So I've been watching lectures from Richie Hawtin, these ones:
From what I see, he has to do a lot of live shows because the records aren't paying anymore. Even though he recently released a new album (From my mind to yours), which is very good, and he released a new Plastikman record last year, it took him almost 10 years to put out something new. From his own words, he kind of left record production to focus on live shows because this is where the money is.
This is a direct effect of the ease of access of music today, with streaming services making almost everything that is barely popular easily accessible. I think it's cool but at the same time if my favorite artists release less music because of this, it kind of sucks.
Richie Hawtin and the state of electronic music
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- KVRAF
- 4314 posts since 31 Oct, 2004
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- KVRAF
- 2635 posts since 16 Jan, 2013
I don't have time right now to watch the videos, but there are a few other factors involved in the decline in music revenues for artists other than streaming/digital sales.
One would be the fact that it's easier than ever to make music now. So there's not only market saturation, but you can easily make your own music if you want to. Twenty years ago this just wasn't within the grasp of most people without a serious investment. This is important because it demystifies music for people. It's no longer "how did they do that", it's "hey! I can do that".
Another is that less people define themselves by the music they listen to. In my day you could get a fair idea of what somebody listened to by their appearance. You had ravers, goths and cureheads, rockers and metallers. Now there's so much media saturation for free or cheap like movies, games, and streaming TV/video like Twitch and Youtube that music is just not as big a deal for many people.
Obviously it's hard for musicians and I'm sure there's plenty of people here who would love to make a living from their music. But right now is not the time. These kind of things can be cyclical so perhaps it will swing back again, but who knows.
One would be the fact that it's easier than ever to make music now. So there's not only market saturation, but you can easily make your own music if you want to. Twenty years ago this just wasn't within the grasp of most people without a serious investment. This is important because it demystifies music for people. It's no longer "how did they do that", it's "hey! I can do that".
Another is that less people define themselves by the music they listen to. In my day you could get a fair idea of what somebody listened to by their appearance. You had ravers, goths and cureheads, rockers and metallers. Now there's so much media saturation for free or cheap like movies, games, and streaming TV/video like Twitch and Youtube that music is just not as big a deal for many people.
Obviously it's hard for musicians and I'm sure there's plenty of people here who would love to make a living from their music. But right now is not the time. These kind of things can be cyclical so perhaps it will swing back again, but who knows.
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- KVRAF
- 1585 posts since 13 Nov, 2005 from St. Paul
I can't quite get past the fact that there is such a thing as a "Red Bull music academy."
In terms of sprnva's comment, which is what really drew me to comment:
It is encouraging if people are less likely to define themselves into cultural cliques by commodity purchased music. It's maybe not a good sign for people who want to sell an image in that way, but to me it's a positive sign for humanity and for our relationship with the creative arts. The possibility that people are creating more and buying less is super cool, if it's true (which it might not be, I have no idea how to get reliable data on that prospect).
In terms of sprnva's comment, which is what really drew me to comment:
It is encouraging if people are less likely to define themselves into cultural cliques by commodity purchased music. It's maybe not a good sign for people who want to sell an image in that way, but to me it's a positive sign for humanity and for our relationship with the creative arts. The possibility that people are creating more and buying less is super cool, if it's true (which it might not be, I have no idea how to get reliable data on that prospect).
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 4314 posts since 31 Oct, 2004
Interesting comment, thanks for sharing it. I like the idea because this is what happened to me. When I started producing, I wanted to know how the music of Plastikman, Aphex Twin, Plaid, u-ziq, etc. was made. Now I know, I even know the music theory behind their music. For instance; when I discovered that Selected Ambient Work Vol.1 was composed a lot in the pentatonic minor and phrygian scales, doing the same type of music became very easy. Especially since the arrangement on SAW vol.1 are quite simple, all you need is a VA, a TR-808 plugin emulation and you're set!sprnva wrote:One would be the fact that it's easier than ever to make music now. So there's not only market saturation, but you can easily make your own music if you want to. Twenty years ago this just wasn't within the grasp of most people without a serious investment. This is important because it demystifies music for people. It's no longer "how did they do that", it's "hey! I can do that".
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- Banned
- 5357 posts since 7 May, 2015
Well, I hate to be that guy, but I'm going to have to be that guy 
a) Richie who?
b) Oh, another guy making the same sounds at the same tempo with the same kick whining about record sales.......how exciting. If those videos are less than 5 hours of trolling, then I'm not interested.
c) Where have "you" (meaning anyone other than who saw the post date (today) and thought
) been? That ship sailed a very very very long time ago. Mostly because of things that have nothing to do with what this guy is saying, but partially because the majority of people on this planet couldn't tell the difference between him, deadmouse, or tiesto even if you had a picture. "Honey, do we need to up our supply of 4/4 "boom boom boom" music?" (show picture of 3TB harddrive full of it already)
d) FFS, why would a popular DJ moan about shit they know nothing about while pulling in no less than 5 figures PER f**king SHOW! What exactly are you missing?
TNC aside, I'm serious about the fact that DJ's make fantastically mad-cash from live shows. It's what they f**king do. What is all this about? (other than clamoring up youtube.....I'd rather watch some idiot unbox their headphones and talk for 30 minutes about the obvious tin and other shit that can't be quantified on the net )
a) Richie who?
b) Oh, another guy making the same sounds at the same tempo with the same kick whining about record sales.......how exciting. If those videos are less than 5 hours of trolling, then I'm not interested.
c) Where have "you" (meaning anyone other than who saw the post date (today) and thought
) been? That ship sailed a very very very long time ago. Mostly because of things that have nothing to do with what this guy is saying, but partially because the majority of people on this planet couldn't tell the difference between him, deadmouse, or tiesto even if you had a picture. "Honey, do we need to up our supply of 4/4 "boom boom boom" music?" (show picture of 3TB harddrive full of it already)d) FFS, why would a popular DJ moan about shit they know nothing about while pulling in no less than 5 figures PER f**king SHOW!
What exactly are you missing?TNC aside, I'm serious about the fact that DJ's make fantastically mad-cash from live shows. It's what they f**king do. What is all this about? (other than clamoring up youtube.....I'd rather watch some idiot unbox their headphones and talk for 30 minutes about the obvious tin and other shit that can't be quantified on the net
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- KVRAF
- 2648 posts since 20 Jun, 2012
To be fair Richie Hawtin is not your average Beatport type kid but has some good creds from the 1990's. His work as Plastikman and with Pete Namlook was quite noteworthy at the time. I have not actively kept up with his doings but he's surely is not your average modern FL Studio using kid.incubus wrote:Well, I hate to be that guy, but I'm going to have to be that guy
a) Richie who?
b) Oh, another guy making the same sounds at the same tempo with the same kick whining about record sales.......how exciting. If those videos are less than 5 hours of trolling, then I'm not interested.
No signature here!
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- KVRAF
- 5646 posts since 15 Dec, 2011
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- Banned
- 2033 posts since 19 Jun, 2011 from a world of Black Thunder chocs
incubus wrote:Well, I hate to be that guy, but I'm going to have to be that guy
a) Richie who?...
Sorry old chap, but whilst I often agree with your sentiments regarding modern music etc, your target is way off this time.
Hawtin was making techno music before a lot of today's producers were even born, eg this very acidy and famous techno album from 1994:
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 4314 posts since 31 Oct, 2004
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- KVRAF
- 3362 posts since 31 Dec, 2004 from People's Republic of Minnesota
Richie hawtin needs to buy himself a f***ing personality. Christ.
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thecontrolcentre thecontrolcentre https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=76240 - KVRAF
- 37262 posts since 27 Jul, 2005 from Scottish Borders
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- KVRist
- 67 posts since 20 Feb, 2016
Did you intend, by posting a complete YouTube bootleg of his music, to basically prove his point? Or was it just a completely random act of irony?Doug1978 wrote:incubus wrote:Well, I hate to be that guy, but I'm going to have to be that guy
a) Richie who?...
Sorry old chap, but whilst I often agree with your sentiments regarding modern music etc, your target is way off this time.
Hawtin was making techno music before a lot of today's producers were even born, eg this very acidy and famous techno album from 1994:
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/drumunkey
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/RealDruMunkey
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk87j9 ... Xk8rOIw7Xg
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- Banned
- 5357 posts since 7 May, 2015
?thecontrolcentre wrote:Because they're a musician not a DJ?incubus wrote:@replies to me:
The only thing I was serious about is that DJ's make stoopid-mad-cash, so I don't really understand why someone would be worried about "record sales"
Is this performing live or not?
Sure, he has impressive gear but that's looks like a DJ to me.
Don't get me wrong. Every "artist" is entitled to get their share. But let's understand REGARDLESS OF IF WE LIKE IT OR NOT that the recording/record/singles sale aspect is dead. Sure, you can sell your own stuff and build a business (which, btw, he's done better than the average shmoe) but you are NEVER EVER EVER EVER going to make the kinda coin that some artists made "back in the day"
Now, kindly GET OFF MY LAWN!
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- KVRAF
- 20890 posts since 22 Nov, 2000 from Southern California
I'm curious as to why he hasn't just been releasing live recordings all this time. Or maybe he has?
I was in a live electronic act years ago and we eventually got more comfortable writing and performing live than working in the studio. We finally just released a live recording and it was much better than any of our studio work.
The Advent used to have an amazing live set that was well worth recording. I'm certain every set must have sounded different, he had too much going on to possibly reproduce it exactly the same night after night.
I was in a live electronic act years ago and we eventually got more comfortable writing and performing live than working in the studio. We finally just released a live recording and it was much better than any of our studio work.
The Advent used to have an amazing live set that was well worth recording. I'm certain every set must have sounded different, he had too much going on to possibly reproduce it exactly the same night after night.