Bang-on as always, Warren! It's the "performance is only raw material" approach that makes music sterile, not the technology itself, which is fantastic.
I can't speak about larger commercial productions because I have almost no experience with them, but for guys like me (an independent musician creating music with my band and other like minded artists) digital has completely democratized the whole process of making recorded art , because it takes SO LITTLE MONEY to set up a workable recording system. Our music doesn't sound sterile, mainly because we don't really know what the hell we're doing! We're just trying stuff and learning as we go.
Tape isn’t impossible to edit on, it’s just time consuming. In the days of tape the producer had to understand when it was close enough and a bit of razor blade work would get it from good to really good - to decide when it was ‘perfect enough’. Planning how to use those tracks for complex music would be required and sometimes a lot of work, and especially if bounces and sub mixes were needed. I think musicians had to be better, but also the listener and record companies tolerated small imperfections more. Definitely more finality in the decisions on-the-fly. Now the decisions can be delayed even to mixing or even sometimes to mastering. When bigger studios got the Timeline and could sync two or three machines, production could be done more like today, essentially unlimited tracks, when you get to 44 or 66 tracks (across two or three twenty four track machines) that is a lot. Even cut and paste and pitch changes could be done quickly with the Lynx especially if you had the KCU. That’s actually how I do it in my studio now, I use a two track with time code on one of the two tracks to do cut and paste to the 24 track and even vari-speed the parts I’m flying around.
A producer used to be much more of an arranger and director, today producers do most of the instruments themselves or use samples. The creativity is much more in the sound choices and processing
The way I think of it is you can always go back, but not forward. With today’s technology, we can call upon the old stuff if we like, either by using tape emulation plugins or actually going out and buying a tape recorder. In the 60’s though, you couldn’t go out and get a digital multi-effect. I like to use Ableton, but the version I have, Ableton Live Lite, is extremely restrictive. I am only allowed 8 tracks. But I love using it, because having gone from infinite tracks to only 8 forces me to plan ahead and actually really think about what I’m recording to get the production and sound I want. I still also find myself exploiting quirks in the technology like people used to do, like recording multiple tracks and then comping them together to free up extra room. The old-school limitations focused my skills and creativity. But on the other hand, the digital technology allow me to actually make music with a budget of only a few hundred dollars, which would have been inconceivable in the days when you had to buy or rent a recording desk and everything else.
It feels like the artist-producer connect has diminished a bit. The producers come up with a demo and then take the recordings from the artist, add bunch of synths and samples to finish the track (mostly in pop, hip-hop style of music). The producer's guidance, instinct and direction are very important traits.
Well put, very nuanced though 😅 I guess you still need musicians to make interesting music. And many people who create music solely using digital tools. Aren't musicians, don't really play instruments and aren't used to communicate via musical performance.
Having multiple/different takes for the same chorus thru the song or just copy paste ONE tight performance to all the choruses in the song? Do these old guys ( Perry , Slash etc) play the whole song/sections in one takes? Thank you so much for guidance
Dave Grohl makes the argument that tape forces you to get it right the first time, and to commit to certain effects early on. Key word: force. If you can “force“ yourself to get it right the first time, or at least to play it until you won’t need to edit, then tape is only necessary for purists who refuse to believe that an analog tape simulator plug-in could never mimic real tape.
Making a choice and committing to it are a key reason I've given up using guitar amp/fx plugins. I use my pedalboard and a simple hardware amp sim/cab IR pedal (Strymon Iridium). Three amp sims, three cab IR's and every part of the core tone gets printed. Only delay and reverb is added post recording, and sometimes I even track that (albeit to it's own track)
What are your thoughts on the role of the music producer today? How has it changed over time?
The technology is never the problem, it's how we choose to use it
Absolutely! Agreed 100%!
so by that logic nuclear weapons arent problematic if you dont blow up churches ?
Bang-on as always, Warren! It's the "performance is only raw material" approach that makes music sterile, not the technology itself, which is fantastic.
Thanks ever so much for sharing!
I can't speak about larger commercial productions because I have almost no experience with them, but for guys like me (an independent musician creating music with my band and other like minded artists) digital has completely democratized the whole process of making recorded art , because it takes SO LITTLE MONEY to set up a workable recording system. Our music doesn't sound sterile, mainly because we don't really know what the hell we're doing! We're just trying stuff and learning as we go.
Tape isn’t impossible to edit on, it’s just time consuming. In the days of tape the producer had to understand when it was close enough and a bit of razor blade work would get it from good to really good - to decide when it was ‘perfect enough’. Planning how to use those tracks for complex music would be required and sometimes a lot of work, and especially if bounces and sub mixes were needed. I think musicians had to be better, but also the listener and record companies tolerated small imperfections more. Definitely more finality in the decisions on-the-fly. Now the decisions can be delayed even to mixing or even sometimes to mastering.
When bigger studios got the Timeline and could sync two or three machines, production could be done more like today, essentially unlimited tracks, when you get to 44 or 66 tracks (across two or three twenty four track machines) that is a lot. Even cut and paste and pitch changes could be done quickly with the Lynx especially if you had the KCU. That’s actually how I do it in my studio now, I use a two track with time code on one of the two tracks to do cut and paste to the 24 track and even vari-speed the parts I’m flying around.
Precious thoughts of yours as always ❤ Which is full video, please?
A producer used to be much more of an arranger and director, today producers do most of the instruments themselves or use samples. The creativity is much more in the sound choices and processing
Absolutely, the job has continually evolved and will continue, I'm quite certain
The way I think of it is you can always go back, but not forward. With today’s technology, we can call upon the old stuff if we like, either by using tape emulation plugins or actually going out and buying a tape recorder. In the 60’s though, you couldn’t go out and get a digital multi-effect.
I like to use Ableton, but the version I have, Ableton Live Lite, is extremely restrictive. I am only allowed 8 tracks. But I love using it, because having gone from infinite tracks to only 8 forces me to plan ahead and actually really think about what I’m recording to get the production and sound I want. I still also find myself exploiting quirks in the technology like people used to do, like recording multiple tracks and then comping them together to free up extra room. The old-school limitations focused my skills and creativity. But on the other hand, the digital technology allow me to actually make music with a budget of only a few hundred dollars, which would have been inconceivable in the days when you had to buy or rent a recording desk and everything else.
🤘🏼 we love you Warren
Thanks ever so much! I really appreciate it
I miss the days of the old MM 1000 tape machine. That thing was a pain in the ass, but it sounded so good.
Nothing wrong with the formats or tech but how we use it creatively
The perfection is his own worst enemy. I fight against this myself.
Thanks for sharing!
It feels like the artist-producer connect has diminished a bit. The producers come up with a demo and then take the recordings from the artist, add bunch of synths and samples to finish the track (mostly in pop, hip-hop style of music). The producer's guidance, instinct and direction are very important traits.
Producer nowadays can be so throwaway.
Well put, very nuanced though 😅 I guess you still need musicians to make interesting music. And many people who create music solely using digital tools. Aren't musicians, don't really play instruments and aren't used to communicate via musical performance.
Absolutely! Thanks for sharing
Having multiple/different takes for the same chorus thru the song or just copy paste ONE tight performance to all the choruses in the song? Do these old guys ( Perry , Slash etc) play the whole song/sections in one takes? Thank you so much for guidance
I knew back in 2005 that home studio recording was going to end up being mainstream as we all seen how the music industry was changing back then.
💯🎯💯🎯💯🎯💯🎯💯🎯
yes. :)
Thanks
Instead of taking analog to new heights we basically started over in a new technology
Dave Grohl makes the argument that tape forces you to get it right the first time, and to commit to certain effects early on. Key word: force. If you can “force“ yourself to get it right the first time, or at least to play it until you won’t need to edit, then tape is only necessary for purists who refuse to believe that an analog tape simulator plug-in could never mimic real tape.
Making a choice and committing to it are a key reason I've given up using guitar amp/fx plugins. I use my pedalboard and a simple hardware amp sim/cab IR pedal (Strymon Iridium). Three amp sims, three cab IR's and every part of the core tone gets printed. Only delay and reverb is added post recording, and sometimes I even track that (albeit to it's own track)