grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
Will the home recording boom prove to be significant in the history of recorded music or will it be seen in the future as a mere sidetrack from 'business as usual' ?
B
bongoboy
a clown without a circus
Business as usual seems to be just that. What is noted in the mainstream media is what the "business" feels they can turn a buck on. The outlets us shmucks have (reverb nation, soundcloud, et al) have a limited audience, mostly musicians. Will that be significant in the history of recorded music? Probably not.
B
Beck
Guest
How about "Misadventure."
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
Well....home rec has been going on for quite awhile now....not sure how much real deep significance it's had AFA what the history of record music will show.
There was a lot of talk 10-15 years back when digital and Internet hit the home rec scene in a big way....how everyone could be a star under their own power....blah, blah, blah.
So far...that's been a gross miscalculation.
One thing though, the home rec scene has been a major boon for the music gear manufacturers. It's blown open the market for them. You notice how much the choice of new gadgets has increased 100-fold, and much of it is the same shit over and over....just constant repackaging of more of the same disposable toys.
This is one of the reasons I still think buying high-end is always the better option when budgets allow, as that stuff at least holds value, and often appreciates. All those endless home rec gadgets and toys often end up in the landfills as new things are made and bought and now the manufactures have manby more things that they can offer as new versions and upgrades....not much different than any other "home" appliances.
Seafroggys
Well-known member
As I've always said.....the benefits of home recording and the internet is that it allows everybody to hear everybody's music. The negatives of home recording and the Internet is that it allows everybody to hear everybody's music.
I first got into the concept of "home recording" back in 2001 or thereabouts, when I was 15. Retrospectively it was still a new thing, as far as pro digital recording was concerned (yes 4-track portastudios have existed for years but lets be honest, they're nowhere near the same level as even a basic USB 2-channel setup with a DAW and freeware plugins). I thought at the time I could start a band, jump the gun and get paid/recognition as an independent musician without even dealing with a label. I was/am very tech saavy, and recognized the power of the Internet even back then, before anybody else thought it was useful for anything beyond illegally downloading MP3's through Kazaa. When I first started doing really basic stuff with Radio Shack mics and Sound Blaster cards a few years later, that was when Myspace was taking off and I started seeing a ton of bands with posted music.
And then I realized I was too late. By the time I started my proper studio in 2007, proliferation spelt the death of my ambition.
So to answer your question, the home recording boon will be a major footnote, but a footnote that produces no memorable music in the history books.
I first got into the concept of "home recording" back in 2001 or thereabouts, when I was 15. Retrospectively it was still a new thing, as far as pro digital recording was concerned (yes 4-track portastudios have existed for years but lets be honest, they're nowhere near the same level as even a basic USB 2-channel setup with a DAW and freeware plugins). I thought at the time I could start a band, jump the gun and get paid/recognition as an independent musician without even dealing with a label. I was/am very tech saavy, and recognized the power of the Internet even back then, before anybody else thought it was useful for anything beyond illegally downloading MP3's through Kazaa. When I first started doing really basic stuff with Radio Shack mics and Sound Blaster cards a few years later, that was when Myspace was taking off and I started seeing a ton of bands with posted music.
And then I realized I was too late. By the time I started my proper studio in 2007, proliferation spelt the death of my ambition.
So to answer your question, the home recording boon will be a major footnote, but a footnote that produces no memorable music in the history books.
X
Xdrummer
New member
I think Seafroggys is correct that home recording will be a relatively important footnote, both as a vehicle that allowed artists more opportuity to write and arrange (paving the way for careers that then led to major studio releases, etc.) and as a movement that gave equipment companies incentive to create more inovative and often more cost effective recording/processing equipment. I don't think that any significant music of note (that holds up to the test of time) will be directly credited to home recording.
witzendoz
Senior Member
Over time home recording changed from what it was intended to be to what it is now. When the 1st 4 tracks came out the idea was for musicians to be able to record ideas on their own so that they could make a demo for the band, label and studio to hear the song. As time went on improvements in technology have made it possible to get studio quality at home and release product.
Is it a good thing? I think generally not. When the demo was taken to band members, a label, studio, producer, and they also had input into the song from their own experience and it was often improved by this input. Now there are musicians sitting in home studios with no interaction with the outside world, they are missing a lot in their music education.
The other trap is that home studio musicians get caught up in the technical side and waste a lot of time, energy and creativity in getting the gear to work and getting the sound etc, where song writers and performers should be using this energy to write great songs and play. The studio engineer is the one that should know how to get the sound you need.
Just a few thoughts.
Alan
Is it a good thing? I think generally not. When the demo was taken to band members, a label, studio, producer, and they also had input into the song from their own experience and it was often improved by this input. Now there are musicians sitting in home studios with no interaction with the outside world, they are missing a lot in their music education.
The other trap is that home studio musicians get caught up in the technical side and waste a lot of time, energy and creativity in getting the gear to work and getting the sound etc, where song writers and performers should be using this energy to write great songs and play. The studio engineer is the one that should know how to get the sound you need.
Just a few thoughts.
Alan
Bobbsy
Boring Old Git
I suspect the bigger change, which goes hand in hand with home recording, are the distribution methods. Music is now out of the hands of the big record companies. This also means that recording can come out of the hands of the big, expensive studios.
The only problem is that having the means doesn't mean that people have the talent...and now it's not just musicianship that's needed. To be successful you also need to understand the technology.
But, that aside, home recording is here to stay.
The only problem is that having the means doesn't mean that people have the talent...and now it's not just musicianship that's needed. To be successful you also need to understand the technology.
But, that aside, home recording is here to stay.
Pinky
and The Brain...
I think this has made the entry point into music production easier, which has led to more high caliber indie artists. There's a number of signed artists who barely chart but who put out quality material and are at no risk of losing their backing record company's support. But the ones I'm thinking of also tour. I've not yet heard of any charting artist who does it all from their computer chair at home (and doesn't tour).
The tools we use and have been developed for mainstream use by home recording musicians is also being used by many signed musicians. I know from interviews that many artists write their material at home on their personal computing equipment, and often use those tracks end up in the final studio version. And depending on how strictly "home" recording is defined, the last Foo Fighter's album was recorded in Dave Grohl's garage.
We haven't seen a true self made millionaire home recording musician. Does mean we won't.
The tools we use and have been developed for mainstream use by home recording musicians is also being used by many signed musicians. I know from interviews that many artists write their material at home on their personal computing equipment, and often use those tracks end up in the final studio version. And depending on how strictly "home" recording is defined, the last Foo Fighter's album was recorded in Dave Grohl's garage.
We haven't seen a true self made millionaire home recording musician. Does mean we won't.
homestudioguy
Well-known member
The concept of the "Home Recording Studio" is light years beyond labeling it as a "Mere Side-Track".
In the 1970's, companies like Teac/Tascam, AKAI, Dokorder, and others started selling Multi-Track Reel To Reels using 1/2" and 1/4" Tape that cost thousands of dollars below the well known 2" Multi-Track Machines. I was working in Music Retail then and in the early 80's and in my opinion, this was the beginning of the Home Studio.
In fact, while I was in college (mid to late 70's), I had one friend who had a ($3K) 3340 TEAC 4-Track in his apartment and another who owned a ($2K) 7140(?) 4-Track DOKORDER who brought it into the Music Department to use.
Both of them bought their units for their own personal use/recording.
With the advent of Computer Recording and it's exponential technical growth, now, just about anybody can do multi-track recording (for better or worse) for a whole lot less.
B
In the 1970's, companies like Teac/Tascam, AKAI, Dokorder, and others started selling Multi-Track Reel To Reels using 1/2" and 1/4" Tape that cost thousands of dollars below the well known 2" Multi-Track Machines. I was working in Music Retail then and in the early 80's and in my opinion, this was the beginning of the Home Studio.
In fact, while I was in college (mid to late 70's), I had one friend who had a ($3K) 3340 TEAC 4-Track in his apartment and another who owned a ($2K) 7140(?) 4-Track DOKORDER who brought it into the Music Department to use.
Both of them bought their units for their own personal use/recording.
With the advent of Computer Recording and it's exponential technical growth, now, just about anybody can do multi-track recording (for better or worse) for a whole lot less.
B
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