The Future of Audio Engineering - fascinating article in Tape Op magazine. Your thoughts?

The 100th issue of Tape Op: The Creative Recording Magazine was just released. This is one of my favorite magazines, always thought provoking and covering issues of interest to anyone involved in or curious about the world of recording music. And best of all - subscriptions are free.

Anyway, this landmark issue features a very interesting article by John La Grou, who was a founder of The POW-R Consortium dithering and noise shaping entity and Millenia Media. In it, he speculates about the near and long-range future of recording and what it will become as technology advances in ways both anticipated and unexpected.

I'd be interested in all opinions in reaction to this article, but I'd especially like to know the reaction of Steve Hoffman and others involved in professional aspects of recording, engineering, and mastering.

The article is right here: http://tapeop.com/interviews/100/the-future/

 

One aspect of many I found interesting was his discussion of "spherical audio," which called to mind the binauaral recording via mannequin head that Lou Reed implemented for Street Hassle...

 

OK, one bump. Perhaps it's not a topic of interest, or not of interest beyond the scope of people who are professionally concerned about how recording will evolve.

 

The future of audio engineering is kids with laptops learning Logic to record their themselves and their friends'.

 

Could be, but this is looking a bit further down the road, I believe...

 

we're already there, right

or was that the joke

 

Not a joke at all! It's how I learned. Audio engineering is no longer out of reach for anyone willing to part with a few hundred dollars and a few hundred hours of their time. Sure, you're not going to be able to remaster a record through an all-analog chain without some serious gear and training, but a novice can come up with some pretty convincing home recordings these days. Digital tech is putting music back in the hands of the people, man. To make my point: here's something I recorded a few weeks ago, with about $350 worth of recording equipment. I'm self-taught, and only know what I've picked up recording myself:
http://www.jeremybunting.net/ForEvelyn.mp3

Doesn't sound too bad, eh?

 

When somebody like Todd Rundgren, who has been producing records since the early 70s is doing everything on a laptop, it's not just the kids.

Does anyone find the name of Tape Op magazine amusing? How many of these people are operating tape machines anyway? It's like a car magazine called Buggy Driver.

 

agree that recording and basic production is something that has always been fairly easy and thanks to the proliferation of digital recording and (often stolen) software, most people with a bit of patience and common sense can do it. mastering, on the other hand, is something I think is still a ways off since it goes beyond just having access to pirated software.