Has technology ruined your chops?

[Clit Torres]

I was just wondering if any of you guitarists or bassists out there have been affected by recording technology. In this world of cut and paste, nip here, tweak there, I find I'm a better editor than I am a guitarist these days. I apologize if this has been brought up before but I was just curious if anyone here was having a similar experience.

I write and record quite a bit and I find I'm more creative than ever with my DAW, problem is my technical skills have suffered immensely.

 

[gvarko]

Agreed!!

I was just wondering if any of you guitarists or bassists out there have been affected by recording technology. In this world of cut and paste, nip here, tweak there, I find I'm a better editor than I am a guitarist these days. I apologize if this has been brought up before but I was just curious if anyone here was having a similar experience.

I write and record quite a bit and I find I'm more creative than ever with my DAW, problem is my technical skills have suffered immensely.

I just sold my entire DAW setup.. I am looking for a 4 track recorder on ebay as we speak.. I am doing what I call a technology rollback...

 

[Track Rat]

I was just wondering if any of you guitarists or bassists out there have been affected by recording technology. In this world of cut and paste, nip here, tweak there, I find I'm a better editor than I am a guitarist these days.

Nope. I can still jam my ass off. A a matter of fact, at 3:00 I'm off to a jam session with some local heavy weights.

 

[montage]

I think technology has improved my practice habits. I'm able to create a metronome regimen, and assembling a mp3 songlist to play along to is much easier than continually rewinding a cassette tape.

 

[BlindCowboy]

I had to quit recording for awhile because of exactly what you're saying. I was filling the part, and stagnating on the guitar. Had to turn of the recorder and focus on the guitar. I still suck, but at least it's an honest attempt.

 

[dirtythermos]

These days I mostly use my DAW for practice / learning. Cakewalk + cheap guitar/bass modeler + acid drum loops = ultimate composition machine. I am able to experiment with a wide range of things and compose very quickly. I can try all sorts of things that I'd never be able to try with other musicians. For instance, you just can't tell a bass player "You play this line for 20 minutes without stopping. I am going to experiment with modal guitar solos." Yet I can put a decent sounding bassline down with the modeler in 30 seconds, loop it, and go to town.

When I went to jam with a tin whistle / low whistle player yesterday, I showed up having already arranged and practiced accompaniment for several traditional pieces. I found midi files on the net, put them into cakewalk and used some dxi synth to make them vaguely resemble a flute. I was then at my leisure to create guitar arrangements. It was only the 2nd time we've played together, but in 1.5 hours we put together 4 songs.

Someday I plan on getting back to actually recording with my DAW, but lately I have been too busy ... improving my chops.

 

[mshilarious]

I think you see in these responses what is natural--two different paths in music, one towards performance and one towards composition. That's exactly what you get at university.

DAWs are such incredible tools that they enhance the possibilities of both. Before modern tools existed, it was much easier to concentrate on performance. When I learned in the '80s, very few bands worried much about composition because it was too difficult for most of them to execute them. So the perception was to focus on performance.

Now that the potential for both is roughly equal, you see different musicians making different choices, which is good.

Personally, I never practice until I've written a part that I can't play. Then I rehearse it until I've got it, record it, then forget it as quickly as I learned it. I find that keeps my compositions fresher, but whatever works for you is good.

 

[postalblue]

i actually think the more (affordable) technology, the better. i have more freedom now to compose and experiment now than i ever did. i think all's fair in love and record making in the sense that if you cut and paste your whole performance to get a stellar recording, it's ok. it's not ok if you're making a recording to sell yourself as a live act.

having said that, i never edit my guitar parts. i used to edit my vocals, but now i don't anymore. i usually sing until i get a good enough take, which doesn't take too long, because i've improved a lot.

 

[mikeh]

I'm still a dinosaur when it comes to playing and recording. I'm not a big fan of large amounts of editing. Since I came up in the days of analog tape, editing required very skillful tape splicing. Accordingly, as a rule you had to ace your parts or rewind and start from 1-2-3-4

So. I still tend to record that way. I learn my parts and try to hit them in a limited number of takes. At least with hard disk recording, I don't have to wait for the reel to rewind.

However, I will say that technology has caused me to spend waaaay too much time with my nose in an instruction manual (every new piece of gear requires a learning curve).

I suspect that if I spent as much time on my playing chops as I do trying to figure out which knob controls which parameter (don't even get me started on scrolling through multiple layers of screens) I would indeed be a better player.

 

[turnitdown]

Guilty.... I've gotten so lay that I even copy whole parts.... more for composition than "chops", but lazy nonetheless...

 

[turnitdown]

Ooops.. mean "LAZY"... I've gotten "LAZY"!!!

 

[turnitdown]

Whoops... meant "MEANT", not "MEAN"... Typographically challenged this morning...

 

[mishagolin]

nope, i actually think technology has helped me get better.

the best training tool i have is my boss rc20. its a phrase sampler and playing with it helps me stay in time and think of new lines. it really expands my creative thinking. i could sit in my room with this thing for a few days and never get bored. playing with it has definitely made me better.

 

[cellardweller]

Technology has motivated me to play, whereas before, without an actual band to play with, there was no reward, no gratification in it.

Now I can lay out a whole song, by myself, revise it, add to it, subtract, etc...

Lately, being as I'm in an actual band, I've had far less time (like none) to do any recording, but it is there waiting for me, and I do look forward to that aspect of playing as much if not moreso than actual performance.

For me, technology has (maybe) slightly improved my playing, or at least partially restored some of my former abilities.

 

[Scottgman]

I have been realizing this lately. For the last (almost) 2 years, I have spent a ton of time learning how to record. But my guitar playing has suffered. I have been spending all my free time experimenting with mic placement, compression, mixing, etc. while neglecting my guitar chops and songwriting skills.

It's very paradoxical to me-- frustrating and rewarding at the same time.

I'm certainly making better recordings than I was 2 years ago, but I don't think I've improved as a guitar player over these 2 years. Sure, recording has given me lots of insights into the role of guitar in the sonic landscape-- but that is worthless unless I can actually apply those insights to my chops.

I'm trying to organize my free time better. Lately I've only been working on recording only on Saturdays. Any other free time I try to spend practicing guitar and songwriting.

However, as people have already mentioned. Using a DAW for compositional purposes (not final production) is awesome. I'm starting to build up a library of riffs and ideas on my hard drive that has been useful for songwriting purposes.

Good luck!

 

[cellardweller]

Good idea, the "riff library".

why didn't I think of that...

 

[Scottgman]

Yeah, it's pretty handy. I've got the files named by key... like Amin Riff 1. Or just Amin and then have several tracks of different Amin riffs.

When I'm writing a song in Amin and I'm kind of stuck, I can pull up my archived Amin riffs and hopefully find something that work or stimulate a new idea.

 

[Taylor_214]

I stopped playing guitars for many years until last year when i discovered what DAW can do. Since i dont play in a band or hang with other musicians, it allowed me to critically listen to myself, and motivated me to improve my abilities, until i sound good/right. Before this, i've never composed a song, and had no clue how to even start one. Having a DAW opened up a whole new world for me musically. It's motivated me to create original music, and pushes me to improve my technical abilities in order to be able to create the sounds i hear inside.

Peace

 

[Zona Mona]

I've forced myself to be better while still recording by not cutting and pasteing very much. If I don't like a track I've just layed down, I don't punch in/out I re-record it untill it's perfect. I also play in a live band so that helps keep me up as well. So I'd say that it would be a healthy combination of the two.

 

[MarkIV123]

I've recently re-purchased the POD XT. This time I got the 'Live' model which is basically the pedal board version. I spend 50% of the time reading about it online, 30% tweaking it, and the other 20% playing. I used to just plug into my Mesa and play for hours recording into a USB mic.
Some people are just gear heads I think. Anything with knobs and buttons and lights and they're completely consumed, and if you can hook it up to your computer even better.
The evolution of technology is a good thing and I'm sure will only prove to enhance and spread music to those who couldn't hear and couldn't be heard.