Analog or Digital?

Analog or Digital?

DMP: Both. There are three distinct areas of music creation for me: 1) Composer (creation, concept, motifs), 2) Musician (performer, interpreter, arranger), 3) Producer (engineer, mixing, mastering) of the composition. The analog and digital tools impact each of these areas differently, due to there unique characteristics.

As the Composer I might be inspired by a sound, whether it is analog or digital. Sometimes my ideas for the music or the song itself will dictate the use of the analog or digital sounds and/or sound quality.

When it comes to the Musician role the feel of playing an analog instrument is very different from the feel of a digital (virtual) instrument, and that has a direct impact on the emotional interpretation and quality of the music.

For me it is not a question of analog vs. digital. It is a question of what the composition needs and the audience needs.

Finally as the “Producer” the sound quality, feel, emotional color, and psychoacoustic effect are very different when using an analog medium over a digital one. I let the my concept of the composition, the song itself, and the targeted feel/state of being dictate which medium I use, though I find myself mastering completely in the digital cosmos more and more.