The impact of the home recording phenomenon on the Czech independent music scene

Abstract

The paper explores the phenomenon of home recording and the impact of democratization of recording technologies in the Czech independent music scene. The main goal of the paper is to clarify the links between home-recordings and the emergence of new music, describe current trends in the field of home recording, network studios, distribution, and self-education, as well as outline the ethical dilemma of using illegal software in music production. The research approach is based on conducting qualitative contextual interviews with musicians across the entire independent music scene and on the content analysis of a questionnaire survey among musicians and music producers. The results of the research provide an essential characterization of the impact of home recording on the emergence of new music in the Czech environment and chart trends in illegal software downloading.