Studios for sale.

RECORDING studios clustered in the San Fernando Valley are being sold or are closing in response to lackluster performance in the music industry.

While several of the owners say they are finding takers among record producers and artists, some of the facilities have been sold to developers.

"There are more for sale than there ever have been at one time," said Ellis Sorkin, owner of Studio Referral Service, a Calabasas firm that helps artists and producers find studio space for rent, lease or purchase.

Sorkin, who has helped connect studio owners and musicians and music engineers for 24 years, said he has seen a jump in the past six months to a year--with about 10 studios on the market out of some 50 that were operating in the area as of the end of last month.

One studio for sale, including property and recording equipment, is Third Stone Recording. Owner Paul Ricchiutti blames an industry that has more engineers than artists and added that, "in the future, it will be independent labels that will be operating studios."

Ricchiutti's 5,000-square-foot studio features "vintage" equipment more suited for rock musicians who use analog equipment as opposed to digital equipment that is preferred in just about all mainstream genres of music today.

Eric Bettelli, publisher of the Studio City-based Music Connection, a magazine for musicians and songwriters, said there isn't enough business in the industry to keep it going. "The budgets are not what they used to be," he said.

Digital technology helps explain why more studios are on the market, as an increasing number of musicians are finishing professional-quality records out of their home studios, said Sorkin.

Still, Adam Beilenson, co-owner of Paramount and Ameraycan studios, said his facilities are still in demand by producers and audio engineers who put the finishes touches on the work of marquee pop artists, including The Neptunes and Macy Gray.

--San Fernando Valley Business Journal