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The tools and techniques musicians use have a huge impact on the sonic style of their music.
Those technologies play important roles at every stage in the lifecycle of a song.
But there’s no process in music production more tightly linked to tech than mixing.
We sat down with star engineer Robert L. Smith to talk mixing, technology and the evolution of sound.
Think of any notable track from the past 50 years. You’ll hear the stamp of its unique moment in music production.
Some of these important techniques stuck around, while others fell by the wayside.
With a career spanning decades worth of production trends, Smith has seen firsthand how landmark styles resurface.
Sounds from eras past may seem dated to modern ears, but in the end they provide the context for the language of mixing and production.
Most producers can identify the signature sounds of past decades. But today’s production has its own flavor that might seem just as distinctive twenty years from now.
For Smith the sound of modern music comes from pushing boundaries.
Even the analog instruments that sparked the development of those genres have gotten bigger and more hard-hitting.
Like the 808, plenty of era-defining gear found its way to the spotlight by accident.
For Smith, the recipe for a classic is a mix of cheapness, availability and unique sound.
It’s easy to see the connection between young, resourceful musicians working with low-cost gear and the creative drive to develop new sounds.
As Smith recounts,
It’s safe to say that change is the only constant when it comes to new tech in music.
For Robert that meant tackling some of the biggest changes to ever hit the industry head on.
It’s easy to feel nostalgic for the glory days of tape, but many engineers who lived it see the benefits of modern workflows in sharp relief.
But as Smith is quick to note, It’s not just the audio itself that’s gotten more fluid. Collaboration within the music industry has changed radically.
What used to be a local activity that unfolded in the moment is now spread out over time and space.
As more collaboration than ever moves online, artists are turning to platforms like LANDR Network to continue the vital connections that power modern music.
Network is the best place to hire pros and collaborate with talented people from every discipline in music.
Growing and learning with others is part of every mix engineer’s development.
Gear has an enormous impact, but it’s ultimately the person putting it to use who defines the song’s style.
When it came to developing his own voice with technology, Smith drew inspiration from a diverse set of influences.
Driving the gear to its sweet spot is a technique that crosses genre boundaries.
In the end the engineer is a facilitator. Their work bridges the gap between the artist and the tools of record making.
To do it right you need confidence with those tools, and the skills to work alongside any artist.
For Smith that meant balancing technical duties with keen social awareness.
Creating the right conditions for creativity is a delicate balance. When you need to make important technical choices on the spot, experience and intuition are essential.
For Smith, the snap decisions can make all the difference if they help an artist open up.
Mixing will continue to evolve as technologies change and trends come and go.
Whatever new styles emerge, there’s a generation of creative engineers waiting to create the unique sounds that will define them.