Ive been getting a little bit annoyed lately when alot of people refer to the music i make as "producing" music, whereas i consider it "composing" music.
In my mind, there is a large difference between the 2. In producing (just the way i think of the word as it applies to electronica), there is no art whatsoever, its like a factory: pumping out stuff, heartless, emotionless. Its is not really considered an art form.
Composing, on the other hand, refers to CREATING music, and is considered an art form. The act of thinking of a melody and transcribing or playing the melody, to evoke emotion.
Any thoughts on this? I consider what i do composing. The nuance bothers me.
Producer vs Composer
Producer vs Composer
Nicholas Laroche
I think Producers produce the tracks composed by the composer.
The producer provides artist suggestions on how to lay down the tracks, mixing up the parts, and formatting it to fit nicely with the verses, the instrument level adjustments, and final mastering so it sounds good on a $big sound system, or a $3 pair of head phones. Producing IS an artform all it's own seperate from composition. People pay big money for good producers, because they give the music an identifiable sound.
You may be playing the role of composer and producer. It's two distinct stages in my mind. I just compose breaks, pieces and loops. . . . . I take them to the producer, step into he booth and drop the vocals I have in mind on the raw loops. Now he has an idea of the vocal sound and rhythm and produces the track I made around the vocals to match his distinctive style of production.
I don't really get off on production . . . I just like to make the pieces, my producer likes to produce, and doesn't care to compose the structure of the music . . . he just lays it down and masters it to sounds good.
The producer provides artist suggestions on how to lay down the tracks, mixing up the parts, and formatting it to fit nicely with the verses, the instrument level adjustments, and final mastering so it sounds good on a $big sound system, or a $3 pair of head phones. Producing IS an artform all it's own seperate from composition. People pay big money for good producers, because they give the music an identifiable sound.
You may be playing the role of composer and producer. It's two distinct stages in my mind. I just compose breaks, pieces and loops. . . . . I take them to the producer, step into he booth and drop the vocals I have in mind on the raw loops. Now he has an idea of the vocal sound and rhythm and produces the track I made around the vocals to match his distinctive style of production.
I don't really get off on production . . . I just like to make the pieces, my producer likes to produce, and doesn't care to compose the structure of the music . . . he just lays it down and masters it to sounds good.
I guess im playing the role of both, you're right.
It still doesn't feel quite right, regardless. In the case of Hip-hop/rap whatever, your description seems on the dot. Lets look at other kinds of electronic music, like Amon Tobin for example.
He uses loops and samples EXCLUSIVELY, but what he does is compose the song by arranging the pieces in different kinds of structures, plays with the melody by playing only certain parts of one loop and mixing with another, or just using the loop as a sampleset (Such as in the case of REX files). Some of the stuff he does is GENIOUS is my mind, but alot of people i talk to don't seem impressed:
"Yeah he just produced it though, the loop creaters are the real artists".
Why do people think this way? He takes the individual sounds/samples that he works with and makes them sound greater then the sum of the parts. Sort of like a "traditional" musician who takes notes and strings them together in a way to make them sound good.
It still doesn't feel quite right, regardless. In the case of Hip-hop/rap whatever, your description seems on the dot. Lets look at other kinds of electronic music, like Amon Tobin for example.
He uses loops and samples EXCLUSIVELY, but what he does is compose the song by arranging the pieces in different kinds of structures, plays with the melody by playing only certain parts of one loop and mixing with another, or just using the loop as a sampleset (Such as in the case of REX files). Some of the stuff he does is GENIOUS is my mind, but alot of people i talk to don't seem impressed:
"Yeah he just produced it though, the loop creaters are the real artists".
Why do people think this way? He takes the individual sounds/samples that he works with and makes them sound greater then the sum of the parts. Sort of like a "traditional" musician who takes notes and strings them together in a way to make them sound good.
Nicholas Laroche
I would say he is using samples/loops as "instruments", and composing tracks from these "instruments" to make a musical piece.
I would think the production on a selection like that would be quite minimal and boring. Simply adjusting the levels of the tracks so they come out on cd the same as they are in the compsition environment, which might actually be mastering. . . but I let that fall on my producer friends.
I would think the production on a selection like that would be quite minimal and boring. Simply adjusting the levels of the tracks so they come out on cd the same as they are in the compsition environment, which might actually be mastering. . . but I let that fall on my producer friends.
Boring? I suggest you look into His cd's before really declaring it as "boring".
I think Sordid was the song used on Sam's CSS4 video.
I think Sordid was the song used on Sam's CSS4 video.
Nicholas Laroche
Sordid was not that song, sadly. :\ (though Sordid is a GREAT track)
I agree with you completely about Amon Tobin, though, Nick. What he does is very, very hard to do well, and I think I can appreciate that as a music composer/producer. I think the remix he/they/whoever did of Scuba by Bonobo is a prime example of how using loops as 'instruments' can sound terrific. Amon Tobin is a genius. RJD2 seems very similar in his use of loops to me, as well. RJD2 is also a musical genius.
edit: If anyone knows what song Sam Colclough used on the CSS4 vid... Please let me know!
I agree with you completely about Amon Tobin, though, Nick. What he does is very, very hard to do well, and I think I can appreciate that as a music composer/producer. I think the remix he/they/whoever did of Scuba by Bonobo is a prime example of how using loops as 'instruments' can sound terrific. Amon Tobin is a genius. RJD2 seems very similar in his use of loops to me, as well. RJD2 is also a musical genius.
edit: If anyone knows what song Sam Colclough used on the CSS4 vid... Please let me know!
Go back and parse my text again please. You completely missed the point of what I wrote. I was agreeing with the term composer as opposed to producer . . .Laroche wrote:Boring? I suggest you look into His cd's before really declaring it as "boring".
I think Sordid was the song used on Sam's CSS4 video.
It'sNagasake wrote: If anyone knows what song Sam Colclough used on the CSS4 vid... Please let me know!
Amon Tobin - Nightlife
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bjoern
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