It must be realized that it's simply human nature to favor music that was popular when one was young . Are we forgetting how much our parents hated our music?
There are plenty of great artists recording however it is getting harder and harder to get heard due to present corporate policys and IMO, the demise of the 45RPM record. The "45" enabled even unknown artists to get heard nationally with very little money outlayed. "Top 40" radio (based on "45" sales) was the birthplace of much of the great music of the past.
Aslo, unlike in the past, music is now most often head from low quality sources which makes it dificult to get excited about anything. Music is now is most often judged by visual quality rather than its audio merits due the the MTV legacy. This is why many singers now feel the need to included a group of dancers and other gimmick to get attention on TV.
There are plenty of great artists recording however it is getting harder and harder to get heard due to present corporate policys and IMO, the demise of the 45RPM record. The "45" enabled even unknown artists to get heard nationally with very little money outlayed. "Top 40" radio (based on "45" sales) was the birthplace of much of the great music of the past.
Aslo, unlike in the past, music is now most often head from low quality sources which makes it dificult to get excited about anything. Music is now is most often judged by visual quality rather than its audio merits due the the MTV legacy. This is why many singers now feel the need to included a group of dancers and other gimmick to get attention on TV.
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I'd argue the opposite. Barriers to entry these days are MUCH lower than when I was a young man, when it took hundreds of thousands of dollars of studio and engineer, then an expensive vinyl pressing, then distribution of physical media through brick and mortar, with feet on the street and bribes paid so that someone could hear my music. Consumers had a choice of a couple of radio stations or buying at record stores with limited selections.
These days, as a musician, I could do a totally pro recording job using inexpensive equipment and software, distribute digitally, burn CDs, and promote via social media and YouTube for peanuts. The record companies as gatekeepers is a dying model. As a consumer, I can find and listen to more interesting music than I'd ever have time for via the net, tune samples, purchases through Amazon, and about a million streaming sites.
These days, as a musician, I could do a totally pro recording job using inexpensive equipment and software, distribute digitally, burn CDs, and promote via social media and YouTube for peanuts. The record companies as gatekeepers is a dying model. As a consumer, I can find and listen to more interesting music than I'd ever have time for via the net, tune samples, purchases through Amazon, and about a million streaming sites.
Hundres of thousands for a studio andengineer? Some of the most fanous recording artists and songs of all time got their start with a cheap home recorder and it cost a few hundreds for a few 45s to send to key radio stations.
Now you need "social media? You have to holler extremely loud to get attention over the relentlees audio din.
"To 40" radio was a social media with a very targeted audence.
Even "underground" FM had a target audience.
Now you need "social media? You have to holler extremely loud to get attention over the relentlees audio din.
"To 40" radio was a social media with a very targeted audence.
Even "underground" FM had a target audience.
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Try out cdbaby.com
Instead of waiting for the Word to get out you can go find new gold your self,
Discover the Best Indie Music from Around the World | CD Baby
Instead of waiting for the Word to get out you can go find new gold your self,
Discover the Best Indie Music from Around the World | CD Baby
Yes. If you're a band in the 50s-60s-70s recording for Warner Bros/Columbia/whatever, yes, the record companies invested hundreds of thousands. Abbey Road didn't come cheap. You might have gotten your start with a home recorder which got the attention of a talent scout, but you got distribution with a major label, who set you up with an engineer, a producer, and a studio.
Today, you can record at home with an excellent mike and digital interface with pro quality results at near zero cost. You can use social media to generate buzz. You can distribute yourself, you don't need FM stations, you don't need record stores. It's the best of times for musicians and for music lovers.
It's an interesting view looking back from Youtube to Ed Sullivan, or iPod to transistor AM radio. As SY describes, just about anyone can be a musician today. So the A&R duties fall on the consumer. That tends to suit my eclectic taste in music, though I like a lot of Top 40. The downloadable mp3 single would seem just as capable as a 45 - the tunes are out there to be found. These examples from the past couple of days show sound quality is not bad either.
Lee Barber - The Mosquito
JD Malone & the Experts - She Likes
Coincidentally, I saw Lee Barber last night; nice guy that he is, he spent a half hour after the show teaching me the fingering for "Tin Foil Satellite." Perfect example- here's a guy who's a brilliant songwriter, but totally out of the mainstream. He would never have gotten a glance from record labels twenty or thirty years ago. But he has distribution and a cult following now thanks to the low cost and ready availability of recording, promotion, and distribution.
"Mosquito" is a cool song!
"Mosquito" is a cool song!
SY
It may interest you to know that I was actually in a recording studio in the late '60s, recorded 4 songs and the grand total was about $500. The big money comes into play when a big name act spends an excessive amount of time in a studio simply to experiment.
Studio time is determined by the hour. One can record a heck or a lot in one hour if they know what they are diong . Only a fool or a big name act rehearses/experiments in a studio.
Also the home recoding quality back then was just as good as is is now as long as it was high end.
BTW, the band broke up shortly after recording as a couple of members were only 15 yeas old . We did not pay a penny for the sudio. A rich agent heard us and like us..... I played Bass.
I believe the bands like Beatles would have gotten lost in the suffle in today's enviourment.
It may interest you to know that I was actually in a recording studio in the late '60s, recorded 4 songs and the grand total was about $500. The big money comes into play when a big name act spends an excessive amount of time in a studio simply to experiment.
Studio time is determined by the hour. One can record a heck or a lot in one hour if they know what they are diong . Only a fool or a big name act rehearses/experiments in a studio.
Also the home recoding quality back then was just as good as is is now as long as it was high end.
BTW, the band broke up shortly after recording as a couple of members were only 15 yeas old . We did not pay a penny for the sudio. A rich agent heard us and like us..... I played Bass.
I believe the bands like Beatles would have gotten lost in the suffle in today's enviourment.
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So was I, and apparently with equal success. Or lack of same. I played flute and rhythm guitar. By comparison, one of the other local players got picked up by a major studio who spent about a thousand times as much recording and promoting him. He got rich and famous, I became a scientist.
There's no comparison of the quality of home recording then versus now. That's ludicrous. We now have MUCH better mikes, preamps, and recording equipment available for the home recordist's budget.
There's no comparison of the quality of home recording then versus now. That's ludicrous. We now have MUCH better mikes, preamps, and recording equipment available for the home recordist's budget.
I did say the home recording equipment had to be high end...
Home recording was just to get your foot in the door and national attention.
BTW I'm of the school of thought that real talent does not need expensive anything.
Think of "MoTown" and how they got their start for example.
Home recording was just to get your foot in the door and national attention.
BTW I'm of the school of thought that real talent does not need expensive anything.
Think of "MoTown" and how they got their start for example.
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Steve Barber was a great pitcher for the Orioles.
Here's the song Lee taught me:
Tin Foil Satellite by The Barbers | Song | Free Music, Listen Now
Not very Lou Reed-ish!
Playing at the Whip In | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Here's the song Lee taught me:
Tin Foil Satellite by The Barbers | Song | Free Music, Listen Now
Not very Lou Reed-ish!
Playing at the Whip In | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
BTW I'm of the school of thought that real talent does not need expensive anything.
Think of "MoTown" and how they got their start for example.
Lots of guys and gals got their start singing and playing at weddings, high school dances. Some of the most famous (like Pavarotti) just followed their parent's steps and sang in the choir!
It's pretty sad, today, that everyone thinks that if they don't get an arts degree from NYU, Carnegie Mellon or UCLA they'll never be a musical, cinema or stage success -- that's why you see so much production which appears homogenized.
certainly wont be everyones cup of tea, but Geoffrey Gurumul Yunupingu is certainly very talented Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu - Wiyathul - YouTube
I listen to tripple J in the car (Australia Youth station) they don't play top 40 stuff at all, and play a lot of new (alternative) music. triple j - new music | live music | Australian music | Hottest 100 | Hack | triple j Unearthed
They stream over the net Listen | triple j
Tony.
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu - Wiyathul - YouTubeI listen to tripple J in the car (Australia Youth station) they don't play top 40 stuff at all, and play a lot of new (alternative) music. triple j - new music | live music | Australian music | Hottest 100 | Hack | triple j Unearthed
They stream over the net Listen | triple j
Tony.
BTW.....
If anyone is into internet "radio" I would recomend "radio paradise".
Radio Paradise - commercial free Internet radio - modern & classic rock, electronica, world music & more - picked & mixed by real humans.
They play a great mix of quality old music with great new new artists and they "netcast"" in 128K (with limited 192k) quality.
It's a great way to expaned listening, discover new artists, when on your home computer.
It's been my favorate Winamp bookmark for years.
BTW I have "klipsch promedia 2.1" sys for my main computers (towers) in my bedroom and I'm about to upgrade the drivers. Tang Band makes some interesting speakers for it that some others have used for the klipsch with great results.
If anyone is into internet "radio" I would recomend "radio paradise".
Radio Paradise - commercial free Internet radio - modern & classic rock, electronica, world music & more - picked & mixed by real humans.
They play a great mix of quality old music with great new new artists and they "netcast"" in 128K (with limited 192k) quality.
It's a great way to expaned listening, discover new artists, when on your home computer.
It's been my favorate Winamp bookmark for years.
BTW I have "klipsch promedia 2.1" sys for my main computers (towers) in my bedroom and I'm about to upgrade the drivers. Tang Band makes some interesting speakers for it that some others have used for the klipsch with great results.
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