Hello reading folk, let’s talk about holistic production.
Here’s the thing; ever since 2010 when I finished my degree at the age of 29, I have been curious about what constitutes a ‘studio atmosphere’.
Logic would dictate that a studio atmosphere should be one of relaxed creativity where pressure and external expectation should be left outside. What I have discovered is that this is very rarely the case. Invariably, the pressure of being in an unfamiliar place with people you don’t necessarily know promotes anything but calm and your creativity is squashed underneath a pile of very expensive – and sometimes unnecessary – studio equipment.
I can’t see any way that this situation could be beneficial in producing a performance to be proud of. At best you might produce something technically proficient which can be ‘fixed in the mix’, at worst you get a recording which sounds empty and soulless, and you leave intimidated by the whole studio experience.
My philosophy here is to take a holistic approach to music production. I aim most of my attention as a producer and engineer to the song, not the gear I use to record it. By working with an artist on connecting with the sentiment of their composition rather than placing the onus on them to give a perfect performance in an unfamiliar environment, I try to take the pressure off and allow them to put their energy into creativity. I have worked hard to make Studio 51 both a fully equipped
, functional studio and a relaxed and easy place to be; basically I didn’t want it to feel too much like a recording studio.
My job is to facilitate the production of a piece of artistic work to the highest possible standard, I just don’t believe that technical perfection on the artist’s part should be the main focus. The best performance isn’t necessarily a perfect one.