Research Background
Prior to the 21st century, popular music studies and musicology focused on textual analysis of music theory, performance, audience engagement and cultural impact, with the recorded artefact being the primary analytical resource (Bennett 2019). While the technical side of audio engineering has been examined since the middle of the 20th century, in the 21st century, music production has emerged as a new academic field (Zargoski-Thomas et al. 2020). So too, in Australia, research in music production is building, yet little is known about the demographics, working practices, health and wellbeing, and economic conditions of the actors in the field. This report asks what the Australian music production sector looks like?
Research Contribution
The Music Producer and Engineers’ Guild of Australia (MPEG) was established in 2022 to represent the commercial interests and community development of music producers and sound engineers throughout Australia via advocacy and engagement. Music Producers are often forgotten in government legislation, tax law, funding opportunities and general institutional support. The board MPEG commissioned Dr Lachlan Goold to co-author and devise a survey to better understand and support MPEG members in their careers, campaign for the rights of music producers, engineers and participants of the recording sector, and promote diversity and inclusion within the Australian recording industry.
Research Significance
The report represents the composition of the MPEG members in its inaugural stages. A total of 106 members completed the survey. The report identified issues around the volatility of employment, a lack of diversity in the sector and poor mental health. The report's findings were published in a national trade magazine, Audio Technology, and the online industry website The Music Network. Findings were also presented at the International Big Sound Conference in Brisbane and at the Victorian Music Development Office.