Has all this technology changed for the better?

[Si the Sigh]

It's all a bit too much "wow! check out the production on this" and lack of actual track idea IMO.

[RDR]

It's all a bit too much "wow! check out the production on this" and lack of actual track idea IMO.

There is nothing wrong with idea/concept driven music at all, some of the best tracks i ever heard were not all that well produced. In fact every single studio in the world strives for that, otherwise say three hail mary's and pass the 4 track.

but the ones that REALLY stood out were those that had all the elements, production, musicianship and ideas.

I think it's really dangerous territory to dismiss the format music comes in or attack the technology that produced it.

Like i said before, the opporunities afforded to musicians are greater now than they ever have been, but this in turn brings greater challenges - both in terms of how musicians interface with the industry they (perhaps) want a part in, and how they retain an identity in a sea of other faces.

Production values?
without good production you dont have a cat in hells chance to get a job in a pro-end studio....In fact every single studio in the world strives for that, otherwise say three hail mary's and pass the 4 track.

Recently the beatles engineer decided to get together with a lot of well known artists and, using a 4 track, re-record some of the beatles tracks... what they came up with sounded something like the beatles, and forced them to use ideas rather than technology.

So what Si says (no pun intended) carries weight, but in this age of technology i prefer to have a desk and a sequencer rather than a 4 track.