10 Questions
What marked a significant turning point in popular music recording practices in the early 1960s?
The shift from 'performance capture' approaches to creative, interpretive methodologies
Who is credited with the phrase 'sonic alchemists' to describe the creative influence of 1960s recordists?
Jamie Sexton
What is the result of the creative appropriation of technologies and processes in record 'construction'?
A less understood role of engineers in the recording process
What is a characteristic of the 'performance capture' approach employed by classical music engineers in the early twentieth century?
The emphasis on capturing a live performance
What is the result of the 'fork in the road' in recording techniques in the 1960s?
The creative appropriation of technologies and process in record 'construction'
What is a key feature of popular music recordists in the 1960s, according to Jamie Sexton?
Their creative and constructive use of the studio
What is the significance of the mention of 'alchemist' in the context of 1960s recordists?
It emphasizes their creative influence on the recording process
What is the consequence of the mythologization of the recordists' role and their working practices?
The canonization of 1960s recordists
What is a characteristic of the avant-garde techniques used in popular music production in the 1960s?
Their use of creative, interpretive methodologies
What is the result of the increasing use of avant-garde techniques in pop productions?
The development of more complex recording techniques
Study Notes
Sample-Sequencing Compositions
- M/A/R/R/S' 'Pump Up the Volume' (1987) was a significant landmark in sample-constructed house music, featuring a large number of samples.
Evolution of Recording Practices
- By the late 1980s, technology-driven 'construction' approaches with little to no evidence of live recording had become normalized, conspicuous, and ubiquitous.
- The 1990s signified a 'break out' period in terms of commercial recording and production practice.
- It was possible to achieve successful productions without the need for high-end studio equipment, recordists, or techniques.
Contrasts in Recording Practice
- The 1990s saw a variation in recording practice, pointing to an absence of 'standard' practices, perhaps for the first time in sound recording history.
- 'Standard' recording practices became more niche and aligned with genre and aesthetic intention.
- A marked return to 'standards' of prior eras became evident.
Creative Role of the Studio
- Joe Meek, a pioneer in using the studio as a creative tool, aimed to create recordings with their own qualities, rather than faithful reproductions.
- The studio can be used to create a recording that has its own distinct qualities, analogous to the difference between a movie and a stage theatre production.
Performance Capture vs. Construct
- Two discernible dimensions of recording practice exist: 'performance capture' and 'construct'.
- 'Constructing' records from multiple, engineered sound sources was once considered alternative, but eventually became 'standard' practices.
Mythologization of Technique
- Scholars recognize early 1960s popular music recordists as a 'turning point' away from 'performance capture' approaches.
- Avant-garde techniques were increasingly used in pop productions, leading to more complex recording techniques and the rise of the producer as a creative figure.
- The creative appropriation of technologies and process in record 'construction' became less understood, and engineers were no longer simply capturing a performance.
The early days of house music and its connection to avant-garde and commercial popular music. Key influences and milestone tracks in the development of sample-sequencing compositions.
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