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Dave Grohl's Sound City Documentary

 

So I watched the Sound City Documentary finally. It was good to see a documentary about music that I could relate to, and I'm happy to have seen it. Go watch it yourself if you haven't yet.
As far as music goes - I recorded all my personal music in digital. I've been in bands that have recorded at studios that used similar analog boards, I've even recorded a few drum tracks for people to tape - but most of my personal music has been all digital, although I've never used or paid for ProTools, and I've never auto-tuned anything. 
I feel like a subtle undertone in the movie is that "musicians" who don't spend the money to record in an anolog studio to tape have no business calling themselves "musicians" - because they aren't that good if they have to edit mistakes or add endless layers of effects. 
Maybe that's just a vibe I picked up, but I think I'm actually paraphrasing a line right from the movie. Either way...
I'll be the first to say that I'm not a good musician. I don't think I've ever recorded my own music to tape in a big name or even a small name studio. When I was younger I would use the tape deck from the A/V room at school. I have an old shoebox full of my own original mixtapes that I used to spend hours and hours working on. You wouldn't want to hear them - they're awful!
When I discovered that computer technology could eliminate the hassle and cost of going to a studio and dealing with anyone else I was thrilled. I don't have an illustrious "music career" behind me, I never sold out Wembley, and I don't think I ever will - but I have what I have and I am glad to have been able to record my own music at my own leisure over the years. 
I wrote the song "Cobra With Broken Fangs" when I was 16 and still living with my mom. I recorded it the best I could, with my best friend Brad McCaffery playing the rhythm guitar and me playing the lead while singing. 
If you went back in time and told 16 year old me that in 15 years I would be able to record every single part of the song, including the drums - AND videotape the whole thing MYSELF, then share it with THE WORLD... FOR FREE - I wouldn't have believed you. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BF2bIk5e_Oo
For this reason alone, I have to respectfully say that although I appreciate the sentiment behind caring about the history of the Neve Board and the icons that paid to use it, that wasn't my life - and outisde of listening to some of the music recorded on it, I don't even know the musicians who did the recording. I've never met Dave Grohl or Corey Taylor or Trent Reznor - and I probably never will. 
So, good for them, I'm glad they're happy.
For the rest of us musicians - we will use pots and pans or wires and computer knobs - whatever it takes to make the music we hear in our hearts. 
And if we can save a little money in the meanwhile, then great. 

So I watched the Sound City Documentary finally. It was good to see a documentary about music that I could relate to, and I'm happy to have seen it. Go watch it yourself if you haven't yet.


As far as music goes - I recorded most all my personal music in digital. I've been in bands that have recorded at studios that used similar analog boards, I've even recorded a few drum tracks for people to tape - but most of my personal music has been all digital, although I've never used or paid for ProTools, and I've never auto-tuned anything of my own.


I feel like a subtle undertone in the movie is that "musicians" who don't spend the money to record in an anolog studio to tape have no business calling themselves "musicians" - because they aren't that good if they have to edit mistakes or add endless layers of effects. 


Maybe that's just a vibe I picked up, but I think I'm actually paraphrasing a line right from the movie. Either way...

 

I'll be the first to say that I'm not a good musician. I don't think I've ever recorded my own music to tape in a big name or even a small name studio. I have recorded to 4 and 8 track during my early band days - a time consuming and questionably rewarding task. When I was even younger I would use the tape deck from the A/V room at school. I have an old shoebox full of my own original mixtapes that I used to spend hours and hours working on. You wouldn't want to hear them - they're awful!


When I discovered that computer technology could eliminate the hassle and cost of going to a studio and dealing with anyone else I was thrilled. I don't have an illustrious "music career" behind me, I've never sold out Wembley, and I don't think I ever will - but I have what I have and I am glad to have been able to record my own music at my own leisure over the years. 

 


I wrote the song "Cobra With Broken Fangs" when I was 16 and still living with my mom. I heard all the parts as clear as a bell in my head. At the time I had no way or means to record what I was hearing in my head by myself, so I recorded it the best I could, with my best friend Brad McCaffery playing the rhythm guitar and me playing the lead while singing.

We were kids, it was bad - but there it was, an original two-track song recorded on tape - that no one else but us was able to listen to.


Now if you went back in time and told 16-year-old-me that in 15 years I would be able to record every single part of the song - including the drums - AND videotape the whole thing MYSELF, then share it with THE WORLD... FOR FREE - I wouldn't have believed you. 


 


For this reason alone, I have to respectfully say that although I appreciate the sentiment behind caring about the history of the Neve Board and the icons that paid to use it, that wasn't my life - and outside of listening to some of the music recorded on it, I don't even know the musicians who did the recording. I've never met Dave Grohl, Butch Vig, Corey Taylor or Trent Reznor - and I probably never will. 

So, good for them, I'm glad they're happy.

 

For the rest of us musicians - we will use pots and pans or wires and computer buttons - whatever it takes to make the music we hear in our hearts. 

And if we can save a little money in the meantime, great. 

 

This documentary will sure be good for business now that everyone will know where the legendary Neve Board has been moved to - but Studio 606 probably doesn't charge for studio time since it's all about the music bro.