Authentic Record Production

[Andrew Hudson]

Hi there,

I recently posted in this forum a few questions regarding peoples opinions on preset software, mainly focusing of effects processing for my postgraduate dissertation.

This raised a whole new questions for me, and was wondering if you could spare a few minutes to give me your opinions and views.

What is authenticity with regards to record production?

Therefore...

What do you think makes the production process of a record authentic?

Many thanks

Andy

[MadManDan]

First key to authentic record production is to .... DO YOUR OWN HOMEWORK

[cfb4]

Mastering Audio by Bob Katz

[Aled Hughes]

What do you think makes the production process of a record authentic?

The fact that it happened.

[The_BPP]

What do you mean by "authentic" in this instance?

[Wizard Moon Chopper]

What kind of a dick puts a divisive question like that to students?

I would go back to the college and ask for your money back!

To me a recording has to capture the performance of humans to be an authentic record - in the word, innit.

But that's me, other people have different views which are equally valid.

Like someone mentioned above, the fact that it's there is enough.

[Nelly]

To me it's a thoroughly pretentious word that suggests the recording that is "authentic" is in some way better than one that isn't. I expect to find it applied to recordings of singer-songwriters using only a banjo woven from hemp made in a wooden shack in the middle of a forest, to imply that such a thing is better than, say, a sequenced synthesiser-based pop song with lots of high-tech production.

What do Marks and Spencer mean when they label underpants "authentic"? I don't know. It's nonsense.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Authentic could mean different things to different people.

In a classical music context, it could mean using original period instruments and an appropriate recording location to perform the music of certain period composers.

In the case of other genres it could mean using identical band line ups, instruments and recording techniques associated with the works of specific historic performers.

And so on...

As a post-graduate disseration, it is clear that there is certainly enough leeway in the topic to be able to demonstrate a mastery (or not) of the subject and an appropriate level of intellect.

hugh

Hugh

[Andrew Hudson]

yea sure, i realise authenticity is a very broad subject, one that even stretches to different types of underpants.....

just wanted to get an idea of the interpretation that different recordists and music makers had on the term "authenticity"

any thoughts?

[Andrew Hudson]

so for performance, for it be authentic its got to be played by humans, what about say post production?

if you were editing and mixing a song, in your opinion, what more "authentic" production techniques be? regardless if the music was played by humans or not

[Andrew Hudson]

so in your opinion, what would an authentic recording or production technique be?

[Pete Kaine]

What is authenticity with regards to record production?

I've read this half a dozen times now and as a question it doesn't make sense.

Surely record production itself would imply the whole process not just the performance. It doesn't matter where the sound has come from be it a performance or a digital recording to record production itself is the art of getting it to that mastered pressed up state.

How is a recording process authentic?

errr.... it emits sound once you play back the final product.

[StuartBallingall]

I agree that the question doesn't make sense, people strive for authenticity by using the equipment and applying the techniques of the time when re-creating a particular sound or style of music.

So i'd say there is no such thing as authentic record production.

Maybe a bit of research into production techniques of yester-year and how they are reproduced today wouldn't go a miss?

but i wouldn't want to be seen to be doing your homework for you

[Andrew Hudson]

i appreciate your views, maybe i haven't made my question clear enough, but in many ways you have answered the question, in my mind, by what you have said. for instance, you mentioned that someone may look at production techniques and the use of certain equipment in their recording process to be more authentic

in a quest to be more "authentic" in production, someone may to go out and buy a fairchild compressor, over a plugin package, from say tc electronic, the fact that the fairchild has got a reputation in rock production etc...may increase the authenticity of their productions, in their eyes, over using a compressor from a plug in package

[StuartBallingall]

I think this is a big problem with these days. What is thought to be 'authentic'.

an old compressor may look impressive in your studios rack, but will probably sound poo if you dont have the knowledge of how compressors work or why/when to use one.

If you gave a novice all the equipment at abbey road,

and then had george martin and his team work only with garage band

then i bet i could guess who would end up with the most 'authentic' sounding record.

what i'm saying is, authentic equipment doesn't equal authentic sounding tracks.

If you wanna sound like the beatles, then you better play like the beatles, write songs like them, have the same equipment as them, record in the same studio, with the same engineers. in fact you'd probably need to actually BE the beatles.

why do people spend so much time trying to sound like other people?

surely you'd do yourself more justice spending that effort developing your own style?

[Steve Hill]

Like others I'm bemused by the question. But I'll just volunteer the notion that an "authentic record production" probably presupposes the existence of a producer...

That's a professional role not often encountered these days!

[Darclinc]

In terms of audio .. everything, and nothing, is authentic.

D.

[JamesSimpson]

Like others I'm bemused by the question. But I'll just volunteer the notion that an "authentic record production" probably presupposes the existence of a producer...

That's a professional role not often encountered these days!

All the producers became "Mix Engineers" because the wage was cheaper but the work was more aplenty. "Nobody wants to pay for a mix engineer and a producer when they could just pay a mix engineer and "produce" it themselves"

So far as what I've come across anyway.

[Sam Inglis]

You might want to take a look at this book:

Faking It: The Quest for Authenticity in Popular Music

The early chapters about the blues are very interesting, unfortunately the rest of it is nothing like as good.

[Tomás Mulcahy]

Andrew, I think you need to pay attention to this:

As a post-graduate disseration, it is clear that there is certainly enough leeway in the topic to be able to demonstrate a mastery (or not) of the subject and an appropriate level of intellect.

Don't be afraid to think for yourself.

[johnny h]

Hi there,

I recently posted in this forum a few questions regarding peoples opinions on preset software, mainly focusing of effects processing for my postgraduate dissertation.

This raised a whole new questions for me, and was wondering if you could spare a few minutes to give me your opinions and views.

What is authenticity with regards to record production?

Therefore...

What do you think makes the production process of a record authentic?

Many thanks

Andy

Hi Andy, I'd be happy to help with your question.

"Authentic" in the sense of record production means "professional". Therefore the more effects boxes used with the word "professional" written on them, the more "authentic" the record. Simple

[Andrew Hudson]

cheers thanks guys, really appreciate the time you have taken to reply! this is all good stuff for me, cheers

[Andrew Hudson]

You might want to take a look at this book:

Faking It: The Quest for Authenticity in Popular Music

The early chapters about the blues are very interesting, unfortunately the rest of it is nothing like as good.

cool, cheers for the tip, will check it out

[paul101]

I love how vague uni assignments are.

I would maybe consider the Raconteurs work as a decent example of modern yet authentic production. Recorded to tape, no Pro Tools style editing and with a very obvious nod to the past.

[lead ears]

Does authentic means "using outdated means of production"?
Acoustic recording on wax cylinders may qualify as super-authentic?
I have a feeling that someone wants to hear unprocessed acoustic sounds, finger or lip noises, no FX, no audible compression...