Technology or Talent

[EYE]

Hi all,

Reading on these and a lot of other forums the complaint of people who claim they are the bomb, BUT their stuff's not banging because of the cheap equipment they have to work with. Especially compared to the big boys in the industry. To be honest, when I started out (1984), I was one of these complainers. I honestly thought that if I had the cash to buy a ton of expensive gear or record in a professionally equipt studio, that would do the trick. So I took my stuff to a hightech studio and started to recreate the tracks.

It sounded clean, it sounded well balanced, but it sounded nothing like me. The thing I had on that crappy 4-track sounded much more like I meant it than the top quality tape I came home with. Even worse, my "fans" (The neighbourhood kids ) didn't like my studio tape at all and kept playing the low quality copy taken from the 4-track.

Later on, we hooked up with a studio where they had a guy speciallized in rap, who did all engineering, but the studio was terminated (1999) and there I was again on my own. And YES! after a while of trying stuff, Again I started feeling I could not get "bangers", because of lack of equipment. I compared my stuff to what Dre and Mike Dean did at that moment and came to the (false) conclusion it must be the gear that makes the difference.

I probably knew it also had something to do with (my lack of having) an enormous dose of talent, good songs, a good set of ears and ofcourse plain old (engineering) skills , since I had decided to create a cashflow outside the music business, by taking a daytime job, so I'd be able to pay my bills.

Nowadays, besides beeing a husband, a daddy and a system administrator, whenever I have time, I become a rapper and a beatcreator. Now knowing that I'm not the new Scarface and I don't have the skills and talents people like Dre or Mike Dean have, still this is my way of expressing my feelings and my way to enjoy the creation of music. And then, sometimes, there's this one guy or girl who really likes a thing I made and that's like my platinum plaque, because they listen to my track the same way I listen to one of my favorite tracks.

That made me realize that although technology is neccesary to record and mix, it's the song, the lyrics, the performance and the (engineering) skills that count. A Mike Dean (or fill in your favorite engineer/producer) with a decent artist in a crappy studio, will probably still come up with something that touches you, while a not overwhelmingly skilled (homestudio) engineer/producer, who had access to the same artist and a million dollar studio, probably comes back with a much less touching track.

[azwun25]

Originally Posted by EYE

That made me realize that although technology is neccesary to record and mix, it's the song, the lyrics, the performance and the (engineering) skills that count. A Mike Dean (or fill in your favorite engineer/producer) with a decent artist in a crappy studio, will probably still come up with something that touches you, while a not overwhelmingly skilled (homestudio) engineer/producer, who had access to the same artist and a million dollar studio, probably comes back with a much less touching track.

absolutely

[ShaneFontane]

I couldn't agree more. Technology is a luxury not a neccessity. Songs have been past down through generations before there was a preamp, compressor/limiter or fancy blinking lights and motorized faders.

Performances are timeless. I truly believe it's the performance that is the most inspiring component to a song, then then the song itself and then the recording (but this is the difference between selling products and playing/recording music)

[TonyBelmont]

It's all about the talent. The technology just helps to showcase that talent.

[s.d.finley]

Mike Dean had the 1st Pro Tools system I had ever seen. PTIII on a NuBus mac!!

The only REAL FANCY equipment he had was a couple of focusrite Reds pres and comps, and a blue focusrite stereo EQ. This was like 1997 or so.

The rest was all his vintage synths and raw talent!!!

sdf

[Polyphony]

thumbsup

This is probably one of the best threads I've seen in the Hip Hop forum in awhile!! Thanks for taking the time to write it!!

The truth of the matter is the guys that you mention are driven by the idea in their heads IMO. Mike Dean with an MPC/ASR etc and a Roland vS880 etc... would still sound like Mike Dean.

OF course he wouldnt be as lush/nice as he would be with an SSL/Studer set up. But it would be something you could hear his talent in.

Bottom line is most guys have used what they had to get more later. You gotta put the work down.

Master P, while not the pinnacle of talent or engineering, made almost ALL of No Limit's albums on Yamaha O2R/ADAT xt's with (MPC' 3000s, SE1, ASR 10).

My point you ask?

We all have better qualiy stuff RIGHT NOW than he did. (I'd take a digi 002/G5 over 3 adats and an O2R ANYDAY)

[demonfuzz]

Each makes up for what the other lacks (in many cases).

i.e. a producer/artist with limited technology/gear can still make a great album using whatever they have.

Meanwhile a talentless waste of air can be made to sound like <insert_popular_rapper_here> with enough tools & tweaking (and money of course).

In the end talent will stand the test of time though.

[beat you down]

i feel it depends on the sound your stuff needs.
i don't think madlib's would benefit from better equipment and/or engineering.
i don't think dre's would benefit from worse equipment and/or engineering.

[mike dean]

lookout in scratch next issue 4 mix and master article.


and thanks for the props

[Zacchino]

...and talent is most of the time about taking some risks ^^ Like the risk of being ourselves.