ABSTRACT
The democratization of music technology has led to a stark change in the way we approach music production and specifically the art of mixing. There is now a far greater need for an understanding of the processes and technical knowledge that mix engineers, both amateur and professional, need to execute their work practices. Where interns once learned their craft from assisting professionals in the studio, it is now more commonplace for them to learn from a book, an instruction video or within a college or university environment. There are, as Paul Théberge suggests, a “lack of apprenticeship placements” (Théberge, 2012). Unlike the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, these days anyone can make a record, quite often working remotely and increasingly using headphones rather than speakers, and in many cases, using spaces that weren’t designed to be studios. We use sound libraries, plugin presets and templates and in doing so create the illusion that an understanding of how we arrive at the finished sound isn’t necessary. Technology gives us infinite options and possibilities, but often stifles creativity and inhibits decision-making. There is a feeling that we are using the technology without understanding it.
