There is a myth that in order to stand out on the radio, your song needs to be louder than anyone else’s.
Bollocks.
Maybe this was true during the firstLoudness Wars, back when every Motown release was louder than the previous one, but not any more – not for a long time.
If this video doesn’t make you want to own your own analogue synthesiser, nothing will !
David Vorhaus will forever be part of my own musical history for creating the album “An Electric Storm” as part of legendary band The White Noise – along with Delia Derbyshire, of “Doctor Who Theme” fame. This mad, tuneful collage of tape loops, analogue synths and sound effects was released in 1969, and provides proof, if you needed it, that the Beatles weren’t nearly as cutting edge as they thought they were.
Forget computers and plugins, forget pop shields, forget the SwirlyGig, forget SSL desks and tantric breathing exercises – forget all that stuff, and open your mind to a real music production tool – the Oblique Strategies.
Oblique Strategies is a deck of cards, about 7×9 cm in size, supplied in a small black box labelled “OBLIQUE STRATEGIES”. The cards themselves are black on one side, white on the other, and have obscure, cryptic aphorisms printed on the front in small letters.
They are intended as a creative tool for musicians and were developed by legendary producerBrian Eno and artist Peter Schmidt - the pair originally both came up with the same idea independently in 1975, and joined forces to make it a reality. Eno’s own description explains the idea very well:
Production is not all about technology, microphone placement and mixing.
Don’t get me wrong, there will be plenty written and discussed here about those recording techniques, but hidden between the lines of my earlier post is an important message:
The secret of a great mix is to get a great performance and arrangement. Everything else will fall into place.
The aim of this site is to help you get better, more professional results from your recordings and mixes.
Affordable digital technology has brought about a revolution in the way music is recorded and produced. It’s now possible for anyone to indulge their passion for recording on a limited budget and make a recording to a similar standard as most professional studios of the 80s or 90s.
This only applies to the technical aspects, though.
Would you like experienced, affordable, professional feedback for your recordings?
Production Advice offers positive production insights - analysis, techniques and improvements to transform every kind of music, from the most intimate acoustic performance to full-on rock or a symphony orchestra.
You only pay for the advice you need, and there's a special introductory price for the initial consultation.