21st century music-making concepts

[dubdub]

On my Substack, I started a new series of essays about concepts that I think are crucial to music production today.

The first one is on the idea of the "sweetspot" and how it shapes the production process.

Maybe someone will like it!

[Lost to the Void]

One of the things you left out was confirmation bias and bullshit.

A lot of old gear has mythical status around it that invokes confirmation bias and audiowoo.

Take the old Fairchild compressor/limiters. Absolute grot boxes with a very narrow sweet spot that the vst world hyped to be these magical "everything sounds good" boxes.

20 grand to buy one and discover actually it`s a pretty gacky bit of old crusty gear that takes a lot of work and knowledge to get that magical mojo out of.

[dubdub]

One of the things you left out was confirmation bias and bullshit.

A lot of old gear has mythical status around it that invokes confirmation bias and audiowoo.

Take the old Fairchild compressor/limiters. Absolute grot boxes with a very narrow sweet spot that the vst world hyped to be these magical "everything sounds good" boxes.

20 grand to buy one and discover actually it`s a pretty gacky bit of old crusty gear that takes a lot of work and knowledge to get that magical mojo out of.

That's true, although bias and bullshit is a big enough topic to deserve its own post for sure

I think original Fairchilds are more like 50k+ now? They've entered that realm where only the super wealthy collectors are playing so another ten grand or so doesn't really matter anymore.

[Amøbe]

Just read the first part - this is really great! I love the way you write, and especially how you make technical talk to be about something musical

[dubdub]

Just read the first part - this is really great! I love the way you write, and especially how you make technical talk to be about something musical

Thanks!

[illit_]

Great read! Everyone talks about the LA-2A having 1 knob but it for sure has 2 xD maybe I've been using the wrong one this whole time. Looking forward to reading more!

[Lost to the Void]

Great read! Everyone talks about the LA-2A having 1 knob but it for sure has 2 xD maybe I've been using the wrong one this whole time. Looking forward to reading more!

I was in a studio today with a rack of 4 LA-2A's.

Overkill. The guy tried to persuade me to take two off of him. Like I was gonna whimsically drop 6 grand in his hand.

[willemb]

Nicely written, very recognisable, chasing sweetspots.

Btw you wrote "It better a good knob!" which i think should be "It better be a good knob!"