Vocalist.org archive


From:  "Ginny Allen" <revginny@w...>
"Ginny Allen" <revginny@w...>
Date:  Wed Jun 27, 2001  2:11 am
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] Recording as an Art WAS: Recording


RE: Musicians & engineers vs. musicians, not engineers.
Tako,
You are absolutely right and you thought this through beautifully.
In typical artist-style, I overstated what I intended to say.
I certainly don't want to dishonor sound engineers, either!!
Thanks. I think you clarified my intent.
Ginny

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tako Oda" <toda@m...>
From: "Tako Oda" <toda@m...>

> "Ginny Allen" <revginny@w...> wrote:
> "Ginny Allen" <revginny@w...> wrote:
> > When you are in studio, don't be intimidated by the engineers.
> > YOU are the musician and they are the technicians.
>
> Dear Ginny,
>
> I agreed with all your points about working collaboratively with the
> engineer. BUT, I do feel I need to defend the honor of recording
> engineers! :-)
>
> Like singers, engineers have technical expertise, but what we do is
> also part of the musical process itself. Taking a performance and
> turning it into a beautiful recording is an art form. A recording is a
> newly created work distinct from the performance which can have its
> own artistic legal protection. If you've ever heard multiple remixes
> of a single performance - you can hear just how different a
> recording can turn out in different hands.
>
> There's a parallel in the visual arts world - Photographers are not
> just technicians. For instance, Annie Leibovitz is a celebrated
> photographer whose work is often shown in galleries. The subjects of
> her camera may be interesting people, but Leibovitz is the artist.
>
> We singers are always working in collaboration with some kind of
> acoustician - sometimes the long-gone designer of the hall, sometimes
> the sound engineer, often both. Not to mention costume/set/lighting
> designers, composers, librettists, accompanists, conductors - all of
> whom change the way people perceive our vocal contribution.
>
> Tako


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