Communicating artistic integrity: collaborative production in recording processes

For the contemporary singer-songwriter, recording and communicating artistic intent may prove complex. This complexity is due, in part, to the construction of a resultant aesthetic in audio recording that conveys emotion and intent. It is also due to those contemporary singer songwriters who work with others (such as producers and audio engineers) to interpret and construct that aesthetic. This article discusses collaborative production during the studio recording processes of a contemporary singer-songwriter. The research employs an ethnographic case study approach that details the context and methods of collaboration specifically between an artist/singer-songwriter and a vocal director/co-producer in the recording of several tracks for an EP. Analyses of progressive and reflective journal logs, reflections/interview and recordings reveal a consistent focus on the connection between music and voice; expressive techniques and documented production decisions add insights into facilitating and maintaining artistic integrity in recording processes and production. The research identified that production considerations, connectivity and artistic intent can impact the ways in which integrity is represented and/or maintained.