Filed under: Comment
An Inconvenient Resemblance
So I was talking at a conference about technological empowerment [yes, a VERY wanky term] and to prove my point, I wrote a piece of music there and then – using just a keyboard, an Apple Mac and some – admittedly expensive – software called Logic Pro.
Anyway this is what I came up …
[Everything was recorded live, track-by-track, except the voices which were pre-recorded samples. If you are having problems listening to the track, you might want to click here]
Now while I’m not suggesting it is anything amazing – the fact it took me 20 mins to compose, record, roughly mix and download is pretty astounding given back in my days as a musician [which I appreciate was before electricity and trombones!] it would take 2 hours just to mic the bloody guitar amp up!!
The thing is, as much as all this [more affordable] technological power gives people an ability to let their passion/talent/delusions flow, I also think it has the potential to limit creativity.
I’ve written about this issue before, but because computers are only as good as the person using them, you could end up limiting your potential because you’re missing out on the benefits of collaboration and exploration.
It’s abit like scam ads … when you are client, strategist, creative director and consumer you can justify anything you do as being brilliant and effective.
Whilst the idea of being the ultimate dictator may sound good, the fact is when you involve others – people with different skills, talents and opinions – you often end up in far more interesting places, because not only do they bring new ideas into the mix, but they raise everyone’s standards thanks to an air of creative competitiveness.
OK so I’m being a bit of a hypocrite given I’ve just bought a bloody recording studio – but for me computers should be the tools to bring to life what’s in your head, not the place you go for all your creative solutions.
So that just leaves me with the question of why it takes Coldplay so long to record their albums? And don’t tell me it’s because they write/record good music – it might be better than this pseudo-Moby concoction but it’s still total wank.
26 Comments so far
Leave a comment
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
fuck me george totally nailed it with his moby campbell comment didnt he. thats fucking freaky because id always had you down as harry fucking hill.
youve got to feel for the vegan porn lover because not only does the poor bastard have a meat loving queen fan look like him but this imposter can churn out tunes that sound like outtakes from his play cd in front of a bunch of people in 1/2 a fucking hour straight. talk about having the value of your career destroyed in an instant. thats up there with ipod singing or wearing a hat and fucking dancing.
personally i never fucking liked mr weedys music but with the circumstances surrounding its creation taken majorly into account this is the most glorious piece of sonic shit ive ever heard.
campbell not as lazy or stupid as he appears? whod of thought it and he even managed to link it to a half decent post about collaberation. the old dog might be learning some new fucking tricks at last
treasure this moment rob because i admit you were right and i was wrong, fucking great pres but i guess by the law of averages you had to do something interesting at least once in your life 🙂
Comment by andy@cynic August 26, 2008 @ 7:34 amIt doesn’t take Coldplay anywhere near long enough to record their albums.
Comment by John August 26, 2008 @ 8:03 amGreat post Rob…
Firstly because I too think Moby is somewhat overrated and boring, but mainly because I think collaboration does lead to bigger and better ideas (not just executions), at work here I call it “collective chaos”.
PS: Timely, I’m looking to buy a key board/synth at the moment… what gear are you using??
Comment by Age August 26, 2008 @ 8:09 amYou bought a recording studio ! Where ? Do we cat-loving acquaintances get to come in and use it ever ? !!
Comment by fan August 26, 2008 @ 8:19 amThose Casio keyboards have come quite a way since the 80’s haven’t they? 🙂
You show off Robert. Wish I’d been there, if Andy almost compliments you it must of been good.
How many tracks are on this? There must be a few because I hear your trademark violins in the background.
Comment by Pete August 26, 2008 @ 8:46 amAndy: careful – you were almost complimentary
John: I knew you couldn’t be all bad
Age: email me so I won’t look a techno-geek
[Techno as in ‘technology’ not music genre!]
Fan: Of course, for the usual hourly fee.
Pete: 16
All other comments should go through my road manager – also known as Andy, the Peter Grant of adland [both physically and emotionally, hahaha!]
Comment by Rob August 26, 2008 @ 9:29 ammy first response was the same as fan’s: you bought a fucking recording studio? jesus christ!
ooh – i’ve got lots to say about collaboration, but am running late for a meeting. suffice to say – technology in making truly great art is still not as accessible for artists (photoshop does NOT count, thanks). and the new generation of artists collaborate all the time. shit economy, globalisation and cultural apathy have resulted in collaboration being the way to actually make it anywhere in this art biz.
Comment by lauren August 26, 2008 @ 10:16 ami also think access to technology too early in creative output can sometimes fuck up your desire to learn the craft of it – you just assume that because you have something ‘good’ that it’s successful, without understanding why it’s good.
Comment by lauren August 26, 2008 @ 10:19 amYou have always approached your presentations as some sort of event so I suppose creating a soundtrack is just the next logical step.
Congratulations on what sounds like a very interesting and well received presentation, if we had not sold our record division I think we could of come to some sort of arrangement for every time you visited us.
Comment by Lee Hill August 26, 2008 @ 2:47 pmGreat points Lauren that I wholeheartedly agree with. I think Eddie van Halen said to break the rules you have to know the rules and people who go straight to technology for their answers are missing out on all sorts of opportunities, not to mention the fact they are letting their brain not earn it’s money!
And thanks for your comments Lee – but given what we owe you re: you-know-what, I think I’d have to come to visit about 10 times a week for a few months to make us even. Or I could just be saying that in the interests of client/agency relationships 🙂
Comment by Robert August 26, 2008 @ 3:06 pmit’s got a good beat.
Comment by Marcus August 26, 2008 @ 3:36 pmCan anyone else tell Marcus is a Dad of 3 by his comment 🙂
Comment by Rob August 26, 2008 @ 3:43 pmI’m hamster dancing to it
Comment by Marcus August 26, 2008 @ 3:50 pmSlightly off the beat. Like quite a few of the G-guys when we played them the final result. Bless.
[Actually that is a complete lie, I’m just trying to play up to the geek cliche, the fuckers I work with are young, cool and hip. Bastards 🙂 ]
Comment by Rob August 26, 2008 @ 3:56 pmdid Andy dance? I bet he’s shit hot on the dance floor
Comment by Marcus August 26, 2008 @ 4:09 pmAndy doesn’t do ‘dancing’ – but if he did, I’m sure he’d be the best dancer in the whole wide World, afterall he tells me he is the best at everything else he does 🙂
Comment by Robert August 26, 2008 @ 4:18 pmWhere did your bolton post go?? I can’t find it any more… so here goes:
Slavery did play a part to be advocate of the devil. Current inhabitants of Jamiaca and the USA (afro americans) are descendants of physically superior people. People who survided wars in Africa, all kinds of ills, and the often deadly boat trip to the colony..
Is it all explaining, no, but it does play a part..
Comment by n to the h August 26, 2008 @ 4:34 pmHahaha, I put the wrong date on it, so lets wait till next week.
See, this is what happens when you blog in advance 🙂
Comment by Rob August 26, 2008 @ 4:35 pmjust for the record…you did sound like a sad, sad mail on sunday, or whatever the paper was, reader 😉
Comment by n to the h August 26, 2008 @ 5:01 pmJohn: Amen sir
Comment by Rob Mortimer August 26, 2008 @ 8:24 pmYou know that email I sent you today N-to-the-H, ignore it 🙂
Comment by Rob August 26, 2008 @ 8:42 pmAs someone whose fingers split like Pamela Amderson’s marriages its great to be able to make music without my hands falling off from Stratocaster related injuries
Comment by Rob Mortimer August 26, 2008 @ 8:44 pmWhen I first read that comment Mr M, I thought you said …
“As someone whose fingers slit like Pamela Anderson”
… which, as I am sure you will agree, puts a whole different perspective on what you were saying 🙂
Comment by Rob August 26, 2008 @ 9:43 pmIt does. Thanks for nullifying my comment 😉
Speaking of slits, have you seen the latest Gillette ad? Rant on ad pit…!!
Comment by Rob Mortimer August 26, 2008 @ 10:43 pmI will head over there in the morning, my rant rage levels are too low for the justice I can just imagine they deserve …
Comment by Rob August 26, 2008 @ 10:52 pmrob c , i’m so with you on the misread. i’m going to offend your mum, but i read “someone who fingers pamela anderson’s split”. eep!
Comment by lauren August 27, 2008 @ 12:28 am