Filed under: Comment
Talking of music … at the weekend I bought a BOSS BR professional recording studio system.
Now this might not mean much to you lot, but apart from the fact it only cost $400 [about 100 quid] … is lighter than an iPOD and just abit bigger than one too … this system allows me to record digitally upto 36 different tracks [ie: instruments], speed up/slow down/change notes/sections that aren’t quite right, mix them together using the onboard mass of digital effects and rhythm tracks and then master them into a top-notch, 5.1 sound, CD ready piece of music.
What you have to realise is that this little piece of electronic genius is top studio quality … and with some ‘real-world’ studios [like the Manor in Oxfordshire] charging upto a THOUSAND POUNDS AN HOUR … this is making quality recording a reality for the millions of bedroom musicians located all around the World.
[Not to mention some of the pro’s who don’t want to record 8 trillion instruments on every song they write. No use to Queen and Muse then …]
Given the internet already is undermining much of the record companies distribution stronghold … we can now safely say we are entering the age of music socialism, so it’s no wonder Mr Epic Records is so highly strung!
9 Comments so far
Leave a comment
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I sold my old 4-track fostex at the weekend. I was sad to see it go.
Comment by Marcus April 23, 2007 @ 1:50 pmKarl Marx said that the workers should appropriate the means of production – If this is already happening through user generated content (it’s a horrible term, authentic media maybe?), for music production with kit like that, youtube brings out the director in the viewer, blogs turn us into reporters and flickr makes photographers out of us.
Isn’t it about time we called it socialist media instead of social media?.. Just a thought.
Does that bit of kit allow 2 or three CD’s/MP3’s to be mixed as well?
Comment by Charles Frith April 23, 2007 @ 3:24 pmI like the word socialism … not just because it represents the sort of idea I like, but because the mere mention of the word turns capitalist buggers into pulsating messes, ha.
And yes, you can down load existing songs and then re-mix them – it’s an amazing piece of kit and so cheap when you consider the old FOSTEX Marcus has, cost a bloody fortune when it first came out.
This is where technology has power and value – when it encouraging creative freedom of expression.
Can you imagine what Beethoven, Mozart – even Shakespere – would have and could have done if they had access to what we have? Now that is frightening …
Which is why Microsoft and their WOW campaign
Comment by Rob April 23, 2007 @ 4:58 pmNice kit.
Comment by Rob Mortimer April 23, 2007 @ 5:03 pmI recommend a lexicon fx rack too!
I’m liking this thinking about the power of good tools.
Comment by NP April 23, 2007 @ 7:18 pmOn the other hand, John Mcenroe would say that graphite raquets have led to mediocre players stamping out true artists.
Discuss.
Modern music equipment creates the same ratio of good to crap, just in higher numbers. So though it means more rubbish it means more good stuff.
The key is hearing what sounds good, you can have all the equipment in the world and sound worse than a guy in his bedroom if the production isnt right.
Maybe we should all have a music demonstration post!
Comment by Rob Mortimer April 23, 2007 @ 7:22 pmMr M … I have a rack system you would die for. Designed by Bob Bradshaw [do you know who he is] it has more techno-stuff than bloody NASA.
I guess the issue to all this is about ‘control’. If you use the technology to ‘paper over the cracks of mediocrity’ [ala Stock Aiken & Waterman] then technology is definitely a negative aspect to creativity … however in the right hands, when people have a vision and an idea but don’t know how to make it happen ‘naturally’ [Muse/Floyd], then it is one of the most liberating things to happen to music and musicans.
I just wish that orchestras tried some stuff in this area … I truly think the results would be mind blowing.
Lets face it, alot of classical music was that generations Rock ‘n’ Roll [especially Beethoven] so if certain composers had this sort of technical capability at their fingertips, I would imagine the way music developed would be quite different to what happened now.
Maybe punk would of occured during the plague as opposed to the 70’s. Just a thought …
Comment by Robert April 23, 2007 @ 7:43 pmI bet you do, I know the name…
I do love my Korg MS2000 and Lexicon FX rack. If you put my guitar through a Black Liqourice pedal then through the Lexicon it sounds like the gates of hell…wonderful.
I have a good ear for sound but am not the best at playing, therefore technology gives me so much more freedom to create what I want not just what I can play.
I loved hearing about how classical composer tried to fit as many dissonant notes into their pieces to piss off the church who hated their evil sound.
Comment by Rob Mortimer April 23, 2007 @ 7:46 pmHaha … read the post above yours, I told you classical music was that era’s Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Using technology to improve on your vision is fine, it’s when you use technology because you have no vision that pisses me off.
Mind you, I know of people who have mucked about with stuff, found something they liked and that acted as the inspiration to go forth and do some amazing stuff so who am I to criticize.
Comment by Robert April 23, 2007 @ 7:49 pm