The internet is changing the music industry so quickly that a Coventry training firm is running out of space to teach people new skills.

Glasshouse Productions, based in Upper York Street, Earlsdon, runs a series of specialist music courses focusing on the music industry.

And following a series of seminal changes in the way records are produced and marketed, demand has shot through the roof.

Studios used for teaching about music production are now full, and the size of the building is the only thing holding the company back from expansion.

With technology improving, and the expansion of the internet’s capabilities allowing music to be sold without a CD changing hands, more and more people have been looking to get the skills to get into the business.

Director Amos Anderson says small business risk being left behind by the boom in technology unless they start getting on board now and putting themselves at the cutting edge.

He said his company had signed up to the city’s CW2000 project which gives ADSL and internet business advice, to get ahead of the game.

Mr Anderson said:

”Our involvement is to be in the forefront of this technology, which is good news for the people and musicians and local talents of Coventry.

“We want to try and create a creative community that can cope with the new way of doing business.”

With issues such as the downloading of free music on the internet coming to a head in the America courts, Mr Anderson said the major record companies were likely to reach an agreement that could revolutionise people’s leisure time.

He said:

“There will be new services, where you can pay to download, or subscribe to an area with all the music that you want in it.

“It will be like having cable on television, you will be able to dip in and out when you like. You won’t need to buy a physical product.

“Coventry has got the chance to get ahead of this technology. We are training people to be ready for this new business module so they can get involved.

“We think we can work very closely with the universities and colleges and be involved with any innovation that will benefit the city.”