The digital, analogue debate...
On the forth coming release of another Salterszo EP, I pondered over the listening formats available to me and the pros and cons of the various mediums. Obviously cost, for a small, relatively unknown artist, is the number one factor. There are various ways to get your work out there and the most cost effective I have found is a digital release. This, for me, would come in the format of downloadable, lossless or mp3 files through my Bandcamp website. It's quick, easily accessible and incurs no cost whatsoever to anyone. My releases are sold on a, 'name your own price' format and so paying the sum of $\£ 0.00 will get you everything for free. Though I have a few who pay and for that I am humble, thankful and feel truly honoured.
Second up is the compact physical release. Now this incurs quite a substantial cost. Compact disc is relatively cheap, but then add in jewel case, printed cd covers, postage and packing on top of choosing to outsource the manufacture and distribution and you now have to weigh up the economics of demand and supply costs. But making the physical copies yourself along with any printed album medium can drastically reduce costs but increase your labour, it's a trade off and one the individual themselves must decide on.
Finally and most fashionably is the vinyl physical release. Now this may still be a niche market but stats show an ever increasing demand. Is it all about the sound, its physicality, historic reminiscing, large artwork? Who knows its all so subjective, but sales are undoubtedly growing.
Second up is the compact physical release. Now this incurs quite a substantial cost. Compact disc is relatively cheap, but then add in jewel case, printed cd covers, postage and packing on top of choosing to outsource the manufacture and distribution and you now have to weigh up the economics of demand and supply costs. But making the physical copies yourself along with any printed album medium can drastically reduce costs but increase your labour, it's a trade off and one the individual themselves must decide on.
Finally and most fashionably is the vinyl physical release. Now this may still be a niche market but stats show an ever increasing demand. Is it all about the sound, its physicality, historic reminiscing, large artwork? Who knows its all so subjective, but sales are undoubtedly growing.
So this got me thinking, how accessible is a vinyl release to someone like myself? On researching it didn't take me long to realise it was well out of my budget. Due to the way music is pressed onto vinyl with specialist machinery this isn't a DIY project by any means.
Now also consider the difficulty of keeping a true analogue path. Let me explain. I record into a computer, mix, master and burn to compact disc and despite applying debatable, analogue plugins, the whole path remains solely a digital one. So sending a master copy of my album\ep on compact disc to a vinyl pressing house does not make the final recording on vinyl a truly analogue one. To adhere to a full analogue path would require all recording, mixing and mastering to be done on tape. That, added to the price of production, technical ability, (ask any old recording engineer about the nightmare of recording and working with tape) and raised costs, somewhat nullifies any reasoning for me to pursue the analogue dream.
Now also consider the difficulty of keeping a true analogue path. Let me explain. I record into a computer, mix, master and burn to compact disc and despite applying debatable, analogue plugins, the whole path remains solely a digital one. So sending a master copy of my album\ep on compact disc to a vinyl pressing house does not make the final recording on vinyl a truly analogue one. To adhere to a full analogue path would require all recording, mixing and mastering to be done on tape. That, added to the price of production, technical ability, (ask any old recording engineer about the nightmare of recording and working with tape) and raised costs, somewhat nullifies any reasoning for me to pursue the analogue dream.
So digital is unequivocally the only domain I can work in. Costs, flexibility and convenience make it a no-brainer. As for sound quality? The analogue v's digital debate will rage on through the aeons until some other recorded medium emerges to take both their respective places.
No comments:
Post a Comment