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Just A Bit Of Icing
By joseexist in Musings On Muses
August 3, 2011

In the early days music was a vehicle for minds to ride off into the sunset on so to speak. Tunes were created for the pleasure of being listened to. The harshness of a long work day could be smoothed away on the undulations of rhythms that had the power to take one away to any place and time other than the pool of blood, sweat, and tears the end of any day might have found you in. The reasons for writing music were nowhere near as important as how the music moved you then. Little if any attention was given to whatever the producing artist might believe in or stand for. Now, an artist stand and beliefs play a much larger role in eventual acceptance the world over.

Early on, the monetary possibilities from music were realized by a few with fat wallets and broad visions. They threw investment around at will and the modern industry of music was born. Touring bolstered popularity and studio work was the last step to a proper release. Then came the narrowing of the field, and music was corralled onto popularity charts. Big companies had most of the control over who was released and nearly total control over who got recorded. Back then recording was sequestered into ivory towers. The process was somewhat mysterious and the equipment was astronomically expensive. Before this happened there were a few mobile recordist who could simply set up and record with simple rigs anywhere. They became the scouts that traveled around looking for new talent. The big record companies were paying well so even amateur recordist could cash in on the benefits of a new niche. Even to this day there are old pieces of recording gear that are still in use and their modern counterparts are manufactured to deliver the same sonic quality in the studio albeit at phenomenal prices. On the digital front, a lot of that old stuff has been boxed into programs that promise the same results, or near enough good results to work for an amateur. No matter what sound you are after, you can achieve it one way or another.

These days history seems to be repeating itself with a beautiful twist. With the advent of computers and runaway miniaturization, the big record companies (now media conglomerates?) have switched away from big spending. The average person can now make hi-fi recordings at home in small rooms on inexpensive equipment. (I glance in mirror at self and smile.) The quality of what can be produced today is good enough to be released as is by large record companies and they do indeed do this from time to time. One big change in their modus-operandi is that the artist is now burdened with making a name for themselves in the market well in advance of ever getting any help from a large company. The way the big guys see it, if you can’t make yourself famous then they don’t need to waste their time on you. Big record companies want nothing more than to make a buck off of you. The bottom line is all that really matters to them. True, you might make more with them than without but either way, as long as the music is good, you might be successful. Sad but true is the fact that those behemoths no longer dish out huge investments for new artists. Everyone now has their work cut out for them.

In this day and age of compact recording gear, infinite information about how to do things on the net, and the falling prices of equipment that can get the job done, there is no shortage of new music. The worldwide scene is bulging with music made in spare bedrooms, basements, portable buildings, and anywhere else you can think of. The big companies are being pushed to the side as this wave of unsigned talent builds into a massive pipeline of sonic bombardment. Artists no longer need to ply their wares to fat-cats. New music can be posted to any number of social networking sites and distributors. Physical media can be warehoused in places such as CD Baby in Portland, Oregon. It’s all out there just waiting for a listener to want it bad enough to spend a bit of cash.

The wax cylinder was replaced by vinyl disc. Vinyl was replaced by tape. Tape was replaced by plastic disc. Discs may well be replaced by MP3. All the media music has ever been released on are still in use on some level though. I use CDr to proof my studio work, and backup files. I could use DVDr but that would require a hardware upgrade I can’t afford just yet. The beauty of it all is that whatever the public is favoring at any given time, they can get their hands on it in different formats, and all delivered either physically or electronically. The listener is now the dictator of what they hear. Before this quiet revolution the only music readily available was what the big companies wanted to release. Radio play was the main debut vehicle along with live concerts. Now, YouTube, MySpace, Reverbnation, CD baby, Facebook, and many, many others have become for unsigned and independent artists what big companies used to be for a few very small select groups of music makers. The realm is extremely crowded but anything you could possibly want is there. Not everyone will reap success but for some, like me, just having music out there is a bit of icing on life’s cake.