MUH3023 Producers and Technology
In the 1960s, innovative producers like Phil Spector and Brian Wilson broke away from current trends, generating unique visions and sounds. Spector contributed to the music industry by developing the so-called 'Wall of Sound', basically putting into practice an overdubbing of records that included instrumental and vocal parts. Wilson, working with other band members known as the Beach Boys, also experimented with pop music and incorporated more harmonies and rhythm patterns that were less conventional in the music.
Technology played a crucial role because new opportunities in recording devices and methods let the bands expand the scope of their creativity in electric studios.
Innovative producers like Timbaland, Kanye West, and Jack Antonoff have recently embraced new techniques and technologies to create groundbreaking sounds (Gibson, 2023). Many became intrigued by the complex rhythms or even tried to count beats in order to pick unconventional rhythms which distinguished Timbaland as a genius in hip-hop and R&B. Self-promoting creative genius Kanye West's choice of breaking the norm and infusing electronic beats into his production has inspired a generation of artists. Jack Antonoff and his modern production techniques and integrating digital and analogue elements as a fundamental part of a song's creative process have influenced artists like Lorde, Taylor Swift, and others.
References
Gibson, A. J. (2023). Conspiracy Theory and Consciousness in Hip-hop Music (Doctoral dissertation, University of Bristol).
King, J. L. (2020). The Soles of Black Folk: African American Sneaker Culture and Its Influence in Literature, Film, Television, Sports Studies, and Music (Doctoral dissertation, Indiana University of Pennsylvania).
