Computer technology has gotten sick; nowadays, for about $2500, you can
purchase a 1.3 ghz PC with enough memory to record a few albums worth of 24
track, 24 bit digital audio. On the same computer, you can run "virtual"
emulations of hard to find, expensive classic instruments (the Hammond B3
organ or Prophet 5 synth) or vintage, high dollar audio processing hardware
(like the Urei 1176 and LA2A compressors). You can chop and transmutate
loops by tempo, key, and etc. with the click of a mouse button, and just
about any tosser can spit out a decent sounding (if not very original) beat
without much difficulty.
The question for discussion is, now that we've reached a point where high
quality production and recording technology can be afforded by many, will
there be a backlash against computer / sampler based music production?
Ghettofied production techniques, such as the innovative things
electro-pioneers did with primitive gear like Akai S960s, Atari computers
and the like have become "civilized" and as such, require much less human
ingenuity. As the glut of electronic product continues, do you think in the
next few years the preferred sound might be a "live" one once again?
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Thu Aug 16 2001 - 04:10:01 CEST