32 Gauteng Business
12 September - 25 September 2006
Otherwise
Sweet money melodies
Music production house sets the tune

BY HENDRI PELSER

If you think that Cell C, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Audi, Sunlight, Virgin Atlantic and Barclays Bank have nothing in common then think again.
    The reason for this wrong assumption is simple, yo haven't looked at Robert Schroder.
     With more than 10 000 television, radio and cinema advertising campaigns under his belt, the owner of the award winning Blairgowrie based music production house, Robroy Music, is a leader in the field.
    While many South Africans hum the advertising tunes on the way to work, international audiences are also privy to his work.
    "What makes this industry exciting is that you can work with many styles of music in a day," Schroder says while sitting in a dimly lit studio. Here buttons dominate the space.
    If you listen carefully you may hear the sound of some of the millions of notes that are passed through the small musical mansion.
    His business started as a small two man show in 1978. Schroder and his partner at the time, Roy Bulkin, got their big break with a Willards crinkle cut advert.
    "The commercial director thought the music had been done in America, but it was two guys from Pretoria," Shroder says bursting with pride.
    The director was so impressed that he helped them to secure several lucrative cigarette commercials, including the long running and famous Peter Stuyvesant advertisement.
    "We impressed the right guy and that was it," he says.
    Schroder never let this initial success get the better of him and

continued to produce hit after hit. Eventually he ventured off into the music business and signed several popular groups, including Mango Groove and Dawnay.
More importantly, Schroder says he is a perfectionist. "You can never sit back and think its okay. You have to be slightly paranoid and always try to improve the music track."
    Every commercial that leaves the studio aims to be of the highest standard, creating 30 new monthly orders.
This means he has to create 30 new and original ideas every month. "Between myself and my employees Lorraine Shannon and Andrew Stansfield, one of us can usually think of a good idea."
This also means staying abreast of all developments in the music world, something Schroder describes as watching massive amounts of MTV and VH1.


  We impressed
     the right guy. 



    Arriving with something new everyday presents its own challenge, but Schroder says this is a matter of mindset. " I am keen to work every day, and that says a lot when you have to drive to Johannesburg from Pretoria," he jokes
    He also believes the Internet 'revolution' is a major factor in the business' success and growth.
    "I started out in the days of tapes. Now you can do anything from anywhere for anyone, immediately."

    

  • Visit www.robroymusic.co.za for a jingle and information.



    • Amplify Business... Robroy Music's owner, Robert Schroder.                  Photo: Hendri Pelser