Home Studio Bill Public Hearing

There has been a revamping recently of Metro Nashville codes and regulations concerning home studios or other home-based businesses. Because I got the initial email from our local American Federation of Musicians local 257 I was under the impression that it was primarily about music but it appears that the regulations carry over into home-based businesses of any kind. I am including a couple of inserts here that were forwarded to me by local 257 president Dave Pomeroy to give some more indepth info about what the issue is all about, but I suppose in a nutshell the public is ignorant that musicians have been engaging in “cottage industry” for a long time. I have personally done session after session in home studios, some very elaborate setups built into people’s basements to standing in a closet or doorway with mic in front of me. It reaches across the whole spectrum from ultra simple to sophisticated and state of the art. To me these home studios are similar to small town public squares in that they have their own unique personalities, decor and in this instance, sound. But if the current codes are not changed then the home studios that have kept Nashville’s musical heart beating will go the same way as small town businesses have when strip malls came in and took all the business away to lifeless chain stores with no personality. And I’m guessing that a home studio owner would then be operating against the law. Here’s an except from Mr. Pomeroy…

“A bit of background: Under the current Metro codes and regulations, you cannot have ANY customers in your home-based business, whether it is for piano, voice or guitar lessons, recording, personal care services, computer repair, or any other business. We attempted to fix this back in 2012, but the effort was derailed by so-called “neighborhood activists” who succeeded in getting neighborhood associations to convince their members to call their Metro government representatives to complain that “we don’t want these crazy musicians taking over our neighborhoods,” or words to that effect. Obviously they never got the fact that we are already here and know how to be good neighbors. Their campaign broke the momentum we had been building and derailed the legislation, but now we are back on the brink of changing this longstanding prohibition and get real.”

There was a public hearing last night that unfortunately I missed but the following are a few of the general statements that were suggested to be put forth by union members… 

1. Musicians are already here. We are in every neighborhood in Nashville writing, recording, and mixing music. 

2. This is not an invasion. It is already happening and has been for decades, and is not a problem. We know how to be good neighbors.

3. Giving private music lessons in someone’s home is a respected part of our culture and should not be illegal.

4. Technology has changed the way music is written and recorded, and we must acknowledge that reality, and 

5. Soundproofing keeps outside sounds out of the home studio, and vice versa.

6. Noise and parking regulations are already in place in Metro codes that will be complied with. 

Naturally my interest is mostly on the music business aspects. I can’t really understand the thought process behind the complaints that there are musicians doing work in Nashville neighborhoods. It has always been this way so why is this coming up now when we need a place to work from more than ever? Is it that there have been a number of inconsiderate situations involving musicians/business owners that has made it hard for everybody else or has this got more to do with neighborhood associations who are more interested in keeping dandelions out of the lawn than sharing space? For many being at home is the only safe feeling space to work until COVID-19 is history. It’s hard enough as it is dealing with the lack of work the pandemic has caused without having to add to the equation neighborhood activists who feel that their neighborhoods are being overrun with undesirable characters. Yeah, seems musicians are still getting a bad rap. For others, being denied access to home studios directly affects personal and working relationships that artists have cultivated over the years. It denies them being able to work in an environment that has become comfortable where they know what to expect from the room, the engineer’s work habits and skills, sound equipment and mics, it denies them the ability to relax and just go into the room and forget about doing anything except concentrating on playing good music and producing a good product. Noise complaints? Most of the noise I’ve heard in neighborhood environments comes from stereos in house and cars. Mostly cars. How about some legislation limiting the volume of car stereos? But this is my own pet peeve. I digress…

As usual there must be a whole lot more to this situation than meets the eye. I am just now hearing about it and it is obvious that this isn’t the first round so I have a lot of catching up to do. Probably all the facts for keeping the current legislation in place are not up for revue but only those that are useful in proving to delay further favorable treatment for home businesses. We need to face the facts that the future is here and we won’t be going back to the way things were. People are doing business in new ways and I don’t see that changing. We might as well all get used to it and get out of each other’s way. Conflict begets conflict, good will begets good will. Easy.

Life is good. MC