_{By Joe Vickrey}

Too often, we as artists fall into the trap of thinking we need to spend an endless amount of money in order to make a recording. The allure of mics, plug-ins, boutique pedals, and an analog signal path (whatever the h*ck that is) all sound like things that keep us out of the cool-kid-recording-club (but the club actually abolished those rules in 2014). Even if those were still standing, the coolest musicians don’t believe in following rules anyways. All is fair in love and indie pop.

The reality, though, is that many of our favorite records were made by people who defined their sound with a very limited amount of gear. 

For example, Paul McCartney recorded his first solo album on his farm with a 4-track tape player which he plugged every instrument into; Tame Impala famously didn’t use a guitar amp on some of his records; and Bon Iver recorded his debut album in a cabin. Each of these albums brings with them a unique texture that isn’t heard anywhere else. These artists each did something that seemed taboo, yet in the ultimate act of irony, many now seek to emulate those very practices. 

The point is you’re probably already writing better songs than two of those artists, and you probably have access to a better home recording setup than any of those three artists had. The plug-ins you got for free or the old chorus pedal your step-dad gave you may not make you sound like Slow Pulp, but those are the things that will set you apart from the hundreds of other artists who try to copy them. In a world of imitation and regurgitation, you already hold the key to sounding unique. Everyone knows a guitarist that uses all of their energy to sound like John Mayer or Jimi Hendrix, but no one is racing to hear them. Alternatively, we can all remember the first time heard an artist and thought, “Wow, I’ve never heard anything like this before.”

As a believer that a good song can shine regardless of the production choices, I tend to lean towards celebrating an arrangement as it is rather than trying to pick it apart for not using popular trends. While I’ll reluctantly admit I’m guilty of clicking on articles like, “This artist made an album using only a $20 pedal,” I think this kind of clickbait proves that people are generally interested in art made with limitations.

My favorite example of this is “She Only Talked to Me When I Was Down” by Utah’s own Jarom Eubanks. It’s as catchy and clever as a pop song could hope to be all while being recorded with his keyboard, a borrowed microphone, a direct-in guitar, and a trial version of Ableton. Even the drums were keyboard samples. Jarom recorded the whole song sitting on the floor in his room! Something about the unusual tends to pique the interest of music fans at large. Whether intentional or not, history has often favored artists that took risks.

Ultimately, the song is what matters the most. The choices of notes, dynamics, space, tempo, and melodies transcend any imagined shortcomings and allow the art to become more than the sum of its parts. Our music scene needs you, and the art you have to offer. Allow your limitations to spur your creativity, not your doubts! Create solutions, not Sweetwater wishlists! Make music, not excuses!

You can check out “She Only Talked To Me When I Was Down” by Jarom Eubanks below.