While home recording gear is increasingly available at more accessible prices for the hobbyist or amateur band, to say that a band can make a "near-pro quality" recording on their own is a huge stretch.
As an illustration of this:
1. Listen to your friends' band's CD for a track or 2.
2. Listen to anything produced by Rick Rubin.
That difference costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, and there's really no way around it. Regardless of equipment, producing and mastering something to sound truly professional requires enormous talent and years of practice (and several million dollars of mics, compressors and preamps doesn't hurt, either).
Basically, if you can't hear the difference between home hobbyists' recordings on pro tools and a real professional rock album recorded by a top producer like Bob Ezrin, Bob Rock, Brendan O'Brien or Rick Rubin, you're not qualified to comment on whether or not producers are necessary. If you CAN tell the difference, then your post was a bit disingenuous or, at best, a stretch. All due respect, and all.
Slashdot Mirror
While home recording gear is increasingly available at more accessible prices for the hobbyist or amateur band, to say that a band can make a "near-pro quality" recording on their own is a huge stretch. As an illustration of this: 1. Listen to your friends' band's CD for a track or 2. 2. Listen to anything produced by Rick Rubin. That difference costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, and there's really no way around it. Regardless of equipment, producing and mastering something to sound truly professional requires enormous talent and years of practice (and several million dollars of mics, compressors and preamps doesn't hurt, either). Basically, if you can't hear the difference between home hobbyists' recordings on pro tools and a real professional rock album recorded by a top producer like Bob Ezrin, Bob Rock, Brendan O'Brien or Rick Rubin, you're not qualified to comment on whether or not producers are necessary. If you CAN tell the difference, then your post was a bit disingenuous or, at best, a stretch. All due respect, and all.