Standing Out in a Crowded Room
Posted on | July 5, 2009 | No Comments
The music industry has changed a lot in the last decade. When I look back, it still kind of amazes me that with affordable digital technology artists can write and record a song (sometimes collaborating over continents through broadband), distribute it through P2P networks, and then promote it via social networking channels; all this, literally, in a matter of hours or days. But if everyone can do this it brings us back to the age old question: How do you differentiate yourself from the masses?
There are various promotional techniques to help you stand out, like winning a contest or getting an opening spot for a well-known band. But eventually, it comes down to your music. Does it sound good?
Part of this question is subjective. Whether or not someone likes your music is based on taste and the audience you’re playing to. But the production side is more objective. Does the recording have the sonic integrity for it to translate well on the radio, iPod, home theater system, and car stereo?
When you think about it, that’s the single common thread that connects recordings the world listens to…whether it’s Frank Sinatra, Aerosmith, Green Day, Nine Inch Nails, or Jonas Brothers. They all have a high degree of crafting in their songwriting and record production. That intangible quality of “professionalism.”
Yet, due to the at-home digital audio workstation and the peer-to-peer networking revolutions, more and more artists are consolidating (or skipping) production steps, putting out recordings that lack that same quality.
There’s an interesting chicken-egg scenario I often hear, that goes something like, “Well, if I had the budget of XYZ artist, I’d invest the money to have my music produced correctly too.”
I think that a lot of the people who are where they are in the recording industry today got the attention of labels and audiences by putting together a professional package from the beginning, allowing them to stand out in a crowded room.
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From Ohm to Om reflects the opinions of mastering engineer Paul Abbott, owner of San Diego's ZenMastering.
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