Modern technology, a tool that helps us create

Inspiration is a funny thing. What inspired me twenty years ago and what inspires me now are completely different things. I suppose back then I looked at people on a stage and admired what they did. And definitely dreamed about doing something similar some day. Today the music business has changed, and you need to see your self as a content creator. I love it! I always loved creating things. But now it has become an essential part of my job.

Also the technology we have at our disposal does help. I know not everyone is happy about it as something that they worked hard at, and required skills, now has become much more accessible. For example the camera on my iPhone is something ten years ago we would have paid a small fortune for. I know we love the old analogue equipment, whether it is in music, photography, video, graphic design… But I for one do like the practicality of digital.

And it all still comes down to a skill. The great photograph is all about the composition and how the photographer can tell a story with the picture. Without the composition and the story, no digital gadget will never take a great photo. But once the composition and the story are in place, the modern technology can help with the rest.

The modern recording studio is full of gadgets, where the old vintage gear and the modern software compete all the time. And still the true artist is the one who knows what not to use. Today I was mixing a new song and a lesson taught to me by one of my recording mentors years ago came to my mind. He said EQ is a form of distortion. Every time you EQ something, you distort the original wave form. And you should always aim to get a perfect sound from the source, not tweak it later with all the gadgets.

And still as a songwriter, sure I can record a quick demo of my latest composition on my iPhone, while I type the lyrics to my computer, and email a back up to my self. But none of this new technology will write the song for me. It is still me, my guitar and my imagination that has to do the work.

And that’s the way we should view modern technology, as a tool that helps us create, not create for us. We are the artist, no matter what. And good technology leave us more time to create, and help us to share what we create. Share it faster and wider than we have ever been able to do before.

So go out and create. Create from your heart and share it with the world.

J.P.

The author J.P. Kallio is a singer songwriter
To get EIGHT of his songs for free go HERE