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Sure, the marginal cost of music distribution is now basically zero. But producing every new recording (or film or TV programme) can cost a lot of money. The m

Sure, the marginal cost of music distribution is now basically zero. But producing every new recording (or film or TV programme) can cost a lot of money. The make-money-from-touring model is working very well for artists who already made a name for themselves under the old model. However, there are artists who can't or don't want to perform live. Arguably the Beatles' best work was done after they gave up touring and concentrated on recorded work. Must every electronic artist whose medium is `tape' be forced to contrive a live show or take up DJing if they want to eat?

ZeroGravitas 14y ago
Wait, electronic artists? The ones that threw drummers, violinists and piano tuners and all kinds of instrument makers on the historical scrap heap in favor of drum machines, synths, midi keyboards and samplers? And dispensed with producers and sound engineers and session guitarists in favour of a home "studio" that's basically a macbook pro? And now you tell me they don't even want to employ roadies and tour managers and support live music venues? My God, it's practically cultural genocide... ...or it's opened up a whole new world of musical opportunities that perhaps weren't obvious to those who would have fought to remain in the past if they could?
- parenthesis 14y ago
  Yes there are such several implications to electronic music production. A whole different palette of sounds and techniques (musique concrete, acid house, detroit techno, …); a means of enabling independent artists to realise their musical visions without big budgets (drum machines and synths enabled underground artists to keep the disco vibe alive after it died commercially, the budgets for big string and horn sections having disappeared); or a means for cost-cutting and putting people out of work (much of current pop music fits into this category, I wish all those pop stars who profess to be so influenced by Michael Jackson, when they mean that they dance and have music videos as well as singing, would mean rather that they have great producers and arrangers and songwriters and session musicians and sound engineers create their recordings with them, of the calibre of Quincy Jones, Rod Temperton, Bruce Swedien, …).
- res0nat0r 14y ago
  Note being an electronic music isn't just as simple as owning a Macbook. When artist BT had his house broken into and equipment stolen a few years ago he said he was out about $100k.

ZeroGravitas 14y ago

Wait, electronic artists? The ones that threw drummers, violinists and piano tuners and all kinds of instrument makers on the historical scrap heap in favor of drum machines, synths, midi keyboards and samplers? And dispensed with producers and sound engineers and session guitarists in favour of a home "studio" that's basically a macbook pro? And now you tell me they don't even want to employ roadies and tour managers and support live music venues? My God, it's practically cultural genocide... ...or it's opened up a whole new world of musical opportunities that perhaps weren't obvious to those who would have fought to remain in the past if they could?

parenthesis 14y ago
Yes there are such several implications to electronic music production. A whole different palette of sounds and techniques (musique concrete, acid house, detroit techno, …); a means of enabling independent artists to realise their musical visions without big budgets (drum machines and synths enabled underground artists to keep the disco vibe alive after it died commercially, the budgets for big string and horn sections having disappeared); or a means for cost-cutting and putting people out of work (much of current pop music fits into this category, I wish all those pop stars who profess to be so influenced by Michael Jackson, when they mean that they dance and have music videos as well as singing, would mean rather that they have great producers and arrangers and songwriters and session musicians and sound engineers create their recordings with them, of the calibre of Quincy Jones, Rod Temperton, Bruce Swedien, …).
res0nat0r 14y ago
Note being an electronic music isn't just as simple as owning a Macbook. When artist BT had his house broken into and equipment stolen a few years ago he said he was out about $100k.