Spike Stent - art of recording in general is getting lost

[Everbeatz]

very good quote from Spike Stent

"I think that the art of recording in general is getting lost with everybody learning their techniques on home studios instead of commercial studios."

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totally agree, especially when I see particular threads on GS lately....

[joelpatterson]

That's kind of a vague pronouncement, isn't it? I would parry his thrust and respond that the "art" or "artistry" of recording is nowadays much less dependent on an apprenticeship in a "studio" and much more up to the individual's ambition and dedication-- certainly the tools to record have been liberated from "the studio" and are now available widely.

I think maybe what prompts this kind of outburst is: today we see a positive glut of recordings done casually and without much care, and these make their way into the public sphere-- in olden days, this was not so.

Still-- I weep along with him, sure.

[tonemaker]

Actually, I'd say mass "DAW-literacy" is on the rise and reflects the general public or at least DAW-heads gradually learning more about recording studio issues.

However, what is not being spread or on the rise so much is how to make a good tune in terms of melody/harmony/syncopation/structure/development etc. There's really not much discussion about music theory.

There's a little, but not lots. Most people are sharing ideas about gear to buy and how to make wobbles and stuff. There is very little actual music composition info being taught and shared.

But people are constantly talking about gain issues, EQ, stereo separation/panning, automation, and console/DAW-related issues. On this site people still talk about Mics and preamps and stuff. They even talk about acoustical treatment of rooms and about monitors and about psychoacoustics.

I mean yeah, people aren't talking so much about degaussing 2-inch tape machines/adjusting the bias or calibrating machines to make vinyl records, but so what? Those technologies are largely obsolete. At least they can still network online if they want to.

[chrisso]

I think he more means the commercial studio is a pressure gig, where only the best is acceptable. The older experienced engineers used to school the new kids on the tricks of the trade, tried and tested techniques. The tape-ops used to sit in on sessions for a couple of years before becoming engineers themselves.
These days you buy Logic or PT, an interface and your a full blown engineer/producer, with no tuition and no experience.
I've been recording myself for well over ten years, and I wouldn't put my best work up against any professionaL engineers work. I do my best, and that's about all I can say.

[rhizomeman]

Perhaps instead of "art" the word "culture" should be used. The culture of studio recording is diminishing, true. But hey, a new culture of individual recordings is emerging.

The reason I see this as a positive is because the idea that there is one or only a few "good" ways to record is vanishing. No more hierarchical recording aesthetics - variety of technique is a good thing. AND, this includes distorted, lo-fi recordings if that's the vibe you want for your music.

[Beat Poet]

Who knows, he might even be referring to the art of crafting music in the studio slowly going out the window.