singles

LANDR, is Automated Mastering the future of Audio?

If you are reading this, you have no doubt heard of the a new automated mastering service called LANDR, which claims to master your audio in mere seconds by computers for hardly any money. If you haven't yet, check out Mastering Engineer Ian Shepherd's deep look into the service and what it does to your audio.

The point I've taken from all of this is that no cookie-cutter formula works for all music. Although it's cool that technology allows for such things, and the results are Ok (I'd say the lower intensity version is passable), I think it's important to be wary and not forget the human element in art. No art should ever be treated exactly the same.

What do you listen to these days?

A friend of mine recently posted on Facebook: "What do you listen to these days when you have history's discography at your fingertips?" I thought about it for a second and replied: "Good question, existentially speaking." I don't know about the rest of you, but I have been listening to everything these days but at the same time I've been listening to nothing. 

It wasn't that long ago that I would take some of my hard-earned/saved cash to walk into a CD store and purchase an album - of course after many minutes of deliberation over which one to buy. That CD would then spin (or play in my mp3 player) non-stop until I had the record down cold in my brain - all the subtle guitar phrases; the exact drum fills; everything. Those days, of course, are over. Even as a record producer, I myself have basically stopped listening to albums. People listen to singles and even if they're listening to singles, chances are they're watching a music video on YouTube while listening and if not that, then it's blaring off in the background while they work, hardly even noticed. On the one hand, we have access to everything. On the other hand, nothing penetrates. I feel like I'm swimming in an endless sea of music and not a single drop clings to my body for more than an instant. 


I understand that the music industry is evolving and I understand the need for change, but I'm missing that primordial emotional response to music that I once had. I wonder who else is missing this and wants it back. I wonder, how can we shape the music industry together so that people still involve themselves in the music they listen to. If that happened, people would value music again and maybe even be willing to pay for it.