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[breathe]

This may be less of an issue now that the ridiculous possibilities of DAWs seem to have lost their charm with the music buying public, but I was curious if anyone here feels there is like a "threshold" for human absorption of technology's overt presence in music production.  I guess what I'm asking is, is technology's presence in musical sound reproduction just something that people get used to over time and eventually sentimentalize, or if there is like this "higher law" that dictates how far human musical communication can be abstracted from the "natural world"?  Is the future the enemy of musical storytelling?  Was my "money pit" purchase of a 1973 MCI JH-416A mixer from Muscle Shoals a good decision at least philosophically?  Is the adoption of "old" technology by both recording studios and the modern manufacturers catering to them a fetish for nostalgia, "nostalgia" whose root Latin definition is "An irrational longing for one's homeland", or is this trend motivated simply by the belief of many that older audio technology sounds better and serves the storytelling better?  What is the object of the future?  Where is this going?  I am a devout postmodernist and what happened five seconds ago is already vulnerable to becoming a cliche.  I desperately do not want to become a cliche, at least in my creative work, and I fear that even by obsessing about this I have already become one.

Nicholas

[breathe]

I should also mention that I think Chris Walla's production of Tegan and Sara's "The Con" (2007) is one of the absolute best sounding records of the last 10 years.  Damn you iZ Radar!  If only I didn't need a system that I could import sessions from any home/professional studio in the world!  And do non-music oriented audio work on!

Nicholas

[Fletcher]

breathe wrote on Fri, 19 November 2010 03:19

If only I didn't need a system that I could import sessions from any home/professional studio in the world!

Ahhh - but it can - so long as the session is in a standard format, like AES-32 [which can be exported from any system known at the mere click of a mouse].

[Fig]

breathe wrote on Fri, 19 November 2010 01:50

or is this trend motivated simply by the belief of many that older audio technology sounds better and serves the storytelling better?

High fidelity has been displaced by convenience - always has (eg: 8-track cartridges, cassettes, CD, mp3s... sheesh, digital in general).  

It may have little to do with being old or new; yet I cannot deny that manufacturers in the "old days" got the concept of sound quality at its cost.  User's too.  Seems like the talent was in on it as well.

These days most manufacturers concern themselves with profit margin, mass marketing, brand image and cost reduction - none of which make the products they make sound any better, only sell better (can millions of m-box buyers be wrong?).

Devices built by machines (without ears, dig - nor a passion for sound quality) in the thousands-at-a-time instead of when folks used to hand-wind their transformers and tune the capsules by ear, etc.  Arts that are all but lost if we let them.

Seems most users want faster, easier, cheaper anyway - so I figure they're perfect for each other (recording with toys in a bedroom or basement versus with tools in a studio).

And the "talent" seems to be following along blindly - pleased as punch at their myspaces and facebook pages while record stores and historic (ahem... good sounding) studios close down left and right.

I dunno if I'm closing in on an answer to your question, nor do I really even understand what you mean by "storytelling".  I use older gear not because it's old, but because I find it sounds better to my ear.  It's not nostalgia.   I've used "vintage reissues" claiming to be "the same" as the original.  Having the original disproves their claims - they count on the fact that most people buying the reissue have never even SEEN let alone heard the original (C-12VR best example, U-67 clones, today's modern "Neve", etc.).  Please don't get me started on plugins and their "authenticity" in terms of sound quality.

Record making is one step away from being a video game.  It used to be an audio game.

/rant

[Bubba#$%Kron]

Music is a beast, it is its own energy force.  It evolves and grows just like we do.  You have to dance and tame it to get it to do what you want it to do.  I think its wrong for people to claim that man creates/created music, never have- never will.  Its always there, we are just pulling aspects of it down and taking what it is willing to give us.
   
   If you told a person 200 years ago there was this invisible force that would light the night and re-create sound they would tell you that you are nuts. Then they discover electricity!!!! The possibilities are endless and we have only begun to see what this beast is capable of. Just imagine what a 3rd dimension of electricity would do to mics and tranny's. I believe if you want to make an album that touches many lives, you have to listen to what the beast wants and how he wants you to do it.   It will become what ever it wants to!!
   
    Music is just a way for humans to have a cup of tea with the "unknown".  Why these organized sounds trigger emotion we will probably never understand.  I tune and restore my 1915 piano myself,  I know when shes grumpy and when shes ready to rock.  Its a delicate long shitty journey that will never be predictable or easy- anything else would be disrespectful to the beast.
   
    If you think the same energy force that created symphony #9 and "since ive been loving you" is going quietly into the night, you are surely mistaken.     People NEED real music, it will dictate a culture's direction and morale.  There is a reason for everything and why we use the things we do is only because thats what the motherfuckin energy dictates.  Neve only discovered the sounds we like so much, he stumbled upon them like mozart and every other stupid human out there.  This nostalgia is probably the only thing that is balancing out the growing pains of technology.

    The beast is on a shitty dance floor for 10 years now, and its 3rd E pill is wearing off.  He's getting ready to take off the bright pink sun glasses, and is getting ready to sit back down with us for a SERIOUS conversation.  The only thing we have is "instincts and ears", if this is what it wants - well we are gonna have to ride it out. Its long from over!!!!
 
    It takes only 1 album to change everything, there will be a melting pot of everything there is out there and quality and talent will return.   A steak is still a steak, we would all be eating meat in a tube if people really did not give a shit!!!   I think people need to stop trying to understand and control one of the greatest forces the earth has ever known, and just pay attention instead.  Instead of trying to put lighting in a bottle, look at the sky and see when the next rain storm is coming and go outside and enjoy the show!!!!

Cheers, Bryan

[maarvold]

Bryan,

There might well be a few profound observations in what you say.  

[seedyunderbelly.com]

Wow Bryan,

Beautiful ____thanks

A cup of tea with the unknown

Only one jab  the beast has not even started dancing yet__

j

[Seb Riou]

Yay Bryan ...
I'm with the beast too

[Bubba#$%Kron]

Wow!! Thanks for all the kind words fellas!!!!