“One of the biggest changes that I’ve seen in the recording industry in the last 10 to 15 years has been the loss of specialization,” said Clyde Rosencrance, Producer and Engineer at Republic Audio Studio in Clarks Summit PA.
“There used to be people that specialized in engineering, or producing, or mastering, or even just recording drums. But now, everyone has to do a little bit of everything. I do some recording, mixing, editing, mastering, studio work…whatever the project calls for. For me it is a good thing because I’m always learning new techniques, and I’m always needing to find new ways to be creative.”
All of this learning is coming to fruition in Rosencrance’s latest project called Sleeplore, which focuses on his own original material.
“When you play all the instruments yourself you get so close to it that it’s hard to tell what it sounds like.”
When asked, he says Sleeplore’s enveloping sound is influenced by artists like Sparklehorse, Sigur Ros, The National, Radiohead, Coldplay, Pink Floyd and The Stills.
It is an ambitious project. As described on his website, “Sleeplore offers listeners a sonic template from which they can contemplate their own unique stories.” The description sells “Let Go” a little short, though. It is a beautiful song. It is the kind of song that changes the atmosphere of the room or the surrounding landscape. It transports you back to where you are but with new energy.
“I’ve decided to just release singles because that’s closer to the way that a lot of people listen to music now and that’s what seems to drive the social media algorithms. It also allows me to change it up from song to song. For my next single I’m having one of my friends play bass on it. I could have played bass myself, but having someone else play on the track adds a whole new dimension to it.”
So how does he do it? It turns out that the lack of specialization also applies to a career in music as a whole.
“I learned recording out of necessity. I was playing in bands and writing songs, but I needed a way to remember what I’d written. I started with the old four-track recorder and cassette tapes and went on from there.”
The current state of the music industry seems to suit him as well.
“We live in a gig economy. The line between what it means to be a professional musician and being an amateur gets very blurry. You could be on the road for three months full-time and then have an office job for six months. It all depends on the project.”
“I’ve been fortunate to have a full-time job for the last 15 years that I like, and I’m able to do some music on the side. It enables me to be able to focus on projects that I like, and it also allows me to be creative. Don’t get me wrong, it can get very busy at times. But if I was trying to do music full-time, I’d also have to work on projects that I wouldn’t find as interesting.”