Sound Travels Studio Kits

We’ve been reflecting and taking stock of the rapid changes in our world trying to figure out how to best focus our efforts and attention in steps as we all navigate the arts during the COVID crisis, plan for our futures beyond the crisis, and face the systemic realities highlighted by the pandemic that we cannot ignore moving forward.

One such reality is the lack of resources some of us have to be able to work/record from home. We realize only one part of the puzzle is linking jobs to musicians; the other is making sure musicians have the tools to do this work.

The response we have gotten has shown that while the Sound Travels pool has comparable resumes, experience, and skill, only *some* can afford the basic equipment / set up necessary to be able to record / produce at home. There are many factors that come into this that we don’t often think about, such as being in a city environment with several roommates, being a parent, debt, having financial responsibilities outside of managing your own career that make it hard to allocate budgets to mics, software, samples, interfaces, controllers (especially when you are used to predominantly working in venues & studios) — there are endless variables. Needless to say, there is always the elephant in the room and without transparency from our institutions it remains difficult to address: significant pay gaps in the music industry. These barriers are primarily found along race and gender lines, disproportionately affecting underrepresented groups in our industry.

We want to dig into this more — learn what parts of the at-home-process are harder to access, and how we can help. Crisis or no crisis — access to remote recording/producing set-ups increases potential income for all musicians.

Anyone who is a Sound Travels member is able to apply by filling out the form here. Kits will be distributed on a ‘first come first served’ basis, with priority given to those who have lost income due to COVID, and do not already have basic equipment to continue working at home.

We are also prioritizing support to those who are typically under represented in the music industry.

Our friends at Spitfire Audio, Output, Native Instruments, Sensel, Artiphon, Blue Microphones (the list is growing) have agreed to help us assemble a range of basic hardware or basic software options. Individuals from our extended community are rising to the task as well.

The exact contents of the kits will be determined by specific needs of applicants. *All kits will be equivalent in value*

We will contact people as soon as possible to advise on the outcome of your application.

If you or your company would like to join this effort PLEASE reach out! We hope to be able to better hone in on ways we can help and expand this program as we learn more. All ideas and feedback welcome.

We’d love to hear from you. please email hello@soundcantravel.com

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