When the COVID-19 pandemic began to wreak havoc on the entertainment industry in America, many companies found themselves scrambling to adapt to new, more isolated ways of music-making, all in the matter of weeks. But for ILIO, at-home content creation has been their bread and butter all along.
Founded in 1994 by Mark Hiskey and his wife Shelly, ILIO today stands as a major distributor of virtual instruments, sample libraries, and software. Put simply, ILIO offers the kind of tech that has kept – and continues to keep – artists active, even in isolation.
“The move to home recording appears to have been accelerated by the health crisis,” Hiskey explains. “Just as we’ve seen television production having to adjust to social distancing, music production has suddenly transitioned from predominantly live recording sessions to online collaborations with individuals working at home using their own equipment. Ask any MI retailer and they’ll tell you there’s been an explosion of demand for home recording gear, everything from mics to acoustic panels, and of course software. We’re learning new ways of working and as we feel our way out of this situation and gradually return to normalcy, I think we’ll see more professionals relying on their private studios to produce music, at least in part. That means increasing potential for music software sales.”
The company in southern California, when Mark and Shelly started producing and selling sample libraries on CDs and DVDs that musicians could use to produce music electronically. Business took off quickly from there, as the integration of tech in music creation continued to rise. Just a few of the brands that ILIO offers include Synthogy, PlugIn Guru, Delta Sound Labs, Applied Acoustics Systems, Overloud, and Gig Performer.
“Soon after we attracted the attention of other producers in our space who wanted us to distribute them, and before we knew it, we were marketing and selling dozens of products in North America and throughout the world,” Hiskey says. “All these years later, we’re fortunate to be working with many of those same producers, who are still making industry-leading products. The products we represent have evolved over time, from simple sample libraries to advanced virtual instruments and plug-in processors used in music production. But while the technology has advanced, we’re most focused on finding producers who are creating products that are fresh and inspiring, with amazing sounds that drive creativity.”
Folks who dabble in home production are the largest audience that ILIO serves, and that market has grown considerably over the past few months, as bands try to finish their projects outside of the studio and in the socially-distanced safety of their own homes.
ILIO’s customers range from full-time professionals, to home recording enthusiasts who want to level up their production skills or put a DIY spin on their music. One particularly popular virtual instrument that ILIO distributes is Omnisphere by Spectrasonics, “a powerhouse virtual synthesizer used extensively by Grammy and Oscar-winning musicians,” as Hiskey describes. “It’s hugely popular, not only because of its ease of use, but it comes with over 14,000 sounds, something for everyone. If you’re a serious sound designer, you can go as deep as you like into Omnisphere’s architecture. Spectrasonics is a legend in our industry, and we’re honored to be their exclusive distributor. Another amazing product is Spectrasonics’ Keyscape virtual instrument, which is a collection of classic, iconic keyboard instruments that have been lovingly restored and sampled to perfection.”
Still, there are some folks who are understandably intimidated by incorporating new technology into their music-making process, especially if they’re not super tech-savvy. But according to Hiskey, anyone who can work with simple recording-based applications and DAWs is already poised to master some new tech and level up their skillset.
“If you’re comfortable with using something like Garage Band, or Ableton Live, using our products is a no-brainer and they will up your game,” he says. “Of course, there was a time when professional musicians and producers resisted using digital technology to create music, but those days are gone and anyone getting into music production now needs to embrace software. There are so many advantages to using virtual instruments and processing plug-ins, such as superior sound quality and variety, the ability to save and recall countless presets and templates, and speedy workflow. Not to mention that the major studios and production houses have been software-driven for years.”
He adds: “Years ago there was a belief that virtual instruments and plug-in processors were poor emulations of the real thing, but I think we’ve moved past that now simply because software has evolved and improved so much in the past 20 years, to the point where the quality differences are minuscule compared with software’s advantages. For example, what engineer wouldn’t want to have immediate access to dozens of class-A compressors and EQs sitting in their studio racks? For most budgets, that’s unrealistic, but plug-ins can deliver that flexibility and variety at a tiny fraction of the cost.”
The applications of ILIO’s products aren’t strictly for audio engineers, though – Hiskey also reports that many of the items ILIO distributes have great applications for music education and distance learning, which many band directors and music teachers find themselves grappling with as the new school year approaches. Both Synthogy and the Vienna Symphonic Library offer ample solutions for moving the process of learning a new instrument to a remote but effective setup.
“While all of the virtual instruments and processing plug-ins in our catalog are designed for professional producers, we have a number of products in use by teachers and students alike, including the Ivory virtual pianos from Synthogy,” he notes. “These are beautiful instruments that bring the sound of impossibly expensive concert pianos into your laptop.
Paired with a nice MIDI controller, you can’t beat the sound and experience of learning and practicing on these instruments. The Vienna Symphonic Library is another product line that brings solo and ensemble orchestral instruments into customer’s homes. If you’ve always wanted to try orchestration, this software lets you hear what you’re doing. Short of hiring your own orchestra, there’s no better way to learn.”
From a retail perspective, Hiskey says that MI stores have been increasingly selling music-related software, even before the COVID-19 pandemic began earlier this year. To assist MI shops with sales, ILIO offers an online B2B portal called Skuport.com, which allows retailers to deliver ILIO’s digital products directly to their customers. This simplifies the process by nixing inventory costs and overhead for stores. “The best thing is that MI retailers don’t have to lose customers to vendors selling direct,” Hiskey adds.
ILIO also offers an online training program – Club ILIO – for MI salespeople to learn more about the products that ILIO distributes and earn not-for-resale copies of the items they’re working with. The site, Hiskey says, has produced thousands of more confident MI salespeople.
As stores slowly begin to reopen across the country – including MI shops – the retail world remains rickety and unpredictable, especially since it’s uncertain as to when musicians and artists can return to their “normal” ways of life. In the meantime, though, ILIO will have modern solutions for all kinds of music-makers, from teachers and rock bands, to audio nerds and fledgling engineers.
“With live gigs and sessions on hold, so many musicians are struggling right now, so we’re looking forward to a safe return to normalcy as soon as possible,” Hiskey concludes. “They are the heart and soul of the MI industry, so we need to get them back on their feet. Meanwhile, we’ll keep working to unite MI retailers with musicians where they are, working and practicing at home.”
