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Music in Society

Music plays many important roles in the world that we live both in the past and in the present.

Historical Functions: throughout history music has been used in order to commemorate important events taking place within a society. This would range from things such as Weddings, funerals, tribal war dance, voodoo and national anthems.

The reason being for this is to send a message to others. This is why certain songs such as the ones heard at weddings and funerals are highly popular and instantly recognizable as they have been used continuously for many years. Through marking an occasion with music you are also expressing to the population of a society that what has took place is important. Another example of music being used through history is to intimidate others and express authority. E.g. The army’s of Denmark were known to issue a call to war through instruments called lur’s which created a drone sort of sound which would strike fear into their enemy’s. A modern day example of this could be the haka used in rugby to intimidate opponents before the sporting event takes place.

Within religion the use of hymns and chants are a common theme associated with the church in order to express stories within the bible. An example of this is a church chior. This first began as men singing ancient latin in unison. Which then developed into children being involved with the group to sing an octave above. (this served to add a thicker texture and to add a brighter sound to the chants ) The church eventually saw the incorporation of harmonies being used in the songs. Through these chants people believed they were elevating themselves and talking directly to god. This meant that due to the culture and the society that people lived in back in the roman era music was an important part of life.

A good example of the role music has played in developing countries can be seen in parts of Africa where Tribes use music as a way of story telling and also as a form of worship towards their various gods + deities. This would have been done mainly due to the fact that people living in their economic and social society would not have the opportunity to learn to read and write. Meaning that their only way of telling these stories to others would be through the spoken word - often in the medium of music - singing + Chanting. In a developed country where schools were becoming frequently more available for all classes within society where people could study literature and music itself, the role of music in the telling of stories may not be as heavily relied upon. (although would remain important as can be seen in gospel churches and nursery rhymes for children)

Entertainment: In the present day we now have a host of events taking place such as festivals, club nights and gigs at large venues where people will all go to watch live music, dance and meet up with others who are into similar things to themselves. This process has always took place throughout history e.g. within the 1920’s -50’s people would go to a venue attending dances such as the waltz, tango and ball room.

People would attend these gatherings in order to socialise with people similar to themselves. In the past things such as line dancing or ball room dancing would be used for young adults to find potential partners much in the same way people go to clubs to day. In addition to this on a local scale a sense of community is generated through celebrating events such as new years eve or Christmas in a venue where live music is playing.

Through bands playing live gigs an opportunity may arise where they can climb up the class ladder. going from lower working class to upper class. This could be highlighted through an artist such as mick jagger who through playing music was given the opportunity to go from a working class background to being knighted due to the entertainment aspect of music within society

In history people who have had a talent for music have been showcased in front of the highest members of class within the culture they are in. E.g. In the modern day events like the royal variety show artists who may not have come from an upper class background will be able to showcase their talents to royalty. People who they would otherwise never have met should they have not excelled musically. In comparison to this you have civilizations such as the ancient Greeks who also enjoyed past times such as going to concerts and watching theatrical performances. Another example of music breaching the class barriers would have been in medieval times where artists would play to the kings and queens in their courts during feasts and events in order to provide entertainment for the royal family and their guests.

In the modern day when looking at poorer developing countries such as certain parts of Africa we can see how the role of music differs from the role it plays in countries such as England. In a wealthier country that has access to a number of different technologies such as the internet, TV etc. music could be considered not as important as it once was. This could be due to other forms of entertainment taking up more of peoples time. However, in a poorer country such as Africa where the luxury of technology isn’t available (as freely as it is in a developed country), music will be seen as the main form of entertainment along with things such as dancing. Music in these countries will be used to tell important stories about their culture and their past.

Social And Political Commentary: Throughout Moments in history there has always been a type of music depicting the mood of the time and telling the story’s of what is going on in the world. E.g. Blues music began when slaves in the united states sang whilst working about the hardship they suffered. Differing from this we also have folk music played in medieval England which told stories of battles, saints and traveling the world. As you can see the music played is relative to the time.

More modern day artists who looked to promote thought and change through their music are performers such as bob dylan and jimi hendrix. Dylan playing a form of modern folk and hendrix playing a modern type of blues. Both artists had songs describing negative social aspects of the time such as racism. Example songs could be hurricane by Dylan which describes a boxer being falsely accused due to the fact that they were black and Jimi Hendrix wrote a song called houses burning down that talked about the destruction caused in the wake of race riots in Detroit.

Music is a widely used form of expression in order to channel feelings and thoughts to a wider universal audience. The reason behind this is that when putting words to music a person will have more chance of listening closer to the message the song has to offer and is more likely to remember the emotions the track was trying to create within the listener.

With artists of this nature there are differing ways in which there music may be accepted depending on the society they live in. E.g. artists in the western world who seek to enlighten people through the songs they write may not have any action taken against them by the people/movement they oppose. However, a politcally motivated artist within a developing country could be punished by imprisonment or even death if they looked to spread controversial messages to others. The reason being for this will mainly be due to a corrupt government system that wishes to set an example to people who share the same belief as the artist. The government in this country may also be worried as famous musicians in modern society tend to have a big influence on a large number of people. Should an artist go against the government of their country this could be detrimental to the people running the society they live in due to their influential status. The reason why this doesn’t happen so much in western society is due to the countries being under democratic rule. This is where the people have a say on what goes on within their country. In addition to this it is a basic human right that freedom of speech can be exercised by members of a democratic society should they wish to do so.

Performance Art & Avant Garde Movements: Music can be heard in a variety of forms. There are certain performers that look to change peoples perception of what is musically acceptable this has been seen through things such as musicale concrete and the radio phonic workshop.  

One of the most famous and well known pieces of music produced by the radio phonic workshop is the doctor who theme tune.

Although these forms of music aren’t exactly conventional the people that write and perform it will be able to back up their decision to create such a piece. E.g. John Cage who wrote the song 4'33’’ which consists of silence throughout. John Cage describes how he wanted the audience to listen to the environment they are in at the time. Certain composers are always looking to detach themselves from what is socially acceptable and pushing certain types of art forms. Cage suggests that the dynamic of a performance includes not just the music but the ‘sound of the audience the building and the outside environment’.

Some movements within the musical art form involves minimalism. This is a style which stems back to Japanese tradition where the less you do to something the more it is considered to suggest to an audience.

The reason behind many of these different forms of music and the experimental nature of them is the idea that a musician can take there interpretation of a style and manipulate it to create something that promotes feeling to an audience. Challenging the human thought process.

In a less developed country such as the sub saharan Africa we can see how a type of music/Dance could be construed as Avante Garde. That being ritual dancing which involves participants generally moving around a fire chanting stories and prayers. The purpose of this is to teach people social values, help people work and to criticise or praise members of their community. For a western country this seems slightly hard to understand as our society is very different to theirs. However, a westernised example of this type of Avante Garde would be Azonto dancing which takes place in certain types of churches in England + America.

Identity And Expression In Youth Culture: In the past and present we have seen genres of music depict the mood and feelings of the people. Usually the style of the music is determined by a number of factors such as the financial climate, the political backdrop and the employment opportunities.

One of the first examples of a youth movement within music would be rock and roll. This type of music reflected the freedom that had been given to the children during this year coming out of world war two there was now disposable income and job opportunities. With this new found wealth and freedom the youth no longer wanted to carry on going to ball rooms and attending dances with their parents. Instead rock and roll was born.

From rock n roll we then get to the mods who were essentially rebelling against the social convention of 'the rocker’ They invented their own identity and own type of music to establish themselves apart from another section of society. In a way music helped to bring people involved in certain groups together and allowed you to be part of a large group who all believed in the same thing.

In conjunction with past musical movements we have the Punks. These were artists who felt agrived to the climate they were growing up in. Not happy with the music that was being played, the political circumstances or the job oppertunites available to them. E.g. At this period of time bands such as Pink Floyd who believed in vertuoso musicianship. However, to do this you’d have to spend money on instruments, get lessons buy more expensive equipment etc. therefore this wasn’t a possiblity for the youth at that time. This spawned the DIY movement of the punks who believed that even if you couldn’t play an instrument it was possible to get on stage and deliver a performance that people could relate to. one song that comes to mind from this era would be 'god save the queen’ by the Sex Pistols.

In relation to poverty we have also seen the Hip Hop movement in America. This was started in urban areas otherwise known as Ghettos where the economy was frail and job opportunities were little. Due to this you will notice that in allot of early hip hop the main topic of the songs is making money.

Nowdays with commercialism taking over and the record industry being ran like more of a business than a creative outlet we have seen a rise in boy bands and artists that will 'sell’ over artists that have creativity and the ability to write a good song. This is shown extensively on tv programms such as the X Factor where people go on purely to become famous.

As you can see here Music Reflects the period of time you are in and can be seen as some as a way of changing certain unwanted things that are taking place within the society that you live.

Music in a developing country like Africa is an important part of youth culture mainly in the case of tribes where the maturity of a person going from a child to an adult is a ceremonial event involving singing and dancing. These dances will teach young people in the tribe social patterns, Stories about the cultures past and how to mature and become a good member of a tribe. It seems that in many african tribes the performance of music is very much a community based event which involves each member of their social group. From a youth expression point of view this will deter them from expressing their own thoughts and feelings about the community they live as it is the elder members of the tribe that will dictate the music that is played. This differs from modern day England in a big way. People from african tribes will probably be unaware of social movements within music and different genres from the style sung by their tribe. In many of these places they don’t even have a word for 'music’.

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Music and politics

Historical factors - In recent years the influence that musicians have on the public has increased as they can now express their opinions and reach a large audience through social network sites such as Twitter, Facebook etc. Through this medium the public will be more aware of the opinions of a famous artist. For impressionable people who look up to performers as role models they will probably be influenced by what a celebrity says and will feel the same way about something such as a political issue.

Depending on the political climate at the time the persistence at which artists might speak out for or against the government will change. Political issues such as war, job opportunities, racism etc. will have a great impact on society therefore most people will have an opinion on them. Popular musicians who are in a position of influence may feel it’s their responsibility to speak out on these contentious issues. E.g. Artists who come from a background where there is extreme poverty and little job opportunities will likely talk about this in their music.

The state of the government will also have an impact on weather musicians actually have the ability to speak out about political concerns. E.g. Dictatorships in countries such as north korea won’t want people protesting against them in a country that they want full control over. Whereas, in a democracy like america or england people have freedom of speech (to a certain extent) therefore they will be able to produce songs that go against political decisions being made. This was shown by artists like bob dylan who wrote lyrics that looked to enlighten his audience and make them think about what was happening around them in a political sense. Music is a good medium to export your beliefs on the government as more people will listen to the message you are trying to deliver. More so than if you were to say it in a speech or write it down for others to read. For this reason politicians may sometimes feel threatened when a musician speaks out against them.

In history there have been many contentious issues which artists have talked about either in interviews or through their music. Specific events have also had an impact on the views of musicians e.g. In the united states between 1955 - 1975 the black power movement was taking place. This is where black people were aiming to create equal opportunities for themselves among people of white ethnicity effectively trying to end racial segregation and oppression. This lead artists such as marvin gaye, jimi hendrix, bob dylan etc. to speak out on political situations that were creating tensions within society. Different musicians will have different views on problems occurring in the environment they are living in. E.g. Jimi Hendrix talked more about freedom and peace in his songs focusing his political efforts mainly on the race riots and the war in vietnam. Whereas as we moved into the 1980’s and as the popular movement of hip hop was developing artists like public enemy wrote the song ‘Fight the power’ about the abuse of power within society by those that are in a commanding position. This shows that the political landscape surrounding a musician will determine the stance they take on events unfolding around them.

Censorship: This is the process where work produced by a musician is edited due to the original content having the capability to cause offence to a particular audience. Depending on the political development of the country the amount of censorship applied to a piece of work by an artist will depend on the policies implemented by the government and weather the country has a dictatorship or democracy ruling.

In a developed westernised country such as the united kingdom we have classification companies that work with the government dictating what material and content is out in the public domain.

Censorship deals with many delicate issues such as politics, military and religion.A reason censoring may be implemented in these cases is to avoid tensions between groups of people which may lead to conflict.

There are a number of different mediums that music can be delivered on. This includes things such as the radio, TV and internet. As these media outlets reach a high amount of people all of which will have different views on certain contentious subjects most artists will be advised to try and not go against what would be considered the majority in terms of public opinion e.g. inciting violence, expletive language or sex may not be seen as appropriate for all members of society especially specific age groups.

In a democratic country such as the UK where the political right of freedom of speech is exercised by a number of people the chance of music being banned in its entirety from a mainstream medium is unlikely. However, it is possible that the artist may be advised to change or remove certain lyrics, The artwork for the CD/Vinyl release or the music video created for a song. In some ways it is in the artists interest to do this as outlets like the radio or music stations could refuse to play the song they have produced. This will limit the success the track will have commercially and affect the amount of people the song will reach. For this reason an artist might take steps to censor their music themselves. An artist could also do this in order to avoid negative press direct towards their music. In addition to this bands or solo artists may create a radio edit of their song.

I feel that in some ways the method of censorship does have a valuable job to play in managing what is put into the public domain. Especially in something like music where a mass audience is involved transcending different age groups and race’s. However, in terms of an artistic sense, if a performer isn’t allowed to express themselves freely their creativity and ability to express their opinions is being affected. Bearing in mind that musicians nowadays are looked up to and seen as role models many people see it as their responsibility to influence culture in a positive way and avoiding contentious issues.

A way in which material by an artist may be limited in terms of the audience it reaches is through parental advisory stickers placed on a physical copy of a cd or vinyl. This will mean people under a certain age won’t be able to purchase the release. This is the same way the classification system works in both the film and games industry.

A government can enforce Censorship not only by stopping music from being played but also by completely removing the voice of the artist from the public domain. In a non-democratic society if a musician was to raise concerns to their audience about political issues they disagree with the people in charge of the country have the ability to jail, deport and even kill the artist. The idea behind this is to send a message to the rest of the public showing what is acceptable and what isn’t. It also shows the population of a country what the punishment will be should they be influenced by someone like the musician. Instating that people will be prosecuted if they contest political leaders or ideologies.

A good example of this being enforced is the band pussy riot from Russia where members of the band were arrested and jailed for their protests against the re-election of Vladimir Putin. This was a contentious issue as a country like Russia is considered to be well developed in terms of the global community, yet they opted to react forcefully against members of the public who were trying to exercise their right to freedom of speech.

Legislation: Legislation is a law passed by a governing body after being discussed by a judicial system. With music there have been a number of different laws enforced as music culture has developed over the years.

Legislation can work both positively and negatively in terms of the impact it has on music movements and the music industry.

One of the main cultures that was affected directly by legislation was the rave movement. Governments cited the use of drugs like ecstasy as one of the main reasons for passing the bill. However, many people felt that the government put through the legislation without fully understanding what was taking place at raves in rural locations instead judging peoples life styles as a basis for creating laws. After the bill was put in place many artists, particularly within electronic music spoke out against it through the productions of songs, public demonstrations and booklets within albums addressing their fans on the issue. The result of this act saw illegal raves become more secretive and more difficult to shut down and police.

When a government passes certain legislation they will usually ensure the wording of it means it can be used to police a number of different problems. E.g. the criminal justice bill discussed above states that if there is a group of 7 or more people in a public space listening to a repetitive electronic beat the police can take action against them. With this broad wording things such as family barbeques, gypsy campsites and street parties have all been closed down. In a way the government manged to use successful propaganda creating a fear factor surrounding rave culture which lead to the legislation being passed and used against a number of different social events.

Copyright law - This has always been an important part of the music industry. Actually knowing who owns the rights to a song determines who will recieve royalties and how much each person involved in the production of a record obtains. Copyright law allows an artist who feels their works has been copied by another performer or has been sold illegally to take action against those that have committed fraud of this nature. However, in the day and age of illegal digital downloads it is now extremely difficult to govern the copyright right protection act enforced by government.

Live music act - This is a recent legislation which will see more pubs/clubs have the ability to host live music events meaning that bands will now have more opportunity and venues to perform in front of an audience. For the live music scene in the UK this is a positive movement which will help generate extra income for many unsigned artists.

It seems that within recent history the government has failed to adapt to certain youth cultures such as hippy and rave movements which has seen clashes with the public over the lifestyles that they lead and also a clamp down on the artists that they are seen to represent. Due to this certain legislation has been put into place to actively combat the growth of such culture which has impacted directly on the music scene it is associated with. However, with the politicians misunderstanding and implementation of certain laws the musicians have always looked to voice there opinions regarding the negative influence on society it has created.

Government support: There a many different ways that the government support musicians and performers in the UK. However, in other countries where the arts isn’t so widely supported (or seen as a subject worth doing) the government will probably aim to push the population into studying academic subjects such as Maths and English.

Grants: In Countries such as America or England the government will have put away money in the form of grants which can be applied for by an artist. A grant is essentially a pot of money that people can use and don’t have to pay back if the cause it is going towards is worthy enough. E.g. if a person highly interested in recording and producing music wanted to create their own studio but didn’t have the money to fund it the government may opt to give the person a set amount of money in order for them to achieve their goal. Although there are many different types of grants out there but they aren’t advertised widely. It is up to the artist or producer to actively seek funding by outlining their plan of what they will do with the money and send off an application.

Specialist Courses/ Schools: in a developed country where governments put a lot of money behind education systems supporting both academic study and the arts the growth of independent music and recording colleges has increased. Also extra courses have been added to major universities allowing them to host extra music performance and technical degrees. For the development of musicianship and recording engineers this has been a great asset to the music industry and has allowed a number of people pass through into different sectors of the business.

Although this is the case in western civilization, in places such as china where the country is developed in a sense. The chances of people being allowed the creative freedom to study certain types of music would be limited. This would mainly be for political reasons where the government might wish to control what is going on within the country. In a dictatorship environment the governing party isn’t going to want the population listening to music they would consider ‘anti establishment’ or 'anarchist’. Looking at things like the punk movement taking place in England throughout the 70’s and 80’s shows just how influential music can be in creating public opinion.

Patrons of the arts: The term patron refers to someone offering support and help to another that needs it. In terms of music and politics this could be a wealthy MP that has hear a promising artist and investing some of their personal assets behind them in order for them to succeed commercially and to sell records.

This could be likened to different types of art such as painting. There are a number of private art dealers that enjoy looking for the next talented artist buying their work and showing it to their friends who will undoubtedly also be wealthy and enjoy similar types of art. By doing this they are helping the artist reach a larger audience and get payed for the things they have created. This is the same concept in terms of principle that would be adopted in music.

For a patron who has money to 'give away’ the satisfaction doesn’t come from financial gain but from the fact that they have helped an artist achieve their musical goals which otherwise may not have been achieved.

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The impact of business on music

Historical Factors: As technology seems to be increasing all the time the format in which music is delivered and the way the world interacts also changes. E.g. The notion of peer to peer sharing of music via the internet would have been absurd back in the 60’s or 70’s. This changing of how music is delivered has had a direct impact on business’ related to the music industry. E.g companies dedicated to manufacturing vinyl, tape and CD’s will have all been affected negatively by the increase of digital downloads. However, these mediums are still deemed as viable music playback formats and haven’t been cancelled out completely their popularity has definitely decreased.  

With the growth of the internet in recent years a new threat to the industry was created in the introduction of illegal downloads over websites such as the pirate bay. This has changed the public perception of music and it now seems that people expect music to be free when in the past fans of a performer may have been more persuaded to go out and buy a record. This has impacted on the sale of music in that there is no longer huge sums to be made by a label or artist through record distribution. Some people take the view that this was a positive change in the industry which means that more money is there to be made through a band touring. Due to this artists will now be playing more gigs all over the world in order for them to continue to create a large income for both themselves and their record label meaning more people will now get to see their favorite acts live.

As the format of music has changed over the years music publishers and labels have seen the opportunity to re-release music in order to create maximum profit on a single record. The chances are people who have bought the album or single before will re-buy it in order for them to listen to it on a different playback device.

I feel that with technological advances especially in social networking the Business involved with setting up an artist to be successful has changed significantly in. E.g. Back in the day a label would take a talent, develop them in terms of their image/genre, record an album and then promote and market it before its release. However, nowadays it seems an artist must first spend the time to actually build up their own fan base before even having the opportunity to be signed. The reason being behind this is that as social networking allows everyone to be connected with each other everybody can now independently look to push their music career. This has meant that some acts can even go it alone without a record contract choosing to release their records themselves as they can now create their own ‘brand’ through social media0 which couldn’t be done before without the platform of a major label.

Copyright plays a big part in music. Due to the fact that the person holding the rights to a song will receive any royalties which may be created through the sale of the track. Because of this business’ such as record labels will look to own all the rights to an artists portfolio so that they will make a large amount of money from the records. the artist, management teams, producers etc. will normally settle for a percentage the label makes.(This would usually be a set figure written into a contract when the artist signed a deal) As money is a serious issue in the music industry copyright often dominates many disputes between different sectors of the business. E.g. If an artist doesn’t feel they are being paid in conjunction with their contract they may sue their label etc.

Copyright is also used to stop people from copying ideas such as lyrics or music features. E.g. if you were to take a verse out of a commercially successful song and try and pass it off as your own work the chances are action will be taken against you by the person who owns the rights for the original track for 'taking’ their material without consulting them first.

Market Forces: Music is something that is constantly changing and evolving. For this reason the industry must also change to accommodate changes within society. These evolutions have been emphasized in the past through trending genres such as Rock n Roll, Disco and more recently modern dance dominating the charts.

The music industry is something which involves vast sums of money and for successful performers, managers or people working within a record label huge personal fortunes are there to be made. Due to this artists may sometimes completely change their style of music in order to sell records. Record labels will also have an influence on what is popular at the time through what types of bands they decide to sign. E.g. In the 60’s and 70’s there was an outburst of musicians playing guitar based rock n roll such as the yardbirds, rolling stones, cream etc.

However, as youth culture continues to dictate what is commercially successful the 'in’ genre will also change. E.g. moving into the 90’s and the 21st century growth in the market has been seen mostly in Electronic Dance, Boy/ Girl bands or Rap orientated artists such as Calvin Harris, One Direction, Example, little mix etc. Due to this the record labels will continue to produce performers of this nature in order to sell the maximum number of records as possible and make the as big a return on record sales or digital downloads.

The music industry will also work in conjunction with other mediums such as Television and Magazines in order to promote their releases to as many people as possible. An example of TV playing a big part in music would be the X Factor a talent show based around singing where contestants are guaranteed to reach a large audience go on to be signed by a record label and then sell a large number of records as they have an establish following. Chart shows were actually introduced in the first place as a way of encouraging the public to purchase their favorite artists music in order to get them to number one. In addition to this there are also magazines published that are completely based around music running articles on both commercially successful artists and recently signed bands that labels are looking to push through an example of this would be NME, MOJO or Rolling Stone. All of which will usually deal with a specific genre of music.

A further promotion and advertisement method would be music played on the radio in the format of chart shows, band of the week, best new artist plays etc. By pushing an artist on all forms of broadcasting discussed above a record label will target a wide market and be able to sell the maximum amount of records as possible. In a way both the public and the promotion outlets determine what is popular during a period of time. E.g. When Jimi Hendrix first came to england the label he signed for actually bought most of his first CD’s in order for him to get to number one. However, as the public enjoyed the music that was being played it meant that they would continue to buy his next albums.  

In today’s day and age if an artist doesn’t reach a wide audience and they aren’t being played or appear on all available media formats the chance of them being commercially successful would be very small.

Charitable Bodies and Foundations: Although not directly associated with the government a person may be able to obtain a sponsorship which helps them through funds that come from the government. By establishing this association a person or a group of people can set up a charitable organization which aims to influence members of the public to participate in music. An example of this can be found in the Decks for Schools program which involves kids in an underprivileged society to gain access to musical opportunities they otherwise would not have.

The downside to some of these organizations being supported by government services may not always be a bad thing however as it seems that these are the first things to go when a country suffers financial problems.

These are extremely important foundations which help to influence the amount of people actually taking up music as a hobby and looking to make a living off it. By giving young people the tools to create music such as computers with good quality software or the instruments themselves you will be appealing to their creative nature and they are more likely to give it a go. If someone is given a taste of something they enjoy they are more likely to go out and do it again. E.g. an 8 week course provided by Decks for School may influence a few people from a school to save up money and buy some DJ software or start producing music using sequencers on their computers at home.

When it comes to financing an individual or group venture into music be it as a career mover or as a hobby. It will almost be easier to get up and running with the help of affable business partners or charitable organizations that can help to give you the platform you need to begin your venture into music.

There are a number of charitable organizations which have set up trusts (separate from that which are set up with government money) Where patrons of the art look to donate money in order to help out aspiring musicians, producers, music companies etc. Through affluent people looking to help out up and coming figures in the music industry those that aren’t from a privileged background will also be given the opportunity to pursue a career within the business.

Like any trust the establishment will look to see what uses their money has been put towards. If the cause is worthy enough the chances are you will be funded in your business venture. However, certain criteria will usually have to be met. In terms of your income, age, place of residence etc. E.g. if someone has all the money they need to start up a business then why would they need charitable support from the trust ?

In a country such as England where our government seeks to improve our learning of the arts and help people to fulfill their creative goals they will inevitably look to support any organizations and/or trusts which aim to better a community and make music a viable career opportunity which is available to everyone.

Music as a commodity: Within the industry there are a number of factors that affect financial profit and loss. Many of these are affected by changes in society and how successfully each person involved with a project fulfills their jobs

in a business such as a major record label their will be extensive amounts of money to be made through record sales of highly successful commercial artists. However, through advances in peer 2 peer sharing of music bringing out websites such as the pirate bay and Napster more and more people are now unwilling to pay for music as it is easily available for free.

The working process behind a label involves money being poured into an artist to develop there image in order to target a wide market, record a physical product such as CD and then promotion costs when it comes to advertising the record. After all this is done a label can then begin to make a return on their expenditure if the bands music sells well in the public domain. Due to this the business can be ruthless to artists who’s music don’t sell and they will probably be dropped by the label. The fact of the matter is that if a vast number of artists have a lot of money put behind them one of them will probably do well. In the instance that a large amount of records are sold, millions will probably be made from the sale of the product in order to compensate for the failure of other artists.

An example of music as a commodity working in other areas of the industry would be in the field of event promoting. Due to many people now feeling that a music product such as digital download should be free they are now more willing to go out and watch a live performance by the artist in order to support them.  

For promoters hosting big events looking to attain the services of well known artists they will need be aware that these more well known performers will command a large sum of money asking to be paid both before and after the gig. the first payment so that the artists name can be used in the advertisement stage an the second payment for the performance itself. Due to these artists being able to draw large crowds the gig will have the potential to sell out and the promoter will be able to repay debts and keep a profit for themselves. This is something which is seen in the production and advertisement stages of large scale events like festivals. For smaller events the selling of tickets will be dependent on the artist selling tickets themselves and the promoter advertising the event, finding the venue etc. The split between the performer and the promoter will usually be pre determined before the event takes place or may be impacted depending on sales on the door and the turn out on the night.

In addition to these sectors of the industry the job of a band manager is also affected by music commodity. A band will approach a potential manager and offer them a split of all their earnings in exchange for the manager actively seeking to better the opportunists a band have in progressing their music career. This is a good way to work as the pay the manager receives depends on how hard they work for the artist. However, as society changes and with social media being a major influence in how well business’ fair in a global sense many bands now choose to go it alone without both a label and a manager. Through Sites such as CD baby artists now also have a viable method of digital distribution which can be used to sell their music. This is also a good thing for amateur artists who make music as a hobby to actually make a bit of money from their work.

The commodity of music helps to drive the way in which popular music culture develops. If a record label can see an opportunity to exploit a certain genre the chances are they will do so and mass produce a number of artists within that music scene. Currently the most impressionable people seem to be those that watch primetime TV shows such as X Factor, The Voice etc. It is almost inevitable that performers on these programs will go on to sign to a record label and sell many albums as they have large established audience. An example of labels using the power of media to increase record sales and boost their audience was seen with the introduction of the chart show top of the pops in the 1960’s. Viewers were encouraged to go out and buy their favorite artists music as they would then be able to get to see them on the show at the weekend. I feel that this was one of the main things that helped to commercialize the music industry in Britain.

[duelstudios-blog]

In-depth look at Futureworks Mastering Studio.

The studio’s prime function -

The purpose of a mastering studio is to provide a place where a mastering engineer can apply finishing touches to a record, in order for it to be ready for distribution to the public. Not only does a mastering studio need to contain equipment capable of altering the tone of an audio recording, it must also contain specialised software, capable of applying and creating data that is used by consumer playback devices. This is especially important for CD creation, where PQ Codes, Track Gaps and track markings need to be sent to manufacturers. A mastering studio also needs to be acoustically transparent, in order to ensure that the engineer is fixing issues within a mix and not compensating for problems in a room. Due to this, a mastering studio will usually feature an array of acoustic treatment as well as high quality monitors and audio converters. It should also be noted, that the mastering suite at Futureworks serves a dual purpose, as it must also work as an educational facility. Due to this, compromises may have had to be made to the design and layout of the studio.

Installed Equipment -

Eclipse 384 Stereo AD/DA Converter

The Eclipse 384 is a multi functional audio converter which offers the mastering engineer a number of routing options, up to 384 Khz sample rates and two independent 64 bit word clocks. The front panel of the 2U Sized box features two large LED Meters, Mute, Dim and Mono Buttons, Control Knobs for the main and headphone outputs, 5 preset buttons and an LCD screen which details the current configuration of the device. For a mastering scenario the preset buttons allow for greater functionality, allowing the engineer to save their desired set up’s to be accessed at the touch of a button. At Futureworks the Eclipse preset 1 is used to playback the digital Domain, preset 2 plays back the analogue domain and preset 3 adds a -10dB pad to output material being sent to the tape machine. These presets allow the engineer to quickly see the effect that the analogue processing is having on the audio signal and set levels to tape. The rear of the Eclipse is split into 4 main sections - analogue connections being at the top, digital connections at the bottom with the Inputs on the left and outputs on the right. Overall there are 14 inputs and 16 outputs all of which are displayed below. One of the benefits of having a high quality converter is that the word clocking provided by the device will ensure that issues such as clock jitter don’t occur when converting between analogue and digital audio signals. If the word clock is unstable, this will cause samples to be measured at the wrong time and therefore with the wrong amplitude. This imposes a slight vagueness or loss of focus in the stereo image, as well as making the recorded acoustic environment appear less real. As well as a range of routing options and the stability of the word clock,  the higher sample rates that the eclipse offers will also prove beneficial for a mastering studio setup as converting audio files to a higher sample rate will allow DSP Plugins to produce greater results, due to the extra data available to process.

Dangerous Master

The dangerous master is a unit featuring circuitry designed by Chris Muth. An electrical designer that created mastering consoles for sterling sound. The purpose of this device is to tie together all of the equipment in the studio. On the front of the panel are left and right input volume knobs, three functions buttons that allow the engineer to bypass the effect of either the entire unit, the M/S processing or inserts 1-2. Below this are three more buttons that can be used to bypass the effect of each insert processor. There are then three knobs that dictate the volume offset level, the amount of width provided by the M/S processing and the output volume of the unit into the audio converter. The routing options that the dangerous master provides to the engineer make this an important tool in the studios setup. In addition to this, having the ability to dictate the volume offset level ensures that comparisons between processed and unprocessed audio signals aren’t affected by differences in volume, which may affect the engineer's judgement. The Mid Side processing available on insert 2 is one of the reasons this device is found in many professional studios, turning the feature on by activating the M/S Button will perform an encoding and decoding of the stereo signal which will allow the engineer to process the centre and sides of a stereo mix independently of each other. The width knob can also be used to either decrease or increase the volume of the sides of a stereo mix. This is a useful effect which can be used to increase the stereo width of a narrow mix or can be used to decrease the stereo width to tighten a mix. The Connections on the rear of the device connect to analog outboard processors and the audio converter via balanced XLR cables. The dangerous master at Futureworks is currently set up with an Avalon VT747SP hardwired on insert 1 and a Sontec EQ hardwired on insert 2 with insert 3 being left free for compression processors or the tape machine to be patched in by the engineer.  

Compression Processors

Here at the Futureworks mastering suite there are a number of different compression processors that the engineer can send the audio too. all of which provide a slightly different character and tonal qualities. The compression devices currently in the studio are a Fairchild 670, TG Zener Compressor/limiter, DBX 160, AMS Neve 33609 compressor/limiter and an Avalon VT 737SP . Having the ability to choose between different forms of compression is beneficial to a mastering scenario, as each project will require something different. Although the effect of compression is typically quite suitable at the mastering stage, it can help glue a mix together. Also, simply passing the audio through the analogue circuitry can create musical sounding harmonics which benefit the sound of a mix. A number of analogue hardware processors is important as a mastering engineer will usually prepare a few different sounding masters for the client. The setup at Futureworks has patchable compression units racked on the right of the desk and the hardwired Avalon compressor situated on the left. Although these are all dynamics processors the features they provide means that one might be suited for a certain track more than another. E.g The Avalon VT 736 features a sidechain option that could be used by the engineer to perform frequency dependant compression. Weras the fairchild 670 has the ability to implement a ‘lat vert’ function which is a form of Mid/Side processing, allowing the engineer to compress the middle and side of a stereo track using different settings. The AMS 33609 and TG Zener compressors also feature a ‘limit’ option, This would come in handy if a master was being created for a vinyl release as a digital limiter may provide too much volume. Above the compression rack is the patchbay which can be used to send audio from the dangerous master into the dynamics processors. The patch bay is connected via 3 pin XLR Cables with the inputs at the top and outputs at the bottom. These are hardwired in and labelled accordingly. This allows the engineer to link compressors in a chain if needed by taking the output of one device and connecting it to the input of another.

Tape Machine

At the future works mastering suite there is a Studer A80 Tape Machine. Using analog tape is a technique that some engineers will utilise, and it will have beneficial effects on certain recordings that have been recorded and mixed entirely within a digital audio workstation. The effects of sending a stereo mix to tape machine may give the impression that the recording has been tracked within the analog domain, for some instruments, or styles of music, this may enhance the recording in a positive way. Another product of placing a mix onto tape is a reduction of the dynamic range in the recording. Tape is an analogue recording medium and so is limited to a dynamic range of around 90dB, on the other hand digital recordings can reach upwards towards 120dB. This reduction will apply a natural sense of compression which may help the mastering engineer deal with issues in a mix. The Tape machine at futureworks runs on ¼ inch tape and is fixed to work at 15ips. Although 7 ips is available on the machine, this function currently doesn’t work. There is also a speaker built in which allows the engineer to monitor what's going onto the tape. Due to the poor noise floor of analog tape, the mastering studio also features a Dolby 363 noise reduction unit, without this turned on it’s impossible to record to the machine. This Device improves the dynamic range of tape by 25dB. And offers the engineer two types of noise reduction, Dolby SR and Dolby A. Although both are considered professional standard noise reduction formats, Dolby SR is the more aggressive of the two, which attempts to reduce noise at all sections of the track. Both will exhibit a different characteristic on the audio recording. Therefore, it’s up to the engineer to choose which they feel sounds best.

Sontec EQ

The Sontec 432 is largely considered the ‘standard’ in mastering EQ’s and features two EQ channels in a 2U rack format. The circuitry used in the 432 doesn’t comprise of any transformers, which leads it to its transparent sound. This device is used by a large number of mastering engineers and has provided the main EQ on countless releases over the years. As each of the sontec is built by hand by Burgess Macneal and each is often built to the custom specifications of the mastering engineer, sontec EQ’s are quite rare. The Sontec at Futureworks has 3 parametric, one shelving and one shelving/parametric EQ. In addition to this, there is also a switch which allows the engineer to adjust the shape of the high shelving filter from 6 to 12dB Octaves. The layout of the 432 features the controls for the left channel on the top and the controls for the right channel on the bottom of the unit. There is also the ability to switch the EQ in and out via a switch on both channels. Although the 432 is intended for Left-Right EQ Processing, when used in conjunction with the Dangerous Master in Mid-Side Mode, This is a powerful tool for the engineer. As it allows the top channel to be used to process the centre of the stereo image and the bottom channel to be used to process the sides. This technique is something that is considered a mastering engineer's ‘secret’ which allows them greater control of a stereo mix. And can be highly effective in order to fix common issues in a mix; such as the vocal not being loud enough, the snare drum being too loud, or the sides being too dull. The 432 is hardwired onto insert 2 on the dangerous master, which means that the effect of the EQ can be quickly taken out of the signal chain in order for the engineer to see exactly how their processing has changed the mix, and decide if they have improved it. At the Futureworks mastering suite, the Sontec 423 is the only dedicated EQ unit. However, there is also a 6 band EQ available on the Avalon VT-747SP processor.

Barefoot Micromain 27

In a mastering studio it is essential that the listening environment is critical and can reveal issues in a mix that traditional recording studios can not. Due to this, high quality speakers are needed. The MM 27 monitors have a high frequency response of 30hZ to 40Khz, and each is made up of one tweeter, two mid bass drivers and two subwoofers. These speakers are designed to be nearfield monitors, and offer enough resolution to be used in both a tracking, and mastering scenario. The front the MM27 speaker contains 3 of the 5 drivers, and is configured using a D'appolito method, meaning that the mid range drivers sit each side of the tweeter, which is in the centre of the speaker. The reason for this configuration, is to optimise horizontal dispersion. The Midrange drivers both measure 5.25 inches, and the tweeter measures 1inch. In addition to this there are two 10 inch subwoofers and these are situated above and below the mid range drivers and the tweeter on both monitors, attached to the side walls of the cabinet.In order to improve the sturdiness of the design, these drivers are driven in phase, so that both cones move in and out together. The subwoofers are enclosed in a sealed cabinet configuration. Which means, unlike ported speaker designs, these monitors are free from low frequency resonances. This allows the engineer to judge the low end without having to deal with issues being created by the monitors. The back panel of the MM27 monitors is quite bare, in comparison to other nearfield monitors, connections to the playback system are achieved through 3 pin XLR’s, and there is an input attenuator which can be used to match volumes across systems. In addition to this, there are 4 recessed push buttons, 3 of which enable the engineer to mute any of the 3 front drivers, and the fourth allows the engineer to alter the crossover voicing, which effectively puts the monitors into ‘hi fi’ mode. This is an interesting feature which when initialised, introduces a ‘smiley curve’ to the audio signal, reducing the upper midrange by around 1dB and gently boosting below 100 Hz by around half a dB. Allowing the engineer to have an idea of how their processing will translate to a consumer's hi fi.

Mac Mini

The mastering studio at Futureworks uses a Macbook Mini computer in order to run the various software needed to format final mixes of a music project. The specifications for this computer detail that is has - 16 gigabytes of ram, a processor speed of 2.6 gigahertz and one terabyte of hard drive space. The large amount of ram and a fast processor enables the computer to successfully run mastering DAW software and a large number of DSP plugins within a session, it also ensures that the self noise made by the unit is kept to a quiet level. The connections available at the rear of the mac mini include, a gigabit ethernet, firewire 800, HDMI, thunderbolt, four usb 3 connectors, an SDXC Card Slot and 3.5mm mini jack audio in and out connectors. This allows a number of ways in which outboard audio processors can be connected to the computer and the HDMI Output allows for a large screen independent of the computer to be used. The software installed on the computer in order to carry out mastering tasks are Avids Pro Tools 11 and Pro Tools 12, mainly used for recording in analogue processing, Sonic Studio Soundblade HD, specialised mastering software which can be used for CD DDP and PQ list creation. In addition to this Waveburner is available to be used, this carries out similar functions to Soundblade. In addition to this there are a range of DSP and VST Plugin’s which can be used both within Protools and Soundblade. Manufacturers include, MC DSP, AVID, Izotope, Sonnox and Slate Digital.

[duelstudios-blog]

Normalisation - The end of the loudness war ?

Background Info:

Over the last two decades there has been a growing debate among audio engineers that music levels are becoming exceedingly loud. Sometimes to the point where it is creating a negative impact on the product.  

A working example of the increase in loudness and the decrease in dynamic range can be seen below.

The above picture is a waveform of a Bryan Adams track recorded in 1983. As you can see there is a large amount of headroom between the programme and 0 DBFS (decibels relative to full scale). The peak of this programme occurs at -2.5dB, meaning that this track can be increased by the listener by 2.5 db before any loss in audio quality can be perceived.

Fast forward to the year 2000 and here is a waveform from an album by the pop band Westlife. It is immediately obvious that this is significantly more compressed and louder than the song by Bryan Adams, and illustrates clearly the rise in audio levels from the 80′s up until the 20th century. Another item to consider is that the waveform above contains evidence of clipping when you zoom in on the peaks. With this in mind it seems as though there has been a trade off between audio quality in order to raise the volume of the track.

Why is it that music has risen to such a loud level?

During the 90′s there was competition between record labels and music producers in order to create the loudest sounding music. The reasoning behind this can be attributed to promotional purposes. If a song appeared on the radio that was louder than another, the chances are it would stand out to the listener and if the assumption is that ‘louder is better’ the other songs played on the radio would sound inferior to the louder track. Take a look at the graph below showing the gradual rise of loudness over the years.

The above video details a number of mastering and mix engineers views on the subject.

What’s being done to ease the trend of rising music levels? Bob Katz, author of ‘Mastering Audio: The art and the science’ recently stated on his website that ‘the loudness wars’, as it has been dubbed, is over. This is down to the new algorithm being implemented by iTunes Radio that effectively levels all of the music being played so that it plays back at the same volume. This ‘leveller’ is something called Soundcheck. And it has been around for a number of years in iTunes as a tick box that the user can enable. However, with iTunes Radio, the user has no option as the the algorithm is merged into the radio signal. This means that the listener can change between each radio station and various genre’s of music and the loudness level will appear constant. It also seems that youtube has implemented a similar normalisation technique as described by mastering engineer Ian Shepherd in an articles linked below. http://productionadvice.co.uk/youtube-loudness/

http://productionadvice.co.uk/youtube-loudness-normalisation-details/

Below is a video showing the effects of youtube loudness normalisation on an audio track.

So with arguably the two biggest players in terms of music distribution both using a similar method in order to control music loudness, it seems there may no longer be an advantage to compressing and limiting your music so that it reaches such a loud volume level.

[duelstudios-blog]

‘This month, editors Paul White and Hugh Robjohns jump into the Delorean to revisit key moments in the evolution of recording technology. Get their thoughts on some the most game-changing developments of the last 30 years, and the practical implications of each. Also find out how they think 2015 compares to 1985, and where they think we’re going.’  This is an in depth interview with two of the in chief editors for Sound On Sound magazine. In it they describe the main changes that have taken place within music technology over the last 30 years! 

[duelstudios-blog]

Joe Barresi, engineer, mixer and producer (Slipknot, Wolfmother, Queens of the Stoneage) discuss’ his studio. This is an hour long interview which covers everything from the speakers, outboard equipment, Mixing Console and the live room. I’ve only just stumbled across Warren Huart on Youtube. I’d highly recommend his Produce Like A Pro series of videos!  Check them out by following the link below.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpyUGZeMUtOvt57UACw3H2g 

Joe Barresi is a revered figure in the music industry known for his guitar tones and large collection of outboard gear. Barresi also has his own range of tutorial dvd’s which give you insight into his workflow and decisions when recording and mixing music.  They are available here http://www.joebarresi.com/instruction/

[duelstudios-blog]

Having trouble getting your drum tracks sounding tight ?  This video only applies to Protools users, it shows you how to use the feature beat detective to sync your drum tracks to a grid and create a solid foundation for your song! 

[duelstudios-blog]

‘In this lesson taken from Young Guru's Skillshare class, "Soundcheck: The Essentials of DIY Audio Mixing," learn how to properly apply compression to your mix.Throughout his illustrious and decorated career, Gimel "Young Guru" Keaton has earned a reputation as one of the most renowned recording and mixing engineers in music today, having worked with artists such as Jay-Z, Beyonce, Rick Ross, Drake, T.I., Kanye West and Eminem. Young Guru has most recently been working to elevate the discourse of audio engineering philosophy by emerging onto the college lecture circuit as one of the subject's most distinguished and dignified speakers, and further proving why he is one of audio's most important minds and essential voices.’ This video is a must watch for those that are just getting into mixing!  Young Guru explains the different controls found on compressors and allows you to see the effect that each has on an audio signal. 

[duelstudios-blog]

‘Go inside Sweetwater Studios with Mark Hornsby and Shawn Dealey as they take you through the entire process of mixing one of Counting Crows' biggest hits, "Mr. Jones.” - This informative video show’s a wide range of mixing techniques that can be utilised solely using plugins inside your DAW. 

[duelstudios-blog]

The quality isn’t the best, but the information is clear. Check out this 2 hour lecture recorded by a student at Full Sail University, where Eddie Kramer discuss’ his recording and mixing techniques. In addition to this he also describes how he makes use of waves plugins when mixing inside of a DAW. 

[duelstudios-blog]

Ever wondered where you should be positioning your speakers? Tony Maserati discuss’ his thoughts on speaker placement (and reveals a useful technique in order to dictate their distance apart). He also explains his use of reference tracks in order to become accustomed to a studio. 

[duelstudios-blog]

Check out this behind the scenes documentary showing Eddie Kramer going through a Jimi Hendrix song track by track! This video also features short interviews with Mitch Mitchell and Billy Cox. It’s amazing to think all of these multi tracks are still around. 

[duelstudios-blog]

LANDR - Instant Online Mastering

LANDR Is an online resource available to artists and producers to create a mastered version of their mixed tracks. The software works through employing refined “adaptive algorithms” that react differently to each piece of music that’s put through it.

Implementing a simple drag and drop interface and a choice between three different inensity options. LANDR is easy to use and is significantly cheaper than using a professional mastering house. 

See the pricing options and GUI below. 

The idea that LANDR is attempting to sell to the audio community is one that will be questioned by many within the field. Mastering is an integral part of the music production chain, and until now had been a specialised process carried out by professionals with years of experience and knowledge on the subject. 

See the video below for an in-depth review of the software by mastering engineer Ian Shepherd. 

[duelstudios-blog]

Streaky from Metropolis Mastering explains his workflow and thought process’ when working with the Maselec MLA 3 multi band compressor. 

Although this video demonstrates the workflow via a hardware analog unit, all of the techniques identified can be implemented using a software plugin such as Izotope Ozone Dynamics or Logic’s stock Multiband Compressor. 

[duelstudios-blog]

Take a look at this old ITV Program celebrating the 25th anniversary of Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. Featuring an in-depth track by track breakdown of each song and interviews with Paul Mccartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison!