The music producer’s survival guide : chaos, creativity, and career in independent and electronic music

501 Pages·2018·3.97 MB·English

by  Brian M. Jackson

The Music Producer’s Survival Guide
A music-career book like no other, The Music Producer’s Survival Guide off ers a wide-ranging, exploratory,
yet refreshing down-to-earth take on living the life of the independent electronic music producer. If you are
an intellectually curious musician/producer eager to make your mark in today’s technologically advanced
music business, you’re in for a treat. This new edition includes industry and technological updates, additional
interviews, and tips about personal fi nances, income, and budgets.
In this friendly, philosophical take on the art and science of music production, veteran producer, engineer,
and teacher Brian Jackson shares clear, practical advice about shaping your own career in today’s computer-
centric “home-studio” music world. You’ll cover music technology, philosophy of music production, career
planning, networking, craft and creativity, the DIY ethos, lifestyle considerations, and much more. Brian’s
thoughtful approach will teach you to integrate your creative passion, your lifestyle, and your technical
know-how.
The Music Producer’s Survival Guide is the fi rst music production book to consider the infl uence of
complexity studies and chaos theory on music-making and career development. It focuses on practicality
while traversing a wide spectrum of topics, including essential creative process techniques, the TR-808,
the proliferation of presets, the butterfl y eff ect, granular synthesis, harmonic ratios, altered states, fractal
patterns, the dynamics of genre evolution, and much more. Carving out your niche in music today is an
invigorating challenge that will test all your skills and capacities. Learn to survive—and thrive—as a creative-
technical professional in today’s music business, with the help of Brian Jackson and The Music Producer’s
Survival Guide !
Brian M. Jackson is a music producer, electronic musician, audio engineer, educator, consultant, and
philosopher. Brian's involvement in DIY, independent, and underground music culture started in Detroit
more than two decades ago. He has produced various styles of electronic music, played bass in bands,
promoted club events, attempted a record label, and DJ’ed after-hours parties. From award-winning
experimental video art to TV shows such as 24, his sounds have been heard worldwide. He has more than
20 years of teaching experience, from beginners to Grammy winners, from classrooms at leading institutions
to one-on-one tutoring. He’s one of the fi rst ever Ableton Certifi ed trainers and has authored extensive
training materials. He is the owner of Form Labs NYC located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Sound on Sound Presents series…
Series Editorial Advisor: Dave Lockwood
Other title in the series:
The Studio SOS Book: Solutions and Techniques for the Project Recording Studio
Paul White, Hugh Robjohns, and Dave Lockwood
The SOS Guide to Live Sound: Optimising Your Band’s Live-Performance Audio
Paul White
Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio
Mike Senior
Recording Secrets for the Small Studio
Mike Senior
The Music Producer’s Survival Guide: Chaos, Creativity, and Career in Independent and
Electronic Music, Second Edition
Brian M. Jackson
The Music Producer’s
Survival Guide
Chaos, Creativity, and Career in
Independent and Electronic Music
Second Edition
Brian M. Jackson
Second edition published 2018
by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
and by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2018 Taylor & Francis
The right of Brian M. Jackson to be identifi ed as author of this work has been asserted by him in
accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form
or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks,
and are used only for identifi cation and explanation without intent to infringe.
First edition published by Delmar Cengage Learning 2013
Second edition published by Routledge 2018
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Jackson, Brian M., author.
Title: The music producer’s survival guide : chaos, creativity,
and career in independent and electronic music / Brian M. Jackson.
Description: Second edition. | New York, NY : Routledge, 2018. | Series: Sound on sound
presents
Identifi ers: LCCN 2017045933 | ISBN 9780415790956 (hardback : alk. paper) |
ISBN 9781138697850 (pbk. : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781315519777 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Sound recordings—Production and direction. | Sound recordings—Production
and direction—Vocational guidance. | Sound recording executives and producers.
Classifi cation: LCC ML3790 .J25 2018 | DDC 781.49023—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017045933
ISBN: 978-0-415-79095-6 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-138-69785-0 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-51977-7 (ebk)
Typeset in Myriad Pro
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
Dedicated to:
8, ∞, 0, 1, 1.6180339, 01123581321345589, r > 3.57, and z = z 2 + c

Contents
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xvi
Preface to the Second Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvii
Preface to the First Edition (Revised) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xviii
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
DIY.Independent.Electronic.Music.Producer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
What Is the Goal of This Book? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
How Is This Book Structured? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
What This Book Is Not . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Whom Is This Book For? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Can I Get a Venn Diagram? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
DIY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Independent (Indie) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Electronic Music (EM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
A Few Words on Major Labels and the Corporate Media Business . . . . . . . . . .9
Magic Might Make Machine Mechanism, Moegen Macht . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Welcome to the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
The Accidental Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Faster, Smaller, Cheaper . . . Easier? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
From Musician to Producer: An Author’s Version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
One Thing Leads to Another: Positive Chaos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Chapter 1: Musica Universalis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Music Is Universal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Music Is Diverse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Music Is Technological . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Music Is Personal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Music Is Vital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Music Is Fundamental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Nature Is Musical. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Music Is Mathematical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Music Is Evolving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Music’s Evolution Is Chaotic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Basic Dynamics of Genre Evolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Baker’s Transformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
The Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
“Nothing Sounds Quite Like an 808” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Arthur Baker’s Baker’s Transformation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
vii
Contents
A Very Brief Intro to the History of Electronic Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
EM’s Two Timbral Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Source 1: Sound Reproduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Source 2: Sound Synthesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Independent Label Pioneers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Jamaica, U.K., and New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
American Punk, Metal, and Aggressive or Alternative Rock Styles . . . . . . . . . . .54
Various Styles of Adventurous Rock, Underground Metal,
and Industrial-Related Genres From Germany, U.K., U.S.,
and Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Electronic Music Labels From US, Canada, Germany, and U.K. . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Music Is Cybernetic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Cadence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Chapter 2: Plot Point on the Space-Time Continuum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Putting Things in Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Music Is More Than the Recording Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Yo Ho Ho, and a Bottle of Rum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Context Is Everything . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
History . . . zzZzz . . . What’s in It for Me? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
A (Very Incomplete) Brief History of Everything . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Epoch 1: Back in the Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Epoch 2: Recent History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Epoch 3: The 20th Century . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Epoch 4: The New Millennium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
Where Are We Now? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Era 1: Local and Exclusive (? to 1877 ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Era 2: Transmission and Storage (1888 to 2000) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Era 3: Global Information Networks (2001 to 2029[?]) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Era 4: Biotechnology Network Integration? (2029[?] to ?) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
What Goes Around Comes Around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Industry Expansion and Limited Access to Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Industry Contraction and Expanded Access to Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
A Parallel Teachable Moment From Recent History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
Where Is the RIAA’s Equivalent of Deep Blue? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
Gains From Complexifi cation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
Losses From Complexifi cation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
The Argument for the Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
Economics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
The Industry’s Weak Argument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
P2P and CD Sales (Correlation Does Not Imply Causation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
Other Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
The Argument for Self-Destruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
viii
Contents
RIAA Failures + Apple Computer = Apple, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
Emergence of the “Celestial Jukebox” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
What Is a “Producer”? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96
The “Classic” Record Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
DIY/Independent Music/Producers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99
Electronic Music Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
What Does “Professional” Mean? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
Aspiring Pro, Semi-Pro, or Serious Hobbyist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
Last Refrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Chapter 3: What Is Your Plan? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Did You Choose This, or Did It Choose You? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107
Sense of Direction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
The Butterfl y Eff ect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Patience and Persistence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Luck, Talent, Preparation, Opportunity, and Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Defi ning Your Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115
Brainstorming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115
Developing a Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Possible Pieces of the Planning Puzzle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121
Are You Already a Pro or Skilled in Something?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
Are You Just Getting Started (or Starting Over)? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124
School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124
Personalized Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127
Learning on the Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128
Moving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128
Backup Plans Versus Alternate Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131
Be Flexible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132
Some Considerations, Strategies, and Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134
Technology and the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135
Before Skills Pay the Bills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135
Paying the Bills With Your Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136
Getting Paid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138
You Are Your Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138
Advances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Residual Income Is Awesome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Personal Finances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
Be Involved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Thoughts on Partnerships and Collaborations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143
Planning Your Artistic Musical Identity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144
Outro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144
Chapter 4: Master Your Craft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Multiple Intelligences and So-Called “Styles” of Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148
ix