
It’s interesting to note when Elvis did start recording, it was with Sam Phillips an independent recording engineer. Sam Phillips was a little man, along with other recording entrepreneurs with the same spirit, taking on the big commercial labels. He pushed a lot of music that wasn’t considered mainstream and took a lot of chances to get it out in the public.
It was new and exciting for many radio and record listeners. However, even then, at the time of the beginnings of rock and roll, few people could make a real living playing music in the “popular” world.
This independent spirit again caught on in the 1990’s with the digital revolution.
It has its pros and cons. Since recording or making recordings is much more convenient with computers and laptops, this revolution has caused a glut of music all over the Internet. There doesn’t seem to be a filter on this type of production.
Many say the people will be the filter of good music and art. That’s fine, but is it working?
There is also a potential audience of billions. Well the whole world is a potential audience I suppose, but is that really true?
It has always been down to the means of the message and how much time one takes to get it out. It is my feeling with so much easy access to music; most people can’t be bothered to listen. Also, listening to music through the tiny speaker on a laptop or the inefficient computer speakers does nothing for the music. In many cases this whole digital revolution has severely lowered the standard of the listener, and music in general.
Along with this negative, there is an attitude more than ever, that musicians should play for free.
The innovative and experimental rock group Radiohead recently released a “free” (or you decide what you want to pay for it) digital download titled “Rainbows” from their own website. It was suppose to be a radical experiment, and to some proved the demise of record companies, because Radiohead did make money with a so-called " free" release. Many people chose the option for the free download of this recording. A significant amount of people did in fact pay some money. Radiohead’s experiment in a “free” release didn’t prove much of anything however. They would not have made millions if they weren’t Radiohead.
The commercial companies producing recordings are behind the “people” at this point, but they will find a way to recapture the market. We have to be honest here about one fact, unfortunately most people wait to be told what to listen to.
Sure you will have a success story once in awhile.
But, this idea that people on myspace or other places are going to really be noticed, or be able to quit their day job, is as random as it was in the days of Elvis. He walked into Sam Phillips studio to make a recording for his mother when he was 18 years of age. He paid Phillips a few bucks for the studio time to do a recording entitled “My Happiness”. The rest is history.
Labels: Music Downloads Computer Music Elvis Rock and Roll