will the next generation of engineers know their history?

[ryst]

With digital technology becoming more affordable for the average joe to have a home recording studio, do you see a possibility of a future generation of audio engineer who doesn't know anything about analog or the history of recording? There are a lot of young poeple these day who think that a new song from either a rap artist using a sample of an old song or a rock band doing a cover of an old song is actually just a brand new song. There are probably engineers who are the same way. What can we do to ensure that music and recording history is passed down and learned by the new generation?

[Lee Flier]

Oh, there are a ton of people getting into audio who have no clue at all about their history or even about proper recording techniques. One of the biggest problems of putting together a DAW at home and learning everything on your own, is that one of the more valuable things about working in studios is the mentoring system - you get to learn the craft from lots of people who have worlds of experience.

 

Of course now a lot of people like Bruce, Bob Ohlsson, George Massenburg and tons of others are willing to offer some mentoring on the Internet, which is awesome. But IMO there's still no substitute from learning in real world situations.

 

On the plus side, there ARE a lot of young people who realize this. A lot of bright young folks want to know how their favorite records were made and many of their favorites were made awhile ago. Most studios are still getting tons of applications for internships and a good number of kids want to learn about analog. I've also personally introduced quite a few younger people to analog and watched their faces light up like pinball machines when they first hear a piece of tape spin up through a nice console.

 

So I think there will always be a good percentage of people who are and will remain clueless about anything that came before, and are content with that. And that's fine so long as there are also a decent number who do care, and it seems there are.

 

As far as what we can do to make sure it gets passed down... well I hope our passion speaks for itself. One thing I noticed immediately when I started interning as a teen was that people who are REALLY good at this have no secrets and in fact, as they get older they are almost frantic with desire to pass on what they know. So, just make sure you become one of those frantic people.

[dirtydog]

Originally posted by ryst:

With digital technology becoming more affordable for the average joe to have a home recording studio, do you see a possibility of a future generation of audio engineer who doesn't know anything about analog or the history of recording?

Absolutely.

 

In my area, I don't believe that there is a studio that has a 2" atr anymore. Last I heard, the last one left town about 6 years ago. Everyone is using adat or hard disk these days.

 

I'm one of those "recording school grads". Last I heard, my class was the last one to learn the art of tape alignment. This was almost 10 years ago. In fact, a couple of buddies and I had to ask our instructor to show us the art of using a razor blade. IIRC, he was quite excited to have the rare opportunity to show this to people who were actually interested.

 

I'd be quite curious to know right now, how many "dyi - home schooled" engineers here know what more we have to be thankful to Les Paul for, other than great guitars.

[ryst]

Originally posted by Lee Flier:

As far as what we can do to make sure it gets passed down... well I hope our passion speaks for itself. One thing I noticed immediately when I started interning as a teen was that people who are REALLY good at this have no secrets and in fact, as they get older they are almost frantic with desire to pass on what they know. So, just make sure you become one of those frantic people.

Well, Lee. You better be frantic and give all your secrets the next time we hang out.

I still have a lot to learn and I don't want to be one of those engineers who have no clue.

[KenElevenShadows]

Originally posted by dirtydog:

In my area, I don't believe that there is a studio that has a 2" atr anymore. Last I heard, the last one left town about 6 years ago. Everyone is using adat or hard disk these days.

adat.....adat.....what's that?

~~~~~~~~~

 

Many will not know the history, but some always will.

[Bruce Swedien]

Lee Flier sez-------->Oh, there are a ton of people getting into audio who have no clue at all about their history or even about proper recording techniques.

 

On the plus side, there ARE a lot of young people who realize this. A lot of bright young folks want to know how their favorite records were made and many of their favorites were made awhile ago.

 

So I think there will always be a good percentage of people who are and will remain clueless about anything that came before, and are content with that. And that's fine so long as there are also a decent number who do care, and it seems there are.

 

As far as what we can do to make sure it gets passed down... well I hope our passion speaks for itself. One thing I noticed immediately when I started interning as a teen was that people who are REALLY good at this have no secrets and in fact, as they get older they are almost frantic with desire to pass on what they know.

 

So, just make sure you become one of those frantic people.

 

Brucie sez-------->As usual, very perceptive, Lee.

 

You say - "So I think there will always be a good percentage of people who are and will remain clueless...." - I think that's always been the case, that's nothing new. I travel and do seminars all over the world. I meet very dedicated and highly talented young people who are going to carry on.

 

I was in Norway a couple of years ago doing a seminar in music recording. I limited the class to 30 young professionals.

 

There was one young dude in the class that I noticed right away! His name is Christer. Six foot five, about 300 pounds and not an ounce of fat on him anywhere. Big, frightening tattoos on his huge forearms. He looked the personification of a Rock-and Roller! All during the class he never showed any emotiion! At all!

 

He never cracked a smile! I played some incredible music, layed all my wisdom out there for all! My pal Christer never smiled, never flinched.

 

After one of the classes, Christer came up to me (Now, I'm a big dude myself - Six foot two, 280 pounds, I distinctly remember looking UP at Christer) and in a low, hoarse whisper, looking deep into my eyes Christer said very intensely.... - "Bruce, this is so exciting!"

 

I've never forgotton the intensity of this big, passionate music man from Norway !!!! That's where the future of music recording lies.....

 

Bruce Swedien

[KenElevenShadows]

Originally posted by Bruce Swedien:

I've never forgotton the intensity of this big, passionate music man from Norway !!!! That's where the future of music recording lies.....

 

And if that's true, then the future is extremely well-protected!

[Sp3nc3r]

I'm a firm believer that in order to succeed at something, you have to know the history about what it is you're trying to do. This not only applies to audio, but to almost any other career.

 

The past is there to learn from. Every opportunity I get to absorb some, I try to take full advantage of it.

 

Cheers!

Spencer

[BOOKUMDANO]

Actually...I've been in this since 68 or so and I have no clue of the innovators of the 1920's-30's or 1940's. So I'm completely in the dark over those folks who really had it rough and had to make do with the most archaic equipment and techniques to sort of spur development onward.

 

The old recordings still exist in vinyl and film, but I'm fairly ignorant of who the engineers were and the techniques they had to deal with pre 1950's.

 

But I've done pretty good without that knowledge.

 

So I'd say, yeah, a percentage of the techniques and names will be lost all along the way as the decades and eons progress.

 

By the way, I'm glad I was around and immersed in the techniques that were used in the 60's-70'-80's...but I don't think it's a necessary art, unless you're personally into dredging it up.

 

I work with amazing kids right now who do amazing things and who have very little clue of the technology/techniques of the past few decades. When I watch them work and listen to the results, there are times when I think it's better that the old stuff isn't part of their experience.

 

Plus, it's no problem for me because some of this stuff that these kids are coming up with is just simply unbelievably incredible.

 

For me, because of technology...it's the techniques and knowledge of now..2005..that are the most challenging and exciting to be around compared to every decade I've experienced.

 

There is so much to learn and operate with now ..without having to understand why things were done some particular way in the 70's....or in the 20's.

[Veracohr]

When I was in audio school (well, it wasn't a dedicated audio school), about 7 years ago, I think they showed us once how to align a tape machine, but death on anyone who actually tried it during their studio time.

 

I think it will be a long long time before we get to the point that new engineers won't know what analog recording is, because as long as analog circuits exist (audio or otherwise), the history will be there to be learned. If in some Jetsons-like future everything is digital, then I could see someone saying "analog, what's that?"

 

But before that happens, I think it likely some of the nuances of analog recording will be lost, such as tape saturation ("What? Past 0 dB? You can't do that!") and probably a bunch of other things I don't know about because I'm in that in-between generation, and haven't used a tape machine since my pseudo-audio school days.