir Director
• Digital Remastering Engineer
• Drag Performer
• Ethnomusicologist
• Jingle Writer
• Live Sound Engineer
• Music Arranger
• Music Artist
• Music Business Manager
• Music Contractor
• Music Copyist
• Music Critic
• Music Editor
• Music Executive
• Music Historian
• Music Librarian
• Music Manager
• Music Producer
• Music Promoter
• Music Publicist
• Music Publisher
• Music Supervisor
• Music Teacher
• Music Therapist
• Music Studio Owner
• Orchestrator
• Piano Accompanist
• Piano Tuner
• Recording Engineer
• Road Manager
• Session Musician
• Music Theory and Composition
• Visual and Performing Arts

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Mechanics • 20 min read

The Mechanics of Touring: How the Live Music Industry Works

By Dmitry Pastukhov

Published April 28, 2019

The Live Music Industry: An Overview

Key players in the touring industry, artists and managers, booking agents, tour managers and technicians, festivals & venues, label & publisher, the touring cycle, 1. finding the talent, 2. building the tour strategy and producing the show, 3. booking the tour, 4. selling the tickets, 5. preparations, 6. the day x, 7. the show, tour simulation, tour gross revenue.

Touring makes up a huge portion of an artist’s life and the lion’s share of the industry’s revenues. At the same time, it is the only part of the music career that remains 99% “physical” in what is otherwise the digital-first industry. While some of the artists can easily reach millions of fans via streaming, putting together an international tour for the same crowd is an extremely complicated process.

Despite the rise of digital streaming platforms, make no mistake, live music is still the cash cow of the industry. Even though streaming revenue is expected to grow to $23 billion by 2022, by that same year the live music industry is projected to reach a whopping $31 billion in global value. Global live music revenue continues to increase (with the substantial portion of this growth attributed to the worldwide explosion of EDM festivals, which we've traced in our analyses of Chinese and Indian markets). At the same time, if we take a look at the well-established music economies, a recent Nielsen study found that 52% of Americans attend live shows at least once a year.

Nevertheless, the touring industry’s decentralized and network-based system remains a complex landscape to navigate: artists often work with dozens of local promoters, booking agents and venues in the course of a single tour. So, let’s start with the basics and identify all of the parties that are usually involved in a mid-sized tour:

Artists and their managers are the crucial elements of the live business. As we’ve laid out in our Mechanics of Management , manager’s role is to build and coordinate the artist’s team on all sides of the music industry, and that, of course, includes the concert business. The artist’s management usually takes part in the initial route planning, helps the artist pick the touring team, and serves as a bridge between the live entertainment and all other sides of the artist’s career.  

The job of the booking agent itself is very easy to define: the agent represents the artist across the live industry. Their goal is to book the tour and sell the shows to the local talent buyers, finding the venue and negotiating the price. The booking deal is usually pretty straightforward: “an artist A, represented by the agent B, commits to play an N-minute show in the venue C on the day X for a $Y. ” A good agent is the one who’s able to get all those As, Bs and Cs right — so that the venue is sold out, but there are no fans left without a ticket; the artist gets paid well, but the promoter doesn’t feel cheated, and so on. While the deal is relatively simple, it’s hard to nail all the details — especially given the fact that the show are usually booked from 8 to 24 months in advance, depending on the scope of the venue.

Promoters are the side of the live business that funds the tour and buys the shows. The landscape of concert promotion is complex, and promoters themselves come in various shapes and sizes. To make it a bit simpler, imagine that promoter is a middle-man, connecting the concert space and the artist to put together a show. You can start building that bridge from either side, however.

Tour promoters set out from the artist side, contracting musicians to perform a series of concerts, paying for rehearsals, audiovisual production, covering the travel expenses and so on. Once the show is ready, tour promoters, working closely with the artist’s booking agent, either rent venues themselves or subcontract (read: sell) the shows to the local promoters (or a mixture of both).

Local promoters, in their turn, embark from a concert space. Affiliated, or at least connected with local venues and performance spaces, they buy gigs from the agents and/or tour promoters to own the ticket sales. An art-director of a small club, a local group of party promoters, a team of the major US festival — all those event promoters of different scope would fall into that category.

In that context, the role of the agent becomes clear. If promoters are the middle-men on the side of an artist or a concert space, the agent is the middle-man between the middle-men, who builds up the network of promoters (on both fronts) and artists, serving as a liaison between all sides.

However, some of the biggest tours today can be put together without the agent’s involvement.  One of the main shifts in the live business is the consolidation of tour and local promoters under the umbrella of entertainment conglomerates, with the most notable examples of Live Nation and AEG .

Essentially, these companies have grown their operation to the point where they can build the bridge from both sides, internalizing all the processes. They both produce the concert tours and own (or, at least, establish partnerships with) a vast network of clubs and arenas, providing venues for the tour. Live Nation, AEG and alike can now create centralized international tours, offering artists 360° deals. However, touring under such exclusive promotion remains reserved for the artists of the top echelon — so most of the shows out there are still put together in collaboration between the tour promoters, booking agents and local partners.

Tour managers that stay on the road with the artist's crew are the oil that makes the wheels of the tour spin. Even a nationwide tour involves extremely complex logistics, and it becomes exponentially harder to manage the travel as the tour passes onto an international level. For the first-tier acts, staying on the road with the artist crew, technicians and 30 trucks worth of equipment can cost up to $750k per day . The goal of the tour manager is to make sure that the money doesn't go down the drain when the artist’s bus breaks down in Nowhere, Oklahoma . Getting the band from point A to point B seems to be a pretty straightforward job, but in fact, the routine of the tour manager is dealing with unexpected and solving a dozen of new problems each day — all while keeping the artists happy and ready to perform. To give you a taste of an international tour route, here's an approximate map of the Lizzo's tour in support of "Cuz I Love You" release, stretching over 64 locations and 74,575 km — and that is just the straight routs, not accounting for the actual roadways.

"Cuz I Love You" tour route, 30.04.2019 — 28.10.2019 (interactive version available here )

Tour managers also run the technician crew, and, while the technical support of the tour is often overlooked, the fact is that behind every show there’s a team that turns the performance into an audiovisual experience that the audience has paid to see. It takes hard work and expertise to assemble the stage, set up the lights and the sound system, etc. The live industry relies on the tech crew to make the show actually happen.

Festivals and venues are at the very core of the live business, providing the space and (usually) the base infrastructure for the show. As we've already mentioned, there’s often a great deal of vested interest between local promoters and performance spaces.  That means that there’s usually a local promoter “attached” to the venue, and same goes for music festivals.

Outdoor events are a distinct part of the live performance landscape. Operated by promotion groups, prominent festivals can introduce artists to new audiences, both in terms of fans and music industry executives — all while offering a fat pay-check. A major festival performance puts the artist on the map, and the promotional effect of the show itself has to be considered. It can become even more important than the immediate monetary gain — especially for independent, up-and-coming artists. That’s why the tour routing will often be structured around a couple of big music festivals — and then filled up with solo concerts along the way. A good example is Coachella: as the event takes place over two separate weekends, most of the Coachella artists also book “side-gigs” around the area during the in-between week.

Although recording and publishing industries are not directly engaged in the live business, we have to remember that the music industry is built on collaboration . By convention, most music tours follow the release of an album, and each artist has to report his set after the show to PROs so that the proper songwriters get paid. The music industry is made up of separate companies and people working on the different parts of the artist career — and, while not completely aligned, they are always interconnected.

The six key parties described above work together to bring the live show to the concert-goers. However, it’s important to mention that they won’t always be represented by separate entities. Often some of the roles will be internalized by the different sides of the touring chain: independent artists and their management might produce the tour themselves, internalizing the job of the tour promoter; conglomerate promoters, as we’ve mentioned, can now offer exclusive touring deals; and so on. That said, in the next section we will go through the tour cycle step by step to showcase how all these players interact to create the tour. As it usually is in the music industry, it all starts with the artist.

On the first step, agents and tour promoters find and sign the performer. This process is not much different from the scouting of recording or publishing A&Rs, although the criteria might differ. For some types of artists (like DJs, for example) touring can be relatively huge, while the recording revenues might stay almost non-existent. Agents and A&Rs look for different things in the artist, but the essence of scouting remains the same across the board — identify and sign the promising acts before anyone else does.

There’s another twist to talent hunting in the live industry that is probably worth mentioning. As an average show has to be booked 9-10 months in advance, tour deals are usually signed around a year prior to the actual performance. At the same time, the vast majority of concert tours follow the recording releases to build up the momentum and ride the promotion wave. That has one unavoidable implication: tour promoters and agents sign the artist to perform the material which is not written yet, which can be quite risky.

That is especially true when it comes to the debut artists, that might not even have a 40-minute set or any solid live performance skills when they get their first touring deal. There is a lot of gut feeling that goes into scouting on the live industry side — more than in the recording business at least, where licensing deals allowed labels to mediate the risks of the creative stage.

Once the artist is on board, it’s time to produce the show and define the tour strategy and routing. At this step, the tour promoter starts the preparations: building the light show and live visual materials, booking rehearsal sessions to perfect the live performance, and so on. Meanwhile, the artist, manager, agent and tour promoter work out a general timeframe and draft an approximate route of the future tour. The initial tour planning is usually done around priority shows, like major city performances or music festivals, while the rest of the route is defined in broad strokes. Unless we’re talking about the top-tier, established artists, the tour will always follow a recording release. Once the initial planning is over, the tour strategy will be defined in terms of “The artist will play a priority city/music festival in a specific area N weeks after the release”.

Ones the initial route is set out, the agent goes on to book the tour, pitching the show to local promoters and festivals. Starting with the priority shows and then filling in the details, the tour route gradually takes its final form. The agent negotiates with local promoters to pick out an optimal venue (in terms of volume, style, conditions, etc.) to host the show. As Tom Windish, a senior executive of Paradigm Talent Agency mentioned in our recent interview , picking the right venue is perhaps the hardest part of booking a tour: the material is not out yet, and there’s no way to predict the reception of the release that’s almost a year ahead. Go for a small but safe venue — and you risk losing potential ticket sales and disappointing the fans; go big, and you might end up in a half-empty room, losing on the investment and leaving every side of the deal disappointed. The agent has to make risky decisions in a situation of uncertainty, and given the venue landscape in some of the regions, sometimes that means choosing between a venue capacity of 500 and 2000 for what is reasonably a 1000-ticket show.

As for the conditions and splits of the booking contract, generally local promoters, tour promoters, and artists will split the net profits of the show. Artists might also get a flat fee to ensure they'll make some money even if all other parties do their job poorly. Usually, the more the flat fee, the less the artist’s share of the net profits (and vice versa). In that sense, the structure of the contract splits often reflects the artist's risk appetite: some artists self-produce the tour, sacrifice the flat fees and end up getting almost 100% of the net. Others might ask for a higher "safety" fee, lowering both the profits of the tour and their own stake in it.   Booking agents, in their turn, earn a flat percentage on the revenues ‘on top’ (though they might put their share back in the pot if the tour doesn’t turn out a profit). That might be a lot to take in, but don't worry, we will get back to the splits and give you a clear example with a tour simulation you can find below .

Once the tour is booked, it’s the time to promote it and sell the tickets. On paper, the ball is in the promoter’s court here, but in reality the marketing of the tour is carried out in close collaboration between all the sides — from managers and booking agents to the artists' record labels. Concert marketing is a topic worthy of a separate article, but if we were to simplify things, it could be separated into two main parts.

First is the overarching tour marketing, implemented by the tour promoter and synchronized with the record release. The tour marketing campaign utilizes wide communication channels to promote the tour in general rather than a particular show. Second is the regional marketing owned by the local promoters, which aims to boost the sales of a specific show, focusing on narrow communication channels, like radio, OOH and locally targeted digital advertising.

As far as the actual ticketing strategy is concerned, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, so most teams go through long and numerous meetings to define tit There's a lot of decisions to be made when settling the details of the ticketing strategy — especially as technology has put new tools into the hands of promoters — but generally accepted sales process follows an “announcement → pre-sale → general sale” pattern. First, the tour is announced through the label- or artist-owned channels. That announcement is both a chance to communicate the tour to the wide audience and build up the artist’s CRM-base by nudging fans to leave their contacts to get notified when tickets go on sale. On the live event market, the buying intent might not realize itself on the first day — so having direct contact with fans and growing the artist's CRM-base is a key tool in the hands of the industry.

Then, the pre-sale takes place: first, reaching out directly to fans in the CRM database — after all, artist-fan relationships are one of the most important assets of an artist, and a fan pre-sale ensures that engaged followers will be able to get tickets to the show. Pre-sale strategy might also involve sales through “preferred partners”, focusing on direct sales through systems like American Express PreSales in the U.S., or even Spotify, that allows to reach the artist’s fans and followers across the tour route based on their listening habits and geo-location. Finally, to complete the pre-sale, local promoters can also use the local communication channels, like CRM-base of the venue and local airplay.

All the pre-sale strategies have two primary objectives. Firstly, based on the pre-sale figures (and historical concert attendance data), the promoter can roughly tell how the show is going to sell in general — and adjust the marketing campaign accordingly. Secondly, pre-sale through reasonably closed off channels can help to mediate the problem of the secondary ticket market. In fact, most of the ticketing strategies aim to sell as many seats as possible before putting the show on the general sale. Ticketing platforms like Songkick, BandsinTown or Seated allow promoters to reach the widest audience but they also puts the show at risk of selling out to the scalper bots in a matter of hours. This is especially true for the biggest artists out there — the more the demand for the show, the more attention it's going to get from the scalpers.

At this point, the tickets are on sale and the date is coming up, but there are still a lot of details to cover to make the show actually happen. Carrying out a 100-show tour means getting the artist and his tour team to a hundred different locations across the globe — all while staying on a tight budget and an even tighter schedule. Then, you have to make sure that every step of the way the artist has the infrastructure to do the actual show. Big tours are extremely complicated logistics, that require a lot of planning (usually carried out by the tour manager, affiliated with the tour promoters). Plane tickets, car rental, backline equipment shipping — this is just a fraction of what needs to be taken care of before reaching the venue.

The venue is (hopefully) sold out, the material is well-rehearsed, the equipment is delivered to the club — but the show is still to be done. Someone has to set up the sound, check tickets at the door, take care of the security, prepare the guest list and set up the bar. This routine can seem insignificant at times, but in fact, a solid on-site setup is a must if you want the audience to enjoy the performance. Surely all of us can remember that one concert with that hour-long queue, delayed performance and warm beer at the bar — a poor concert organization can ruin even the best of shows. Making sure that the concert goes smoothly is a group effort of the tour crew and the local promoter's team, from tour managers and technicians to local sound engineers and the venue stuff.

Finally, one year, tens of thousands of kilometers and thousands of man-hours later, the artist will go on stage. Then, the team will get back on the road to repeat steps 5 through 7 over and over again, until the final row of the tour announcement is crossed out. The artist will eventually get back in the studio and start working on the new material, while tour promoters and agents will begin planning the next tour. That’s the tour life .

To conclude the Mechanics of Touring, we want to share with you an example of how the tour budget and profits are structured. Below, you will find a somewhat simplified (yet accurate at its core) budget simulation of an averaged tour. While the actual “business plan” will be much more detailed, the data below should give you a good idea of who pays for the tour and who ends up making money on it.

Total Fixed and Variable Costs

So, the tour has fixed costs of 70,000€, which have to be covered regardless of the tour length, and variable costs of 7,000€, per show. Such costs structure means that (and this is true for practically every tour) we will enjoy the scale effect , as total costs per show (calculated as (FC+ VC*N)/N, where FC is Fixed Costs, VC — Variable Costs and N is the Number of shows in the tour) will go down as the tour grows, due to the depreciation of the fixed costs.

Total costs per show, for 10-150 concerts in a tour.

To go forward with the simulation, we will assume that the shows of the tour are all booked at the same price (which is never the case due to the difference in the local ticket prices, venue and market capacity, and other specifics). However, to simplify things, we will use the following revenue structure:        

Guarantee per show = 8,000€

Bonus if sold out = 2,000€

If we plotted the tour’s total profits as a function of the number of shows, P/L = (Revenue per show * N) - (FC+VC*N), we would get the following:

Tour P&L (overall profit/loss before splits)

As the total costs per show go down against a constant revenue, the tour turns a profit, breaking even at the 24th and 70th show for “Sold Out” and “Not Sold Out” scenarios accordingly.

Then the time comes to divvy up the profits. First of all, the agent takes a share of all revenues “on top”. In this simulation, we will use a 15% split for the agent. So, if the tour is made up of 100 sold out shows, the agent would get (10,000*100)*15% = €150,000 in fees. However, it’s not customary in the music industry for one side of the deal to make money while the rest are losing. So, usually, the agent won’t take their share if the tour doesn’t turn a profit. But what if the tour makes a bit of money, but not enough to cover the agent’s 15% “on top”?

There are a couple of roads the agent might take in that case, cutting their share down to 5% or taking a percentage of the profits, rather than revenue, but for purposes of this simulation, we will assume that the agent will take their part of the share, but won’t put the promoter back in the red. So, if the tour has made €5K in NET profits by selling out 25 shows, the agent will take €5,000 instead of agreed upon (25*10,000)*15% = €37,500.

Tour promoter will take a share of the NET profits (Total Revenue — Agent’s Share — Costs). That would mean that, although the tour itself will break even on a 24th show in the Song Out scenario, the tour promoter will start making money only after the 47th show (once the agent is fully compensated). If we assume the tour promoter’s share at 20%, on a 100-show, sold out tour they will make ((10,000*100*0,85) - (70,000 + 7,000*100)) * 0,2 = €16,000 . It might seem that the promoters get the short end of the stick here, but in fact, they will often make quite a bit of money in the venue itself on things like bar and parking. This can be a substantial or even primary revenue stream for the promoter, but we’ll have to leave it out of the scope of the simulation for the sake of simplicity.

As for the artist , they will earn a flat fee (in this simulation €1,000 per show) as well as the remaining 80% of the tour’s NET. This sum will make up the artist gross, which in its turn will be divided between the artist and the management (an average manager’s share is around 15% ). So, for a 100-show tour the artist gross will be: (100*1,000) + ((10,000*100*0,85) - (70,000 + 7,000*100)) * 0,8 = €164,000 , which would then be split 85:15 between the artist ( €139,400 ) and the manager ( €24,600 ).

Tour profits distribution, by party

Of course, the actual tour will be much more complicated than in the simulation above. However, it should give you a good idea of how the tour is structured and budgeted. That’s it for this episode of Mechanics, but don’t worry — we’ll keep working to bring you insights on other parts of the music industry. If you liked this article, take a look at our Mechanics of the Music Industry to get the overview of the topics we covered so far — and the ones we plan to cover in the future.

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Dmitry Pastukhov

Content creator for Soundcharts. Deciphering the music business so you don't have to.

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