If your interested in music production, music theory, or just music, hears a great youtube channel. You don't have to be a musician to appreciate it. The quote in the title is from this video.
Why Don't Record Labels Believe In Young Artists? - YouTube
Why Don't Record Labels Believe In Young Artists? - YouTube
Songs are now a tradable commodity and investors will prefer buying into the time-honoured classics rather than taking the risk on new music.
It is reported that Bob Dylan has sold his catalogue for over $300 million, and that Neil Young has sold 50% of the rights from his catalogue to a FTSE-listed investment fund for an estimated $150 million.
Have you noticed the number of classic songs being used in TV shows, commercials, movie soundtracks and video games? It's huge business and can only have a detrimental effect on new music.
It is reported that Bob Dylan has sold his catalogue for over $300 million, and that Neil Young has sold 50% of the rights from his catalogue to a FTSE-listed investment fund for an estimated $150 million.
Have you noticed the number of classic songs being used in TV shows, commercials, movie soundtracks and video games? It's huge business and can only have a detrimental effect on new music.
In the early days, long before autotune, singers who were tonally challenged had to work extra hard in the studio in producing multiple tracks from which the finished vocal could be spliced together. Sometimes it came down to endlessly splicing in alternative verses, lines or even individual words!
It took a special singer to produce the goods in only one or two takes and, later in their career, this feat would be regarded as a badge of honour.
Then, of course, adding echo to the vocal, as well as employing multiple tracking, could hide a multitude of sins!
I have been watching Rick's channel for a while. He is 100% correct about the sickness, stagnation, and corporate control in the music industry.
Once upon a time in the early 70's, I spent a lot of time hanging around a low budget recording studio. In exchange for me fixing some stuff, I got to play with all of it. There are zero musicians, and people in general in a recording studio at say 9 AM, since they probably left around 2 AM.
I got to be pretty good with a razor blade and some magnetic tape. For optimum "sliceability", you record your track several times onto a full track mono 1/4 inch machine, then break out the razor blades and x-acto knife. There was a little metal fixture that held the tape for identical diagonal cuts. I made some pretty convincing guitar tracks that I could not actually play in real time.
I finally sold my last tape machine, a Teac 3340 in the early 2000's. Now I "slice" with a mouse. It's not called slicing today, it's multiple "take lanes" and "comping." You record 4 or so guitar of vocal takes, then pick the best parts of each for the final mix.
Once upon a time in the early 70's, I spent a lot of time hanging around a low budget recording studio. In exchange for me fixing some stuff, I got to play with all of it. There are zero musicians, and people in general in a recording studio at say 9 AM, since they probably left around 2 AM.
I got to be pretty good with a razor blade and some magnetic tape. For optimum "sliceability", you record your track several times onto a full track mono 1/4 inch machine, then break out the razor blades and x-acto knife. There was a little metal fixture that held the tape for identical diagonal cuts. I made some pretty convincing guitar tracks that I could not actually play in real time.
I finally sold my last tape machine, a Teac 3340 in the early 2000's. Now I "slice" with a mouse. It's not called slicing today, it's multiple "take lanes" and "comping." You record 4 or so guitar of vocal takes, then pick the best parts of each for the final mix.
As Galu says, music has been almost completely commoditised. And songwriting has been industrialised. Gone are the days of the album as a cohesive experience - it's all about individual (and utterly disposable) songs.
This was quite an eye-opener: Songwriters Are Getting Short-Changed by Music Streaming, Study Shows - Variety
This was quite an eye-opener: Songwriters Are Getting Short-Changed by Music Streaming, Study Shows - Variety
In the early days, long before autotune, singers who were tonally challenged had to work extra hard in the studio in producing multiple tracks from which the finished vocal could be spliced together. Sometimes it came down to endlessly splicing in alternative verses, lines or even individual words!
It took a special singer to produce the goods in only one or two takes and, later in their career, this feat would be regarded as a badge of honour.
Then, of course, adding echo to the vocal, as well as employing multiple tracking, could hide a multitude of sins!
The situation you describe (with multiple takes and editing) was not possible for common artists until 70's and 80's.
I see things differently about the 'badge of honour' in the 'early days' the situation about the whole industry was completly different: artists had to tour a set for many month before enter studio and make a record of it.
Since 80's situation is inverse: album first then touring. This is a very big difference as musicians doesn't really master the tracks when they enter studio or start a tour.
I don't agree about effects or multitrack hidding things. In practice i experienced the inverse. I think the question one should ask is if multitrack is needed for the differents style?
For variety production perfection may be a prerequisite but not for rock and roll or other genres in my view. Things like coherency and energy may be more important than being in place or in tune or whatever ( some recording of 70's are enligthning about this: eg: Led Zeppelin albums are not always perfect about timing but the intention is here and makes the music interesting in my view) .
Some artists and producers are aware of that, others just follow the trend ( or 'how it is done' ) or 'advice' from a technical crew which is not dedicated to their own style, or what the A.D. ( artistic director) impose.
Surely that happened in the 1960s? In LA the same band played all the records to get 'hits' for most pop releases, so much so that 20 years later they got named 'the wrecking crew'. I really don't see this as a 21st century problem, just another older generation thinking modern music isn't as good as it was when they were young.
Music production has been democratized. Everybody can have a recording studio in their bedroom. Few know how to do it very well. Music form and expression tends to follow what is easy to do on a computer, not necessarily what is most emotionally compelling. On the consumer end of things, people tend to have short attention spans. Music is used differently than before. Music changes as social culture and technology change, it is what it is.
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This is only in the US mainstream that this happens, but outside of that there is a lot of music that is very popular and works the old way, but new styles.
In the worldwide underground scenes, a lot is boiling and high quality music is released, but they don't end up in the US top40. These artists are also earning a lot of money, but mostly because they often are their own label and publishng company and keep everything under control. Here in Belgium most bands and pop artists have their own crew, own producers and keep control over this and licence records to big companies when it's relevant. We don't have those A&R managers that control artists 100% anymore in Europe, and that is very good.
Angèle (Angèle van Laeken), which is the biggest pop artist from Belgium right now, works with Universal, but writes and produces her own music and choose partners herself. She works from a studio of a friend that is an musician himself and sells the licence on the music to Universal.
Charlotte Adigéry, an other big name now in Belgian music, is a protégé from the Dewaele Brothers (Soulwax/2manydj's/...) and works with her musician Boris Pull in their studio, writing and producing herself all her stuff. Only the Dewaele Brothers may interfere (but they hardly do that) and release her music and manage her bookings. And so on...
This diy mentality is very alive here in Europe, also with big names, and studio's are not label related, but deliver a service direct to musicians mostly these days, (not even to labels) who finance their productions themselves before selling the music to labels. And that is a way more healthy way of working than the US mainstream way. The same account for licencing, some specialist compangies manage the copyrights and licence administration and legal aspects, for a small percentage of the benefit. But the final rights remain in the hands of the musicians, who pay for this service.
And in underground genres, musicians are often also the label owners, and only licence distribution to big companies (like Pias, that works with over 200 smaller, often artists based labels) that only distribute the music in a professional way (like big labels) but don't do any A&R/promotion/production. They only put the music on the final medium and distribute it to stores arround the world and get paid by the scale the label asks, by the label in most cases. Some bigger labels get deals that they take a percentage on the sale in stead on the production (even if there is no sale).
In the worldwide underground scenes, a lot is boiling and high quality music is released, but they don't end up in the US top40. These artists are also earning a lot of money, but mostly because they often are their own label and publishng company and keep everything under control. Here in Belgium most bands and pop artists have their own crew, own producers and keep control over this and licence records to big companies when it's relevant. We don't have those A&R managers that control artists 100% anymore in Europe, and that is very good.
Angèle (Angèle van Laeken), which is the biggest pop artist from Belgium right now, works with Universal, but writes and produces her own music and choose partners herself. She works from a studio of a friend that is an musician himself and sells the licence on the music to Universal.
Charlotte Adigéry, an other big name now in Belgian music, is a protégé from the Dewaele Brothers (Soulwax/2manydj's/...) and works with her musician Boris Pull in their studio, writing and producing herself all her stuff. Only the Dewaele Brothers may interfere (but they hardly do that) and release her music and manage her bookings. And so on...
This diy mentality is very alive here in Europe, also with big names, and studio's are not label related, but deliver a service direct to musicians mostly these days, (not even to labels) who finance their productions themselves before selling the music to labels. And that is a way more healthy way of working than the US mainstream way. The same account for licencing, some specialist compangies manage the copyrights and licence administration and legal aspects, for a small percentage of the benefit. But the final rights remain in the hands of the musicians, who pay for this service.
And in underground genres, musicians are often also the label owners, and only licence distribution to big companies (like Pias, that works with over 200 smaller, often artists based labels) that only distribute the music in a professional way (like big labels) but don't do any A&R/promotion/production. They only put the music on the final medium and distribute it to stores arround the world and get paid by the scale the label asks, by the label in most cases. Some bigger labels get deals that they take a percentage on the sale in stead on the production (even if there is no sale).
Music production has become far easier than it has ever been. This makes for a lot of content, both good and bad.
I have found some excellent bedroom studio music on Youtube. I have found everything this guy and his friends do very good and enjoyable.
For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield Cover - YouTube
Even the mechanical cat is on beat:
Lay Down Sally - Eric Clapton Cover - YouTube
Unfortunately there is a lot more pure garbage on Youtube, often with a far larger fan base.
Can someone please explain the viewership of Marc Rebillet? I find absolutely no redeeming value there, but obviously a lot of people do.
Music distribution is a different story. What is presented to us as current, or popular "music" seems to appeal mostly to the audience who listens to music through white wires. If you were to name any of the major recording artists from the last several years, I would no recognize them. If I even turn on the radio in my car, it's to the "classic rock" station, and I get bored with their playlist pretty quickly.
I have found some excellent bedroom studio music on Youtube. I have found everything this guy and his friends do very good and enjoyable.
For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield Cover - YouTube
Even the mechanical cat is on beat:
Lay Down Sally - Eric Clapton Cover - YouTube
Unfortunately there is a lot more pure garbage on Youtube, often with a far larger fan base.
Can someone please explain the viewership of Marc Rebillet? I find absolutely no redeeming value there, but obviously a lot of people do.
Music distribution is a different story. What is presented to us as current, or popular "music" seems to appeal mostly to the audience who listens to music through white wires. If you were to name any of the major recording artists from the last several years, I would no recognize them. If I even turn on the radio in my car, it's to the "classic rock" station, and I get bored with their playlist pretty quickly.
Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1965 - Wikipedia
From here you can pick any year of your preference and see the 100 biggests selling singles of the year in the American market. In 1965 Herman's Hermits got in at least 3 times. There are not 100 great songs you would want to play a lot in there.
Now of course the top 100 are the songs targeted at the 16-25 year old bracket, so a septuginarian will not like the top 100 from last year. Luckily the 16-25 year olds of today can still appreciate old music. I'd say they are the winners.
Remember the 1960s brought us 'McArthur Park'
From here you can pick any year of your preference and see the 100 biggests selling singles of the year in the American market. In 1965 Herman's Hermits got in at least 3 times. There are not 100 great songs you would want to play a lot in there.
Now of course the top 100 are the songs targeted at the 16-25 year old bracket, so a septuginarian will not like the top 100 from last year. Luckily the 16-25 year olds of today can still appreciate old music. I'd say they are the winners.
Remember the 1960s brought us 'McArthur Park'
60's also brought us Itchykoo Park
The Small Faces - Itchykoo Park (1967) - YouTube
After reading a newspaper article about it, my father told me I shouldnt listen to that song because it was bad.
The Small Faces - Itchykoo Park (1967) - YouTube
After reading a newspaper article about it, my father told me I shouldnt listen to that song because it was bad.
There is great music in every decade from the last 1000 years. Just an awful lot of rubbish as well that requires filtering out.
If I really wanted to give the grumpy greybeards a heart attack we could start mentioning songs from the 21st century sampling the 60s that are actually better because of it
If I really wanted to give the grumpy greybeards a heart attack we could start mentioning songs from the 21st century sampling the 60s that are actually better because of it
If I really wanted to give the grumpy greybeards a heart attack we could start mentioning songs from the 21st century sampling the 60s that are actually better because of it
Don't make me post my rendition of the sampler (MC Hammer) in the 90's sampling a song from 1981 (Rick James). I called it "Can't Loop This" and it really sucked because it was the first thing I ever made in Fruity Loops (now FL Studio after the cereal company sued).
Don't call me a grumpy old man even if I am one!
But to the grandkids, I'm still a grumpy old man.....and yes I think their taste in music sucks.
The older two listen to the autotuned stuff that makes money for the music distributors, and the younger two listen to the stuff that makes money for the Disney corporation......but the grumpy old men spent a couple kilobucks to take them all to Disney World the Christmas before last, and it was the best $2K I ever wasted.
The older two listen to the autotuned stuff that makes money for the music distributors, and the younger two listen to the stuff that makes money for the Disney corporation......but the grumpy old men spent a couple kilobucks to take them all to Disney World the Christmas before last, and it was the best $2K I ever wasted.
You are definitely not a grumpy old man!
I think your grandchildren doesn't realise how cool it is to have a grandfather developping tube based filters for his modular synth!
Mc Hammer would agree you 'can't touch this'!
I would love to listen to your version of Rick James loop under FL.
I think your grandchildren doesn't realise how cool it is to have a grandfather developping tube based filters for his modular synth!
Mc Hammer would agree you 'can't touch this'!
I would love to listen to your version of Rick James loop under FL.
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