APRS reaches out to new members

The Association of Professional Recording Services (APRS) has unveiled a new  membership structure, introducing new categories of membership designed to address the needs of semi-professional and non-professional musicians, producers and engineers.

The APRS aims to promote the highest standards throughout the recording industry, to represent the interests of its members and provide them with a means of networking.

The new Music Maker Category D membership costs £75 and is for non-professional musicians and engineers. Benefits include technical advice via a dedicated e-group, quarterly bulletins, invitations to APRS social events, a copy of the APRS handbook and a listing in the handbook and on the Association’s website.

Musicians and engineers who do earn their living from making music can now join via Professional Music Maker Category C, which costs £125 per year. This category is aimed at people who own their own studios and recording equipment but don’t rent it out commercially to third parties. They receive all the above benefits, plus technical advice via specialist technical user groups, invitations to APRS networking meetings, access to members-only sections of the APRS web site and a listing under the freelance section of the web site and handbook, which incorporates CV information.

Professional Music Maker/Studio Owner Category B is aimed at people who own their own studios and also hire them out to third parties. Costing £275 a year, this category entitles members to all the above benefits, plus the use of Benefit Provider services such as legal, insurance and shipping services at special APRS rates. They also get access to the Croner Consulting Business Support help line, representation at trade exhibitions, the ability to upload new music to the APRS web site so that it can be accessed by A&R staff and access to www.creditsafe.com credit management.

The final category, Commercial Recording Facility Category A, costs £365 per year to join and is aimed at facilities offering a professional recording environment that is only hired out to third parties. These facilities are inspected on application to ensure they qualify for membership. Benefits include detailed listings, use of APRS logo on stationary and promotional material, full voting rights, access to all e-groups and the ability to set up new e-groups, regular industry news updates, trade show support, membership certificates and the ability to buy an APRS plaque.