Creative Works Portfolio: Space, Time, Creativity, and the Changing Character of the Recording Studio: Spatiotemporal Attitudes Toward “DIY” Recording

The proliferation of low-cost digital music production tools has changed the way recording artists and music producers experience recording technology and the spatial environments in which they record. This NTRO portfolio is a collection of recordings designed to determine how the performer experiences purpose-built large-format recording spaces and DIY recordings conducted in non-traditional spaces. I acted as a recording engineer, mixer and producer of 17 works over a 3-year period with 3 different artists evenly dispersed between large-format spaces, DIY spaces and a hybrid approach combining both spaces. The findings indicated there was no significant technical or aesthetic advantage over any environment. DIY recording practice reduces the economic restrictions associated with formalised recording practice and reduces power relations in the recording studio in favour of the artist.

Research Background The proliferation of low-cost digital music production tools has changed the way recording artists and music producers experience recording technology and the spatial environments in which they record (see Frith & Zagorski-Thomas, 2012; Hracs, 2015; Théberge, 2012). This has led to a decline in recording budgets due to the reduction in revenues for recorded music (Bennett, 2012; Burgess, 2008). The confluence of these issues has led to capital-intensive, large-format recording studio processes to diminish for lower cost DIY music production processes (Goold & Graham, 2018). This project sought to discover how recording space changes the experience of recording for the performer and whether the quality of the final recording is noticeably affected. Research Contribution This portfolio is a collection of recordings designed to determine how the performer experiences purpose-built large-format recording spaces and DIY recordings conducted in non-traditional spaces. I acted as a recording engineer, mixer, and producer of 17 works over a 3-year period with 3 different artists evenly dispersed between large-format spaces, DIY spaces and a hybrid approach combining both spaces. Less time was allocated to the large-format scenarios and equipment restricted in the small-budget DIY scenarios according to industry expectations. The findings indicated there was no significant technical or aesthetic advantage over any environment. DIY recording practice reduces the economic restrictions associated with formalised recording practice and reduces power relations in the recording studio in favour of the artist. Research Significance To date, the work’s successes include 14 of the 17 recordings chosen for commercial release with selected songs receiving Triple J national radio play and international recognition collectively gaining over 50 000 streams; a published peer-reviewed book chapter (Goold & Graham, 2018); and an article accepted for Q1 journal, Popular Music.

Details

Title: Creative Works Portfolio: Space, Time, Creativity, and the Changing Character of the Recording Studio: Spatiotemporal Attitudes Toward “DIY” Recording
Authors: Lachlan Goold (Producer) - Queensland University of Technology
Date published: 2019
Organisation Unit: School of Business and Creative Industries
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99622140402621
Output Type: Other creative works; Portfolio
NTRO Classification: NT2

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