At least three of America’s top orchestras have decided to keep a new nationwide agreement governing self-produced recordings at arm’s length, in the belief that it doesn’t go far enough towards addressing problems with the current American system of orchestral recording. The new agreement, which allows some orchestras to reduce upfront payments to musicians, is optional (any project undertaken must be approved by the orchestra’s musicians) and restricted to recordings made from live concert tapes. Some in the industry believe that a wholesale overhaul of recording agreements is needed.