Music Production Research Articles

THE EFFECTS OF COMPRESSOR PLUG-INS ON THE DYNAMIC RANGE IN MUSIC PRODUCTION

This study investigated the role of dynamic processors in audio processing and music production and the effects of different types of design on the audio signal. It has been tried to give information about the designs and parameters of dynamic processors. In order to create the sound sample analyzed within the scope of the study, a mono sample recording was taken from the virtual instrument plug-in. The sound sample taken from the bass guitar model was preferred in order to contain all the general envelope structure features of an audio signal. In this direction, the sound sample was chosen from the virtual instrument in order to keep it away from external factors during the recording stages and to make the work repeatable and developable. It is used as basic tools for dynamic processors to control and balance audio signals and create sensory effects. In this context, the effects of compressors in the dynamic processor class and their basic parameters and different design types on the audio signal are examined. Differences in tonal characteristics and dynamic changes of different compressor designs have been observed. In this context, the effects of FET, VCA, Vari-Mu, Optical and Digital compressor plug-ins on the audio signal were analyzed and the results were presented. These analyzes can provide guidance for the selection of different compressor designs for lecturers, students, and those interested in and working in the field of music technology. In future studies, the role of different music genres, instruments and recording conditions on the effects of compressor designs can be explored more deeply, and more comprehensive results can be reached by collecting experimental data and using machine learning techniques.

More-than-human heritage: The political ecologies of the Paul Robeson tomato

Paul Robeson's global memorialization poorly represents the extent to which the famous African American activist, actor, athlete, singer, and scholar impacted international culture and politics. Robeson's memorials, while few and far between, particularly in the United States, reside primarily within college campuses and theatrical and musical productions, alongside a few more traditional plaques, works of public art, and his own work. While there has been some interest in these various memorials, commemorations, and works of Robeson, no one has yet explored one of the most widespread and historically loaded aspects of his commemoration: the Paul Robeson Tomato. This heirloom tomato, developed in the Soviet Union, has, as one seed website states, "a cult following." Reading through various gardening and seed websites, we find that the tomato has a special place among heirlooms. At the same time, the digital and print networks conveying information about the tomato and Paul Robeson silence and twist Robeson's memorialization given political, cultural, and ecological contexts. This leads us to ask a number of questions, particularly how we might understand this tomato within the broader memory and memorialization of Paul Robeson? How does this human-environment interaction of more-than-human memory impact Robeson's legacy? And how can we further think of living memory beyond human experience to the remainder of the natural landscape around us and the power it has? This project explores these notions of living memory, more-than-human, and memorialization in the context of the histories which envelop Paul Robeson and the tomato.

Children's Musical as a Popular Genre of Ukrainian Stage Art in 1960s-1990s: Formation and Development

The purpose of the article is to identify the peculiarities of formation and the main trends in the development of children's musical as a popular genre of Ukrainian stage art in the 1960s-1990s. Research methodology. The historical and cultural method was used to summarise the factual material related to the time of creation and the logic of development of the children's musical in the Ukrainian stage art of the 1960s-1990s. The methods of art historical and genre-stylistic analysis were applied to help identify specific artistic and aesthetic, genre and stylistic features in the productions of children's musical on the stages of Ukrainian theatres. Scientific novelty. The history of the formation and development of the Ukrainian children's musical in the stage art of the 1960s-1990s is studied; its musical, artistic, staging and performance features are revealed. The chronological sequence of writing the most significant in the context of the development of the genre of the first national children's musicals is presented. The contribution of Ukrainian composers (Zh. Kolodub and L. Kolodub, O. Bilash, I. Poklad, S. Bedusenko) and directors (P. Kolisnyk, M. Lukavetskyi) in the formation of the national musical for children's audiences is revealed. Children's musicals by Ukrainian composers included in the "golden fund" of national stage art are analysed ("Fox Mykyta" (libretto by R. Kudlyk) and "Tom Sawyer" (libretto by M. Petrenko based on Mark Twain's novel) by B.-Yu. Yanivskyi). Conclusions. The process of integrating the musical genre into the Ukrainian stage art of the last third of the 20th century took place in accordance with the peculiarities of the socio-cultural space of that time, socio-political events and artistic trends. The creative rethinking of content and structural features of the Western genre invariant in the 1960s-1990s became the basis for the formation of the national Ukrainian children's musical as a factor in the internationalisation of the world music and stage culture. At the same time, the formation of the Ukrainian children's musical is connected with the process of nationalisation of the genre, as evidenced by the reliance of the libretto on stories from folklore and traditional Ukrainian culture, the introduction of traditional principles and techniques inherent in the stage art of Ukraine. The peculiarities of the formation and further development of children's musicals in Ukraine were conditioned by the creative searches of domestic composers (B.-Yu. Yanovskyi, I. Poklad, S. Bedusenko, Zh. and L. Kolodub, E. Lapeika, O. Kolomiitseva, A. Bondarenko) and theatre directors. The productions of children's musicals from the 1960s-1990s allow us to talk about the rethinking of the Western archetype of the genre and the beginning of the formation of a national Ukrainian musical.
 Key words: children's musical, Ukrainian stage art, children's musical theatre, genre, production and performance features.

Exploring art schema and their relevance to DAW teaching and pedagogy: Examples of artistic practice in the field of music production

This article discusses my ongoing exploration of art schema and their potential role to develop Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) and music technology teaching. Arts practices have been noted by various researchers as potentially assisting creativity, DAW or otherwise. One useful advantage of this approach is advocating for more exploratory and materials based approaches for DAW learning and teaching. This is not necessarily under the banner experimental, but, instead, being different from a discrete set of engineering or technical decisions. For this article, I discuss Peter Osborne’s art schema and Keith Sawyer’s creativity framework to establish some principles, illustrated by six short artist examples. These are in a common practice context, sampling. The examples illustrate how these schema are broadly useful for technology teaching, and how they could be incorporated into current and future music production curricula.

A Study on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Pop Music Production and Dissemination in Kenya

A Study on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Pop Music Production and Dissemination in Kenya

Strategi Mempertahankan Popularitas Melalui Kegiatan Promosi Media Digital (Studi Kasus Pada Produksi Musik Hendra Kumbara)

Every year the music industry displays new musicians, and each has their characteristics in their work. Of course, there will be many contemporary artists with different characters. One of the music industry’s strategies is to increase marketing in music production. This is not only a matter of promotion, but the music industry is also thinking about stealing attention, building loyalty, encouraging action, and how to educate and entertain through the content that is presented. Hendra Kumbara is a Javanese musician who has popularity among young people in the digitalization era; Dalan Liyane’s song is one of the works that support his popularity in digital media. In addition, he also developed the music industry for creative space in the city of Semarang. This study aims to determine Hendra Kumbara’s music production strategy for maintaining its popularity through digital media promotion activities. The research used is a qualitative method with a case study approach, with data collection techniques through observation, interviews, and literature studies selected according to the topic of discussion regarding musical creativity in maintaining popularity through digital media. The survey results prove that: (1) Hendra Kumbara’s music production supports popularity through digital media promotion activities by knowing the concept of music production and marketing strategies through digital media platforms. (2) strategies carried out by knowing musical abilities and marketing musical works through digital media platforms Youtube, Instagram, TikTok, Spotify, Joox, Tunes, Apple Music, and Deezer.Keywords: strategy, popularity, musicians, digital media.

Supporting regional music production clusters in the post-pandemic era: placing business support at the heart of local cultural policy

ABSTRACT While the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the live music industry have received much attention, little consideration has been given to regional music production clusters more broadly. Evaluating the impacts of the pandemic on the music economy of North West England, this paper identifies key areas of support required as music businesses transition into a digitally-orientated post-COVID period. Findings demonstrate the ways in which the pandemic encouraged or forced music businesses to innovate with new digital ways of showcasing, promoting and distributing music. Yet, while digitalisation offers many opportunities, these are often difficult for businesses to capitalise upon. The paper argues the need to place business support at the heart of local cultural policy. More specifically, the paper makes the case for a soft institutionalist approach whereby local policymakers, the market and civil society work together to generate and distribute crucial resources of human, financial and social capital.

Advocating for Intrapreneurship in Arts Entrepreneurship Education: Developing a New Generation of Innovative Professionals

This research aims to propose a set of eight arts-based intrapreneurial projects for higher education, tailored to arts entrepreneurship students. The projects, designed for a 16-week timeframe (except one project requiring 21 weeks), provide project descriptions, learning objectives, assessment criteria, and resource requirements. To ensure feasibility and relevance, the researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with three experts in the field, including a project manager and creative director from a leading video production agency, an audio engineer and music producer in a multinational media conglomerate, and a creative director who transformed a Brazilian company into a multibillion-dollar empire through graphic design, music, video, and marketing services. The insights gathered from the interviews, along with an analysis and synthesis process, inform the proposed intrapreneurial projects, offering a framework for arts entrepreneurship educators to implement in their curricula.

Retracted: Network Traffic Monitoring and Marketing Strategy of Online Music Products in Multimedia Environment

Retracted: Network Traffic Monitoring and Marketing Strategy of Online Music Products in Multimedia Environment

The Sexual Objectification of Women in the Nigerian Entertainment Industry

The growing prevalence of pornography coupled with the influence of patriarchy on the Nigerian entertainment industry has made the objectification of womanhood a perceptible feature of films and musical videos produced by Nigerians. Using secondary sources and critical observations, this paper, attempts to illustrate the phenomenon of women’s sexual objectification in the Nollywood and Nigerian music industry. The paper defines the concept of women sexual objectification in the context of media production arguing that objectification is revealed by the types of camera angles and positions used in depicting women in filmic and pop video productions. The use of close-ups or medium range shots emphasizing the sexuality and sumptuousness of female characters in films or pop-videos are some of the techniques used by apologists of women’s sexual objectification. Sexual objectification thus entails making women characters in a filmic or musical production the object to be looked at or the spectacle to enjoy. The paper also shows how the sexual objectification of womanhood is manifested in selected Nollywood films and musical videos by Nigerian popular artistes. In the light of the selected pop videos and films, the paper argues that the types of camera movements and angles deployed in most Nigerian pop videos and Nollywood films are in line with the male gaze theory. These camera movements and angles systemically help depict the woman as a spectacle in itself as well as a sexual object. They also project the man as the reader of the meaning while “relegating” the woman to the status of the bearer of the meaning.

Live Coding and Music Production as Hybrid Practice

This article discusses incorporating live coding as part of a new Foundation pathway for music production at a UK university that started in September 2022. The inclusion of live coding, using the application Sonic Pi, is situated alongside music production using a DAW, initially through the process of drum programming. The role of Sonic Pi is also to provide a means for producers to take their productions into the live performance space. This article’s contribution is in three areas. The first is to provide a short history of live coding at the current institution coupled with a longer account of my fragmented journey into live coding to provide some context. For the second discussion area, information about the foundation, its structure and how it fits into the overall degree programme is discussed. This section also includes some short code examples to illustrate the approach and links to video materials. For the last discussion area I outline an area of crossover between production and live coding which opens up a number of critical discussion points. This concerns the use of a breakbeat, what this means when used in productions, in live coding and when shipped with paid for or free software.

Exploring level- and spectrum-based music mixing transforms for hearing-impaired listeners.

Multitrack mixing is an essential practice in modern music production. Research on automatic-mixing paradigms, however, has mostly tested samples of trained, normal hearing (NH) participants. The goal of the present study was to explore mixing paradigms for hearing-impaired (HI) listeners. In two experiments, the mixing preferences of NH and HI listeners with respect to the parameters of lead-to-accompaniment level ratio (LAR) and the low to high frequency spectral energy balance were investigated. Furthermore, preferences of transformed equalization (EQ-transform) were assessed, achieved by linearly extrapolating between the power spectrum of individual tracks and a reference spectrum. Multitrack excerpts of popular music were used as stimuli. Results from experiment 1 indicate that HI participants preferred an elevated LAR compared to NH participants but did not suggest distinct preferences regarding spectral balancing or EQ-transform. Results from experiment 2 showed that bilateral hearing aid (HA) disuse among the HI participants yielded higher LAR values, stronger weighting of higher frequencies, as well as sparser EQ-transform settings compared to a condition with HA use. Overall, these results suggest that adjusting multitrack mixes may be a valuable way for making music more accessible for HI listeners.

Enhancing Audio Signal Quality and Learning Experience with Integrated Covariance Weiner Filtering in College Music Education

In recent years, computer music technology has become increasingly prevalent in college music education, offering new possibilities for creative expression and pedagogical approaches. This paper concentrated on the music education in the colleges with the application of integrated time and frequency filtering (ITFF) with Kalman integrated covariance Weiner filtering in college music education. The ITFF technique combines time and frequency domain analysis to enhance the quality and clarity of audio signals. By integrating the Kalman integrated covariance Weiner filtering, the ITFF method provides robust noise reduction and improved signal representation. This integrated approach enables music educators to effectively analyze and manipulate audio signals in real-time, fostering a more immersive and engaging learning environment for students. The findings of this study highlight the benefits and potential applications of ITFF with Kalman-integrated covariance Weiner filtering in college music education, including audio signal enhancement, sound synthesis, and interactive performance systems. The integration of computer music technology with advanced filtering techniques presents new opportunities for exploring sound, composition, and music production within an educational context.

“Be the Signal”

Popular music pedagogy has for decades educated students in the foundational skills of music production. Yet the agency of professional practitioners illuminates that music producers also utilise tacit skills in communication and psychology to garnish musical works that target aesthetic intentions. These soft skills take time to develop in young people and so pedagogy in this field must target this at the beginning of a student’s higher education journey. Pedagogy in this field is complex and previous research efforts have highlighted the usefulness of integrated formal and practice-led collaborative educational approaches. This study develops this discourse further by investigating the utility of pedagogical video resources used in a flipped educational framework. The subsequent case study of the course MPP 1 found that students valued this approach and highlighted video length, accessibility and the educator’s embodiment of practitioner traits as integral to their learning more holistic approaches to popular music production.

Creativity and Education

Formal popular music education (PME) faces a number of challenges; not least how to sufficiently engage learners in creative tasks that help to develop their skills and knowledge, whilst at the same time preparing them for employment in the: ‘ever-changing dynamic of the industries they hope to work in’ (McIntyre et al, 2016, p. 2). 
 The following study draws upon data gathered during a Practice Based Enquiry (PBE) and the specific context of teaching pop music songwriting and production is explored through the application of the ‘Service Model’ for Pop Music, Creativity and Commerce by an experienced pop music producer undertaking the role of researcher and ‘ETL’ (ETL). Importantly, it it illustrates how to engage learners within an industry-style creative task and shows how the team leader’s role can help to give students important access to the social interactions of the field throughout the process.

Collaborative Composition and Urban Popular Music in Digital Music Didactics

Composition is one of the facets of musical activity that allows a more effective way to interrelate theoretical and practical contents in a real context to enhance the development of creativity and collaborative work in the music classroom. Through a qualitative methodology based on participant observation, the results of several projects aimed at implementing collaborative composition in the training of music teachers at the University of Salamanca through audio production tools (DAW) as a pedagogical strategy to address basic knowledge and specific skills of the curriculum of the music subject in secondary education, are synthesized. From this perspective, this work proposes a structured and sequential model for the collaborative composition of musical productions in the field of popular urban music (with special attention to the rock style), addressing and exemplifying in a practical way issues such as the layered structure in the prototypical song of rock bands, the fundamental rhythmic bases, the harmonic function and the development of chord progressions or the creation and development of melodic lines for the voice.

Early social communication through music: State of the art and future perspectives

A growing body of research shows that the universal capacity for music perception and production emerges early in development. Possibly building on this predisposition, caregivers around the world often communicate with infants using songs or speech entailing song-like characteristics. This suggests that music might be one of the earliest developing and most accessible forms of interpersonal communication, providing a platform for studying early communicative behavior. However, little research has examined music in truly communicative contexts. The current work aims to facilitate the development of experimental approaches that rely on dynamic and naturalistic social interactions. We first review two longstanding lines of research that examine musical interactions by focusing either on the caregiver or the infant. These include defining the acoustic and non-acoustic features that characterize infant-directed (ID) music, as well as behavioral and neurophysiological research examining infants’ processing of musical timing and pitch. Next, we review recent studies looking at early musical interactions holistically. This research focuses on how caregivers and infants interact using music to achieve co-regulation, mutual engagement, and increase affiliation and prosocial behavior. We conclude by discussing methodological, technological, and analytical advances that might empower a comprehensive study of musical communication in early childhood.

A survey on the uptake of software and hardware resources for music production in Zimbabwean contemporary music

The study surveyed the uptake of software and hardware for music production. The research examined the challenges that Zimbabwean music producers face in accessing software and hardware associated with production. Through qualitative research, 26 participants including musicians and music producers, were purposively sampled from Harare the capital city of Zimbabwe and Midlands State University in Gweru. The researchers secured participants’ informed consent and assurance of their freedom to withdraw from the study any time. Data were gathered through interviews online video and voice calls coupled with detailed questionnaires with open ended questions. Data were captured using voice recorders and note taking. The researchers analysed the data through a thematic approach basing on the Actor-Network Theory. The researchers focused on instruments and music productiontools associated with its production. Different software such as Cubase, Fruity Loops, Logic Pro X and Pro Tools 12 and hardware such as small audio interfares, keyrigs, and live musical instruments Mbira, Marimba, guitars, keyboards, live drums,ngoma, congas were in use in music production. However, some of the software were cracked versions allegedly due to high procurement cost. Accessing free resources on the internet was a challenge due to poor internet connectivity and high costs of data. There were limited opportunities for formal training in music production. Notwithstanding the challenges, music productions were undertaken with both analogue and digital resources. Aspirant music producers need to be proactive and explore the internet’s free resources to gain knowledge about music production. Future research should cover a wider geographic to gather comprehensive data on the state of music production in Zimbabwe.

Camilo Arias - Master Research Last Sand

While the commercial musical stream of "Latin American Baroque" has been associated with musical cross-breeding, the study of the colonial repertoire that composes it documents quite the opposite: the absence of non-European musical features. By accepting the impossibility to find the written "Mestizo Baroque", this research chooses to "re-imagine it" from orality. Taking the Fandango musical family as a framework, this research enters into playful dialogues between the XVIII century European fandango and its surviving folklore counterparts: the Mexican Son Huasteco and the Colombo-Venezuelan Joropo. Through analysis and transcription of oral sources, style comparison, arrangement, and improvisation this research aims to create a musical product that reclaims the mixed-raced identities, erased from colonial archives, in today´s Early Music industry.

Nexus of Cultural Entrepreneurship and Digital Musicality: Exploring Afro-Diasporic Music Entrepreneurship in the Digital Music Industry

This article presents a theoretical framework called the Nexus of Cultural Entrepreneurship and Digital Musicality (CEDM) to explore the intersection of migratory entrepreneurship, Afro-Diasporic music entrepreneurship, and emerging digital music platforms. The framework integrates concepts from cultural studies, entrepreneurship, musicology, and intercultural communication to analyze the entrepreneurial processes and cultural dynamics within the evolving landscape of digital music. The framework sheds light on the factors influencing migratory entrepreneurship and Afro-Diasporic music entrepreneurship within the digital music industry through its examination of these entrepreneurial endeavors. Key concepts such as migratory entrepreneurship, Afro-Diasporic music entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial opportunity recognition, cultural dynamics, and the role of technology and digital platforms are discussed, providing operationalized definitions for terms relevant to the study, such as music multimedia production, intercultural empathy, translatability, and Afro-Diasporic music entrepreneurship. Furthermore, the article explores the challenges faced by Afro-Diasporic musicians in the music multimedia production industry and proposes innovative approaches to overcome these challenges. Opportunities discussed include embracing cultural authenticity, collaborating across borders, harnessing technological advancements, engaging with online communities, leveraging social media platforms, and building sustainable business models. The study aims to contribute to the understanding of migratory entrepreneurship, Afro-Diasporic music entrepreneurship, and cultural exchange within the digital music industry by analyzing theoretical perspectives and practical approaches. It seeks to guide researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in fostering inclusive and innovative entrepreneurial ecosystems. In addition, the article presents an overview of nine compelling suggestions for future research in the field of empowering Afro-Diasporic musicians within the music multimedia production industry. These research directions aim to shed light on various aspects of the industry, addressing gaps in knowledge and providing valuable insights into the challenges faced by Afro-Diasporic musicians. The study aims to develop effective strategies, policies, and interventions that foster inclusivity, equality, and opportunities for Afro-Diasporic musicians in the rapidly evolving music multimedia landscape by exploring various areas such as socio-economic factors, representation and diversity, cultural preservation and innovation, digital platforms and technology, collaborative practices, the impact of social media, and more. The proposed research methodologies ensure robustness and validity in investigating these important topics, enabling researchers to contribute to the development of an empowering and supportive ecosystem for Afro-Diasporic musicians in the music multimedia production industry.