Music people call it sound. Neighborhoods call it noise. We bring practical solutions to both.


“You can't improve what you don't measure.”

 

Measure, know, and grow

your music ecosystem with a better strategy.

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Music people call it sound. Neighborhoods call it noise. We bring practical solutions to both.


“You can't improve what you don't measure.”

 

Measure, know, and grow

your music ecosystem with a better strategy.

  • “ Don Pitts brings unique insights on how to meld these resources in harmony and assist your city to realize its full potential as a music city. ”
    — Jim Peters, President, Responsible Hospitality Institute, Scotts Valley CA
  • “ Don Pitts is, without a doubt, one of the global leaders in music city strategy development and implementation, with hands-on experience leading Austin, one of the busiest music cities in the world. ”
    — Amy Terrill, lead author of The Mastering of a Music City, Toronto, Ontario
  • “ When it comes to sound ordinance issues, Don Pitts is the best thing since sliced bread. ”
    — Mary Ingle, President Austin Neighborhoods Council, Austin Texas
  • “ Don is the leading voice on sound management in cities. Don easily translates his experiences in Austin to other cities regardless of size and local dynamics, which is why he's a leader in the global music cities movement. ”
    — Bryce Merrill, Music Programs Manager of Bohemian Foundation, Ft. Collins CO
  • “ Don Pitts is the sound whisperer. Don has successfully led Austin in striking a balance between all parties that has resulted in a 70% drop in noise complaints. ”
    — Kate Becker, Director of Film and Music Office, City of Seattle
  • “ Don thinks outside the box when obstacles present themselves, and is always looking for the right combination of dots to connect so that parties who may have been historically adversarial, actually find common ground. ”
    — Rebecca Reynolds, President, Music Venue Alliance Austin

Overview


Practical, data-driven solutions

for measuring and growing

your music ecosystem.

Overview


Practical, data-driven solutions

for measuring and growing

your music ecosystem.

Founded and led by music industry leader Don Pitts, Sound Music Cities is the expert advisor to cities seeking practical, data-driven solutions for measuring and growing their music and entertainment economy.

We work with civic leaders to provide industry-leading music ecosystem measurement, robust action plans, and innovative community sound management expertise developed through achieving a 70% reduction in sound complaints in Austin.
 

“During his seven years inside Austin's city government, Pitts was something of a trailblazer, tasked with diagnosing and treating the many problems facing the music economy, large and small, there. In no small part, Pitts' work culminated in the voluminous Austin Music Census he commissioned and released in 2015…Pitts fostered an informal coalition of knowledge sharing among cities having similar problems, to learn from each other’s mistakes and replicate their successes.” 

- Andrew Flanagan, NPR music

When it comes to music ecosystems, cities share many of the same challenges. Notably, the causes vary, so the solution must be designed to fit the community.

The Latest


The Latest from Sound Music Cities

The Latest


The Latest from Sound Music Cities

featured Blog Post: 

Featured
Preserving Live Music Venues: Turning Advocacy Into Policy
Preserving Live Music Venues: Turning Advocacy Into Policy

Today, let’s talk about venues. Just as musicians contribute to our music ecosystems, live music venues are an equally important part of the equation. This type of thinking needs to be incorporated into governmental operations. Cities of all sizes should be implementing strategies that incorporate best practice policies with venue success in mind.

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Music Development Strategies Part 2: Foundational Support of Musicians
Music Development Strategies Part 2: Foundational Support of Musicians

In our last entry about Music Development Strategies , we discussed the key ingredients needed as a city embarks on creating a successful music development strategy.  And the way to get this development underway includes building a vision, researching the potential solutions, and the discipline to create and execute the plan while getting all of your resources to contribute. Having a sound music strategy provides the beneficial economic impact across many sectors including tourism, city brand building, cultural development, and more.

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Key Ingredients to a Successful Music Development Strategy
Key Ingredients to a Successful Music Development Strategy

Over the last several years, cities have increasingly recognized the importance of a vibrant and healthy music ecosystem in generating social, cultural and economic benefits.  The list of cities that are in various stages of actively developing a music development strategy is growing every year. 

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Sometimes it takes a few strikes to hit a home run
Sometimes it takes a few strikes to hit a home run

While leading Austin’s music development efforts for seven years, I learned that there are fundamental aspects that often get overlooked when working on music policy. Turns out no matter how savvy you are, every meaningful policy initiative — regardless of its projected impact— requires partnerships to work. Having solid, trust-based community relationships is non-negotiable. And every voice matters in those conversations.

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