Where do professional standards fall in the creative process, with music production being in the pursuit of art?
The context of this research project is so far composed of inquiry into the areas of professional standards of practice in audio production in-tandem with the background of a developing record label environment. However, in the aim of taking practical meaning further into the realm of artistry I feel it is important to include in this investigation the additional aim given in the title question here presented.
With this research topic falling under the awarding title of MA, gaining deeper understanding into the aspects of creative endeavour will further research within my own practice of audio production. Analogous to making music, filmmaking can be seen as a pursuit of photographic capture of adequate images to convey underlying meaning, being in of itself an artistic creative process. Such as in the work of Herzog’s Fire Within, where practical methods such as framing / light contrast / colour grading / depth being utilised to embellish meaning and draw a subliminality in film, enhances the subject into an object of impressive cinematography. Similarly, this approach in the phonographic recording and production of music can be seen in ways and methods of approach to music production.
In this regard, the technical elements of what constitutes filmmaking - including practice such as the use and operation of camera equipment, or the process of post editing the film’s material - do not form the full extent of what it means to create art through the practice of being a filmmaker. With the subject of music production fundamentally being art, understanding and consideration on the standing of professionalism and where this falls within the creative process will be introspectively analysed and accounted for, underlying the wider research of this project. Being inline with the pragmatic research paradigm of this project, exploring the deeper interpretivist aspects of philosophical meaning to music production may contribute further insight to this research undertaking and its outputs.
Being myself both an engineer and artist, this area of thought is often a forefront in the production process - but it has evaded the grasps of my own articulation. Music production is to me an effort in the pursuit of capturing and framing living phonographic moments of creativity and inspiration, not just as an engineering science but a blending of practical and creative effort. Therefore, with the question of establishing professional standards for recommendation it must be accompanied by introspective inquest into the meaning behind why the practice of audio production is undertaken at all ? The question of whether standards can even withstand the individualised artistic side to music production is present.
When the subject of music is an artist and their art, finding where we as producers and engineers sit between the artist's focal and the listener's subjective awareness is an insightful concept to grasp. How we record, frame and embellish the work of art can be arguably just as impactful as the arrangement itself, given that we are the ones handed responsibility for another’s music, in the art of music production we ought to take a critical awareness to that fact. This investigation therefore aims to embellish an overarching question into the undertaking of music production, having the differentiation with being in the work of music making here - Herzog summaries this pursuit through his own practice of filmmaking in these following words :
“It’s not only my dreams, my belief is that all these dreams are yours as well, and the only distinction between me and you is that I can articulate them, and that is what poetry or painting or literature or filmmaking is all about. It's as simple as that, and I make films because I have not learned anything else, and I know I can do it to a certain degree, and it is my duty because this might be the inner chronicle of what we are, and we have to articulate ourselves otherwise we would be cows in the field.” - Herzog W.
Imbuing our practice as production engineers with the artist’s perspective towards creating music, is detrimental in my existing view on making music. Questioning on what makes a professional in this research inquiry will be undertaken from a practical standpoint, as this will serve beneficial for all the given reasons in the proposal - however consideration of their inherent role in supporting the creation of art will also be explored.
Herzog W. (2010), ”On the Absolute, the Sublime, and Ecstatic Truth”, Arion Vol 17.3 Winter, Online : Available at :
https://www.bu.edu/arion/files/2010/03/Herzog.pdf
[Accessed : 03/03/24]
Herzog W. (1982), “Why Werner Herzog Makes Films”, Interview Footage, Online : Available at :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9S3Ix0Zzjw&list=PLegu41-v-OPdGzQVjcSPCW9ZKIadket6H&index=1
[Accessed : 03/03/24]
Like Stories of Old (2023), “When Two Filmmakers Make the Same Movie”, Youtube, Online : Available at :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Wn-OJSgVQs&list=PLegu41-v-OPdGzQVjcSPCW9ZKIadket6H&index=2
[Accessed : 03/03/24]
