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Engineering Brief

What Constitutes Innovation in Music Production?

Authors: Paterson, Justin

AES Convention 131 · Paper 17 · October 2011

Abstract

Innovation has often been at the core of record production, yet as production has advanced from Fred Gaisberg through the techniques of Musique Concrète to the plethora of possibilities afforded by the present digital age, the opportunities for genuine innovation might now seem limited. This notion is explored by considering the ontology of production with reference to audio examples, forming a chronological thread that highlights pieces commonly perceived as landmark innovations, their technological backdrops, and the recurrence/evolution of effect and aesthetic through successive generations of technology, and ultimately a nexus. The perception, attribution and value of “quality” is another factor, and while this is a separate subject in its own right, some discussion of this better contextualizes the topic.

Details

Published in
AES Convention 131
AES Convention
131
Paper number
17
Publication date
October 6, 2011
Session subject
Recording/Production
Affiliation
London College of Music, University of West London (See document for exact affiliation information.)
Type
Engineering Brief