people mistaking analog instruments for digital imitations?

[sine143]

Alright, so, this probably isnt the best place to ask this, but hell, I like this forum, and I'd like to know if anyone has any thoughts on the matter.

I've yet to really jump into digital music production, just some basic stuff, but I do a fair amount of home recording via protools. Pretty much I just dub record covers/original songs in my bedroom, but recently I've been asked if I'm using a synth to produce some of my backing tracks (cello, violin, flute, melodica, bari sax, and other instruments I use to bulk up the recording).

I'm not sure how I feel about this haha. I mean, I'm not great at many of the instruments I play by any stretch of the imagination, but would you consider being mistaken for a digital synth a compliment, or an insult?

[DJPhaidon]

I would take it as a compliment in this regard do to the fact that in order to sound remotely similar to a non-digital instrument you would have to be completely in tune all the time

[sine143]

Yeah... I guess, but I'd have to say that most of the people making these comments dont have the best ear for intonation.

[psyEDk]

i doubt someone lacking a good ear for intonation would be trying to imply anything by asking if you added synths to your recordings.

it's a general assumption that people doing home recording use synths rather than live instruments - cheaper, easier, etc.

[sine143]

yeah, I know that they were not trying to imply anything negative with the comment, and that they were really just trying to find out, but it still kind of nags at me... cause I have put some amount of effort at learning how to play multiple instrument types.

[gfocus]

You're like one of those vinyl guys. "I spent so much money on records and so much time to learn all these techniques and now some tool with a midi controller comes along, hits sync and the crowd goes nuts. That's so unfair."

The problem is not that people don't recognize you're a great musician, it's that you care too much for their validation. If you learned all these instruments so that people come up to you and call you Maestro you should have joined an orchestra. I assume you play music because you love what you? Hint: turn down the old ego a bit when someone critiques you and quit identifying yourself with the tools you use.

[sine143]

I'm not sure how I feel about this haha. I mean, I'm not great at many of the instruments I play by any stretch of the imagination, but would you consider being mistaken for a digital synth a compliment, or an insult?

I learned how to play so I could do that, play. I love music, and I love the way instruments feel.

It's no an ego trip, the person who made this observation is 12 years old. She happens to know I love midi, and that I do a bit of digital production, as well as recording

I know that it wasn't an insult. I just dont know how to feel about it.

[Lambox]

Since she knows your a fan of midi, "do a bit of digital production," etc... Then it's quite logical imo that she would think these tracks were done digitally.

Hell, if it was me talking to you, I probably would have asked/assumed the same thing. Don't feel bad about it. Especially in "this day and age," digital tracks are the norm.

[sine143]

Well, yes, I know the question was asked out of simple curiousity, and yes it was a very logical question...

I dunno, like I said, I'm not sure how I feel about it.

[kevinmcdonough]

Er,

I must admit i did have to think about this one, i wasn't totally sure about it either. At the end of the day but I think my answer would be "does it really matter".

I have been recording and producing bands for a long time, and the one thing I've learned is that there is only 1 rule........Get the right sound.

Yes there are things that your "supposed to do" like techniques for mic placement, or how to set up a compressor or effects unit properly, or whatever, but at the end of the day you can have all of the settings messed up and completely "incorrect" but if the resulting sound does its job and fits in with the track and achieves whatever it was supposed to achieve, then that's all that counts.

And its a similar thing here. You got certain sounds recorded, and I assume they fit the track and sound good and do the job they are supposed to, and so at the end of the day should it really matter how you actually got them?

The answer in a perfect world would probably be no, but we all have a bit of ego and want people to know what our skills are etc and so its totally understandable that this would give you a funny reaction.

I suppose its the same boat as beatmatching. "did you just press sync on that track", "No i beatmatched it by ear!". At the end of the day it should be the result that matters not the method, but we still wanna show off our skills and that we can do it "properly"

k