RFBX: In-Depth Specials Self Production and Promotion
By: Liane Escorza
Very many musicians and artists in this digital age of ours are able to produce studio quality work with inexpensive tools and software, and can also create a physical end product akin to a professionally manufactured, printed and packaged record. Such technological freedom allows artists to deliver their customised sound fast and directly to listeners and these in turn, can discover new music at the push of a search button. But not all is gold that shines.
The last couple of decades’ worth of new technologies and cultural shifts have lead the way to what has become now the accepted form of trade and exchange of music in the industry. By ‘accepted form’, I mean the ability to launch or download music that has been directly recorded, produced and publicised (either on the Internet or elsewhere) by musicians themselves, be they up and coming or established acts.
It’s not as new as you might think. In the 70s, Devo became famous for self-producing music videos and handling the whole process of compositing a public image themselves, partly as an identity strategy but also as a way of embracing the arrival of high quality video tape recorders, and reconciling this with a DIY ethos. Naturally, now the same kind of advancements are also the norm when recording albums; software, mixing tables, laptops and the like are all widely available to artists at a much lower price than ever before.
The financial crisis of the recent years has fanned the flames of the use of the internet for self-promoting purposes. Free and with infinite possibilities, any work uploaded has the potential to reach a huge number of prospective customers, and remains in the system forever. Yet regardless of the advantages of self-publication, choosing this path is still hard work. Competition is as fierce as ever, and trying to control the machinery alone is a dismaying task.
Musicians no doubt are facing challenges when self-producing and promoting albums. In the words of George Pringle, who has released one full length album and numerous other work from home, “they mainly lie in harnessing the technological side. Some people who make music, although they are good at playing instruments, aren't good with computers and learning software and technical production terms can be quite intimidating. If you feel overwhelmed by that side, then self-producing isn't possible. If you have the money to go into a studio and have the assistance on an engineer, then it makes life easier. You have to put a lot of hours in, playing around on software to produce at home.’
Another issue musicians often encounter is the loss of direction. Benefiting from a third person’s ideas or point of view is less of an option when alone in one’s bedroom, and it requires a self-critical approach to strike a balance. As Jody Prewett from the new emerging band Trophy Wife explains, ‘We kind of imagine how we’d want to sound but being three individuals is quite a lot to juggle, many ideas, you see. So we try to think of what a producer might say. Luckily, we have worked in a professional studio before, with the band Jonquil, and even though we paid money for the privilege of having an engineer with us, the end product did not feel right: it lacked freshness, it was too polished.’
Many musicians would approach the professional recording experience differently if they had the chance. And this is exactly what is happening when bands are signed to labels. Self-producing and professional production processes have their strong similarities, but promotion and setting out one’s has shifted to become the task of the musician like never before. The labels merely jump on the wagon later, tweaking rather than setting an artist’s craft, and if they do their job right, supporting a career.
Although opting to self produce often stems from a lack of money, it is however a trend that affects the men in grey suits as well. There’s little financial support anywhere for more obscure and emerging artists, for a rare sound that may not sell. Yet this comes with positives for both sides. When self-producing, musicians have a total creative control. Pringle affirms that “self-production has opened a small creative avenue for people to express themselves totally, to have their own unique vision and self-release. This isn't a lucrative prospect but if it works out and the record gets attention, it's a positive thing for the industry”, and so labels and listeners alike will express a real and legitimate interest.
To add some more positive outlook, by recording at home musicians are not restricted to a time frame. And time seems to be one of the key issues in this subject. Musicians feel the pressure at the studio; time means money. And many find themselves overwhelmed by vintage gear and having too much material to try and play and so little time. Finding concentration, a direction and identity is a struggle for young artists being lured into a professional studio. That is why home recording is handy. It is a place for experimentation, exploration and discovery of new gadgets and effects online. Once bands become independent and find their feet, once things are published online and people show interest, it becomes easier to deal with these new environments.
The question is, are these musicians completely satisfied with their self produced sound, and being responsible for its launch in what could be just a matter of hours after completion? Musicians used to grow around the rehearsal studio and prepare meticulously for such sessions, a trend which has reversed completely nowadays. But it seems contrary to this statement, perfectionism reigns. “I'm never satisfied with what I do because I'm a control freak”, says Pringle. “Self-producing is good for control freaks, but it's also a bad thing. You can pick at what you're doing too much because you don't like your voice, or you want it to sound more polished. The great thing about self-producing is that it is DIY and more often than not, it sounds Lo Fi. I like Lo Fi, so making music at home suits me. But what I have really benefited from has been working with an engineer in a studio when I am mixing. They can lend you an external ear but you're still in control. They are like a co-producer without the ego and they are much cheaper to work with. Also, if you go in a studio with a producer, you will notice that the engineer is just doing anything. The producer is being a Prima Donna, taking painkillers and drinking coffee, and the engineer is running around making it happen. I always get my engineer, Andy Ramsay (Stereolab), to tell me when he thinks something's getting boring and he helps me draw out the sounds, balance the record. I ask him and my friends and family opinions on tracks and then come to my own conclusion. Self-production is, essentially, about trusting your instincts. If you can't do that, then you shouldn't be doing it. You need the confidence to do it, so believing in your sound is the most important thing. Then the rest will fall into place.’
Text by Liane Escorza
Artists in this article: George Pringle, Trophy Wife