Approaching sound: a sonicological examination of the producer’s role in popular music.

O'Hare, Peter (2008) Approaching sound: a sonicological examination of the producer’s role in popular music. MPhil(R) thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This study examines the producer’s role and contribution to the overall sound of the
popular recorded song. A literature review has revealed that the producer’s role is a
particularly under- researched area within academic studies of popular music,
therefore, the thesis offers a definition of the role within the dual parameters of
contractual obligations and creative recording approaches. The producer’s
contribution to the sound of a recording is highlighted by adopting a new approach
titled sonicology. Sonicology offers an investigative tool that is superior to that of a
musicological or textual analysis of the recorded song.
The study identifies the link between the producer and the final sound of the recording
by means of research within several fields, including acoustics, sound engineering and
cultural theory. Case studies are used to evidence this link as well as trace the
evolution of the role itself, and serve to confirm the studies typology of creative
approaches to recording.
By defining the producer’s role and contribution to the sound of the popular recorded
song, the study has succeeded in highlighting the importance of the role within
popular music and redressed this gap within academic research.

• Item Type: Thesis (MPhil(R))
• Qualification Level: Masters
• Keywords: Music Production, Producer, Popular music, Sound.
• Subjects: M Music and Books on Music > M Music; Q Science > Q Science (General)
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences > School of Education; College of Arts & Humanities > School of Culture and Creative Arts > Music
• Supervisor's Name: Cloonan, Dr Martin
• Date of Award: 2008
• Depositing User: Mr Peter O'Hare
• Unique ID: glathesis:2008-276
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 10 Jun 2008
• Last Modified: 10 Dec 2012 13:17
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/276