DOCSLIB.ORG

Creativity and Collaboration in the Recording Studio: an Empirical Study

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

Creativity and Collaboration in the Recording Studio: An Empirical Study Thesis submitted in accordance with the requirements of the University of Liverpool for the degree of Doctor in Philosophy by: Paul Thompson October 2015. CREATIVITY AND COLLABORATION IN THE RECORDING STUDIO Abstract There is increasing evidence that creativity is the result of a dynamic system of interaction where the individual is only one part. Csikszentmihalyi describes a ‘creative system’ that includes three main elements: the domain, the field and the individual (Csikszentmihalyi: 1988, 1997, 1999 & 2004). During creative work, the individual must draw from the domain in order to select a suitable arrangement of ingredients from this body of knowledge and symbol system. This selection of ingredients is then presented to the field, the social organization that recognises, uses and alters the domain, to decide upon its creativity and inclusion into the domain (Csikszentmihalyi, 1997). In the context of rock music this occurs when the completed record is released to the public and the field of rock record production (TV, radio, popular music press, other musicians, engineers and producers etc.) decides upon the record’s novelty and its relevant addition to the domain through an often complex and iterative process. However, little has been written from a creative system’s perspective about what happens inside the recording studio before the record is released. Consequently, the interaction of the creative system’s main elements during smaller acts of creativity, such as the individual generation of ideas, and the collaborative exchanges that take place during group creativity, have been relatively underexplored. This thesis explores the creative process of making a rock recording inside the recording studio using the framework of the creative system. Ethnographic methods such as participant-observation, video and sound recording were used to observe the interaction between the performing musicians, the engineer and the record producer as they collaborated during the recording process. This helped to reveal the complex interaction between the participants and the creative system’s main elements during the creative tasks of performing, engineering and producing. Importantly, it helped to show for the first time that this interaction occurred on both an individual level and a group level, and highlighted how a creative-systems approach can be used to gain a more detailed and in-depth understanding of musical creativity more generally. 2 INTRODUCTION Declaration of Authorship I, Paul Thompson declare that this thesis and the work presented in it is my own and has been generated by me as the result of my own original research. I confirm that: 1. This work was done wholly while in candidature for a research degree at the University of Liverpool; 2. Where any part of this thesis has previously been submitted for a degree or any other qualification at this University or any other institution, this has been clearly stated; 3. Where I have consulted the published work of others, this is always clearly attributed; 4. Where I have quoted from the work of others, the source is always given. With the exception of such quotations, this thesis is entirely my own work; 5. I have acknowledged all main sources of help; 6. Where the thesis is based on work done by myself jointly with others, I have made clear exactly what was done by others and what I have contributed myself; 7. Parts of this work have been published as: Thompson, P., & Lashua, B. (2014). ‘Getting It on Record: Issues and Strategies for Ethnographic Practice in Recording Studios'. Journal of Contemporaty Ethnography, Vol. 43(3). pp. 746-769. Thompson, P., & McIntyre, P. (2013). Rethinking Creativity in Record Production Education: Addressing the field. Journal on the Art of Record Production, Dec, 2013. Available from: http://arpjournal.com/2603/rethinking-creative-practice-inrecord-production and- studio-recording-education-addressing-the-field/ [Last accessed February 2015] 3 CREATIVITY AND COLLABORATION IN THE RECORDING STUDIO Acknowledgements The premise of this study is that creativity is the result of collaboration and this has certainly been the case in the creation of this thesis with the assistance and guidance of numerous people. First and foremost the completion of this thesis would have been inconceivable without the dedicated help and guidance of Phillip McIntyre. I owe a debt of gratitude for your continued support, encouragement, expertise, advice and generosity throughout the entire process and it’s an honour to be counted as your friend. Secondly, this study would have also been impossible without the passionate engagement of all of the participants and I would like to thank all of those who took part and offered their time, insight and expertise so freely throughout. Marc, Paul, Chris, Mike, Rory, Nick, Jess, Phil and Darren I thank you. Huge thanks too to my supervisor Sara Cohen for her unrelenting critique and feedback that has contributed so much to the cohesion of this thesis and thank you too to Rob Strachan. I would also like to thank my fellow colleague and friend Brett Lashua whose critical eye and understanding of the finer points of ethnography were pivotal in bringing the methodology chapter to life. I have had also had the pleasure of being a member of the Association for the Art of Record Production and I would like to thank all members, past and present, for their lively debate during conferences, their camaraderie and friendship. It is here that I’ve found my academic home and an outlet for my research. Thank you too to all of the musicians I have worked with over the years who have helped me to celebrate the joy of making music and making records. Finally, and most importantly, I would like to thank my family who have nurtured and supported my interest in music my entire life and who continue to inspire and encourage me. One of my earliest memories is listening to Elvis Presley on my Grandad’s record player and it is here that my fascination for records began. Without you all, and your encouragement, none of this would have been possible so Mum, Dad, Claire, Martin, Camilla, Milo, Paul, Hannah and John I thank you. 4 INTRODUCTION Dedication This thesis is dedicated to the eternal memory of family members who have passed…you are gone but not forgotten: Papa, Grandad, Nana, Grandma and Marion 5 CREATIVITY AND COLLABORATION IN THE RECORDING STUDIO Table of Contents ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................................... 2 DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP .................................................................................................................... 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................................................. 4 DEDICATION ................................................................................................................................................. 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................................................... 6 LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................................... 8 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................. 9 RESEARCH INTO CREATIVITY ................................................................................................................ 16 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................... 16 1.1 THE CREATIVE PERSONALITY ......................................................................................................................... 19 1.2 CREATIVITY AND COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY.................................................................................................... 21 1.3 CREATIVITY AND CULTURAL PRODUCTION ..................................................................................................... 24 1.4 CREATIVITY AS A SYSTEM IN ACTION ............................................................................................................. 29 1.6 CREATIVITY AND THE GROUP ......................................................................................................................... 35 1.7 STUDIES OF GROUP CREATIVITY..................................................................................................................... 36 1.8 GROUP CREATIVITY AS A SYSTEM .................................................................................................................. 39 CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................................................... 44 STUDIES INSIDE THE RECORDING STUDIO ......................................................................................... 46 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................... 46 2.1 THE SOUND ENGINEER IN THE RECORDING STUDIO ........................................................................................ 48 2.2 THE RECORD PRODUCER
Recommended publications
  • Applied Anatomy in Music: Body Mapping for Trumpeters

    Applied Anatomy in Music: Body Mapping for Trumpeters

    UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones May 2016 Applied Anatomy in Music: Body Mapping for Trumpeters Micah Holt University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/thesesdissertations Part of the Music Commons Repository Citation Holt, Micah, "Applied Anatomy in Music: Body Mapping for Trumpeters" (2016). UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones. 2682. http://dx.doi.org/10.34917/9112082 This Dissertation is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Dissertation in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/or on the work itself. This Dissertation has been accepted for inclusion in UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones by an authorized administrator of Digital Scholarship@UNLV. For more information, please contact [email protected]. APPLIED ANATOMY IN MUSIC: BODY MAPPING FOR TRUMPETERS By Micah N. Holt Bachelor of Arts--Music University of Northern Colorado 2010 Master of Music University of Louisville 2012 A doctoral project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Musical Arts School of Music College of Fine Arts The Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas May 2016 Dissertation Approval The Graduate College The University of Nevada, Las Vegas April 24, 2016 This dissertation prepared by Micah N.
  • Navigating Jazz: Music, Place, and New Orleans by Sarah Ezekiel

    Navigating Jazz: Music, Place, and New Orleans by Sarah Ezekiel

    Navigating Jazz: Music, Place, and New Orleans by Sarah Ezekiel Suhadolnik A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Musicology) in the University of Michigan 2016 Doctoral Committee: Associate Professor Charles Hiroshi Garrett, Chair Professor David Ake, University of Miami Associate Professor Stephen Berrey Associate Professor Christi-Anne Castro Associate Professor Mark Clague © Sarah Ezekiel Suhadolnik 2016 DEDICATION To Jarvis P. Chuckles, an amalgamation of all those who made this project possible. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My dissertation was made possible by fellowship support conferred by the University of Michigan Rackham Graduate School and the University of Michigan Institute for the Humanities, as well as ample teaching opportunities provided by the Musicology Department and the Residential College. I am also grateful to my department, Rackham, the Institute, and the UM Sweetland Writing Center for supporting my work through various travel, research, and writing grants. This additional support financed much of the archival research for this project, provided for several national and international conference presentations, and allowed me to participate in the 2015 Rackham/Sweetland Writing Center Summer Dissertation Writing Institute. I also remain indebted to all those who helped me reach this point, including my supervisors at the Hatcher Graduate Library, the Music Library, the Children’s Center, and the Music of the United States of America Critical Edition Series. I thank them for their patience, assistance, and support at a critical moment in my graduate career. This project could not have been completed without the assistance of Bruce Boyd Raeburn and his staff at Tulane University’s William Ransom Hogan Jazz Archive of New Orleans Jazz, and the staff of the Historic New Orleans Collection.
  • “Until That Song Is Born”: an Ethnographic Investigation of Teaching and Learning Among Collaborative Songwriters in Nashville

    “Until That Song Is Born”: an Ethnographic Investigation of Teaching and Learning Among Collaborative Songwriters in Nashville

    “UNTIL THAT SONG IS BORN”: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC INVESTIGATION OF TEACHING AND LEARNING AMONG COLLABORATIVE SONGWRITERS IN NASHVILLE By Stuart Chapman Hill A DISSERTATION Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Music Education—Doctor of Philosophy 2016 ABSTRACT “UNTIL THAT SONG IS BORN”: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC INVESTIGATION OF TEACHING AND LEARNING AMONG COLLABORATIVE SONGWRITERS IN NASHVILLE By Stuart Chapman Hill With the intent of informing the practice of music educators who teach songwriting in K– 12 and college/university classrooms, the purpose of this research is to examine how professional songwriters in Nashville, Tennessee—one of songwriting’s professional “hubs”—teach and learn from one another in the process of engaging in collaborative songwriting. This study viewed songwriting as a form of “situated learning” (Lave & Wenger, 1991) and “situated practice” (Folkestad, 2012) whose investigation requires consideration of the professional culture that surrounds creative activity in a specific context (i.e., Nashville). The following research questions guided this study: (1) How do collaborative songwriters describe the process of being inducted to, and learning within, the practice of professional songwriting in Nashville, (2) What teaching and learning behaviors can be identified in the collaborative songwriting processes of Nashville songwriters, and (3) Who are the important actors in the process of learning to be a collaborative songwriter in Nashville, and what roles do they play (e.g., gatekeeper, mentor, role model)? This study combined elements of case study and ethnography. Data sources included observation of co-writing sessions, interviews with songwriters, and participation in and observation of open mic and writers’ nights.
  • Marc Brennan Thesis

    Marc Brennan Thesis

    Writing to Reach You: The Consumer Music Press and Music Journalism in the UK and Australia Marc Brennan, BA (Hons) Creative Industries Research and Applications Centre (CIRAC) Thesis Submitted for the Completion of Doctor of Philosophy (Creative Industries), 2005 Writing to Reach You Keywords Journalism, Performance, Readerships, Music, Consumers, Frameworks, Publishing, Dialogue, Genre, Branding Consumption, Production, Internet, Customisation, Personalisation, Fragmentation Writing to Reach You: The Consumer Music Press and Music Journalism in the UK and Australia The music press and music journalism are rarely subjected to substantial academic investigation. Analysis of journalism often focuses on the production of news across various platforms to understand the nature of politics and public debate in the contemporary era. But it is not possible, nor is it necessary, to analyse all emerging forms of journalism in the same way for they usually serve quite different purposes. Music journalism, for example, offers consumer guidance based on the creation and maintenance of a relationship between reader and writer. By focusing on the changing aspects of this relationship, an analysis of music journalism gives us an understanding of the changing nature of media production, media texts and media readerships. Music journalism is dialogue. It is a dialogue produced within particular critical frameworks that speak to different readers of the music press in different ways. These frameworks are continually evolving and reflect the broader social trajectory in which music journalism operates. Importantly, the evolving nature of music journalism reveals much about the changing consumption of popular music. Different types of consumers respond to different types of guidance that employ a variety of critical approaches.
  • A Culture of Recording: Christopher Raeburn and the Decca Record Company

    A Culture of Recording: Christopher Raeburn and the Decca Record Company

    A Culture of Recording: Christopher Raeburn and the Decca Record Company Sally Elizabeth Drew A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Sheffield Faculty of Arts and Humanities Department of Music This work was supported by the Arts & Humanities Research Council September 2018 1 2 Abstract This thesis examines the working culture of the Decca Record Company, and how group interaction and individual agency have made an impact on the production of music recordings. Founded in London in 1929, Decca built a global reputation as a pioneer of sound recording with access to the world’s leading musicians. With its roots in manufacturing and experimental wartime engineering, the company developed a peerless classical music catalogue that showcased technological innovation alongside artistic accomplishment. This investigation focuses specifically on the contribution of the recording producer at Decca in creating this legacy, as can be illustrated by the career of Christopher Raeburn, the company’s most prolific producer and specialist in opera and vocal repertoire. It is the first study to examine Raeburn’s archive, and is supported with unpublished memoirs, private papers and recorded interviews with colleagues, collaborators and artists. Using these sources, the thesis considers the history and functions of the staff producer within Decca’s wider operational structure in parallel with the personal aspirations of the individual in exerting control, choice and authority on the process and product of recording. Having been recruited to Decca by John Culshaw in 1957, Raeburn’s fifty-year career spanned seminal moments of the company’s artistic and commercial lifecycle: from assisting in exploiting the dramatic potential of stereo technology in Culshaw’s Ring during the 1960s to his serving as audio producer for the 1990 The Three Tenors Concert international phenomenon.
  • Popular Music, Stars and Stardom

    Popular Music, Stars and Stardom

    POPULAR MUSIC, STARS AND STARDOM POPULAR MUSIC, STARS AND STARDOM EDITED BY STEPHEN LOY, JULIE RICKWOOD AND SAMANTHA BENNETT Published by ANU Press The Australian National University Acton ACT 2601, Australia Email: [email protected] Available to download for free at press.anu.edu.au A catalogue record for this book is available from the National Library of Australia ISBN (print): 9781760462123 ISBN (online): 9781760462130 WorldCat (print): 1039732304 WorldCat (online): 1039731982 DOI: 10.22459/PMSS.06.2018 This title is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial- NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). The full licence terms are available at creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode Cover design by Fiona Edge and layout by ANU Press This edition © 2018 ANU Press All chapters in this collection have been subjected to a double-blind peer-review process, as well as further reviewing at manuscript stage. Contents Acknowledgements . vii Contributors . ix 1 . Popular Music, Stars and Stardom: Definitions, Discourses, Interpretations . 1 Stephen Loy, Julie Rickwood and Samantha Bennett 2 . Interstellar Songwriting: What Propels a Song Beyond Escape Velocity? . 21 Clive Harrison 3 . A Good Black Music Story? Black American Stars in Australian Musical Entertainment Before ‘Jazz’ . 37 John Whiteoak 4 . ‘You’re Messin’ Up My Mind’: Why Judy Jacques Avoided the Path of the Pop Diva . 55 Robin Ryan 5 . Wendy Saddington: Beyond an ‘Underground Icon’ . 73 Julie Rickwood 6 . Unsung Heroes: Recreating the Ensemble Dynamic of Motown’s Funk Brothers . 95 Vincent Perry 7 . When Divas and Rock Stars Collide: Interpreting Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé’s Barcelona .
  • The Trumpet As a Voice of Americana in the Americanist Music of Gershwin, Copland, and Bernstein

    The Trumpet As a Voice of Americana in the Americanist Music of Gershwin, Copland, and Bernstein

    THE TRUMPET AS A VOICE OF AMERICANA IN THE AMERICANIST MUSIC OF GERSHWIN, COPLAND, AND BERNSTEIN DOCUMENT Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Musical Arts in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Amanda Kriska Bekeny, M.M. * * * * * The Ohio State University 2005 Dissertation Committee: Approved by Professor Timothy Leasure, Adviser Professor Charles Waddell _________________________ Dr. Margarita Ophee-Mazo Adviser School of Music ABSTRACT The turn of the century in American music was marked by a surge of composers writing music depicting an “American” character, via illustration of American scenes and reflections on Americans’ activities. In an effort to set American music apart from the mature and established European styles, American composers of the twentieth century wrote distinctive music reflecting the unique culture of their country. In particular, the trumpet is a prominent voice in this music. The purpose of this study is to identify the significance of the trumpet in the music of three renowned twentieth-century American composers. This document examines the “compositional” and “conceptual” Americanisms present in the music of George Gershwin, Aaron Copland, and Leonard Bernstein, focusing on the use of the trumpet as a voice depicting the compositional Americanisms of each composer. The versatility of its timbre allows the trumpet to stand out in a variety of contexts: it is heroic during lyrical, expressive passages; brilliant during festive, celebratory sections; and rhythmic during percussive statements. In addition, it is a lead jazz voice in much of this music. As a dominant voice in a variety of instances, the trumpet expresses the American character of each composer’s music.
  • A Comparative Analysis of Punk in Spain and Mexico

    A Comparative Analysis of Punk in Spain and Mexico

    Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 2018-07-01 El futuro ya está aquí: A Comparative Analysis of Punk in Spain and Mexico Rex Richard Wilkins Brigham Young University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the Spanish and Portuguese Language and Literature Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Wilkins, Rex Richard, "El futuro ya está aquí: A Comparative Analysis of Punk in Spain and Mexico" (2018). Theses and Dissertations. 6997. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/6997 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. El futuro ya está aquí: A Comparative Analysis of Punk Culture in Spain and Mexico Rex Richard Wilkins A thesis submitted to the faculty of Brigham Young University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Brian Price, Chair Erik Larson Alvin Sherman Department of Spanish and Portuguese Brigham Young University Copyright © 2018 Rex Richard Wilkins All Rights Reserved ABSTRACT El futuro ya está aquí: A Comparative Analysis of Punk Culture in Spain and Mexico Rex Richard Wilkins Department of Spanish and Portuguese, BYU Master of Arts This thesis examines the punk genre’s evolution into commercial mainstream music in Spain and Mexico. It looks at how this evolution altered both the aesthetic and gesture of the genre. This evolution can be seen by examining four bands that followed similar musical and commercial trajectories.
  • THE FUTURE of the FRENCH BASSOON: CHANGING PERCEPTION THROUGH INNOVATION by DARYN ZUBKE Submitted to the Graduate Degree Progra

    THE FUTURE of the FRENCH BASSOON: CHANGING PERCEPTION THROUGH INNOVATION by DARYN ZUBKE Submitted to the Graduate Degree Progra

    THE FUTURE OF THE FRENCH BASSOON: CHANGING PERCEPTION THROUGH INNOVATION BY DARYN ZUBKE Submitted to the graduate degree program in Music and the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts. ________________________________ Chairperson Dr. Eric Stomberg ________________________________ Dr. Stephanie Zelnick ________________________________ Dr. Margaret Marco ________________________________ Dr. David Alan Street ________________________________ Dr. Michelle Hayes Date Defended: November 21, 2017 ii The Dissertation Committee for DARYN ZUBKE certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: THE FUTURE OF THE FRENCH BASSOON: CHANGING PERCEPTION THROUGH INNOVATION ________________________________ Chairperson Dr. Eric Stomberg Date approved: November 21, 2017 iii Abstract Over the past 150 years the French bassoon has experienced great fluctuations in popularity and innovation, but is now at a turning point due to advancements based on recent research and development by musicians and instrument makers alike. A number of contributing factors have allowed the French bassoon to rediscover its place as a significant option to a new generation of bassoonists. The primary reasons for this renewed interest are five-fold: advances in instrument manufacture resulting in increased accessibility; a shift in tone production among professional French bassoonists; unprecedented access to recordings, past and present, of the French bassoon via the internet; a growing interest in performing French works on the instrument for which they were written; an interest by major orchestras to invest in the Ducasse system; and the influence of active French bassoonists promoting their instrument. Newly developed bassoons, made by Parisian bassoon maker Yannick Ducasse, have been engineered for more flexibility in tone production, allowing musicians to blend effectively with other instruments.
  • Book Proposal 3

    Book Proposal 3

    Rock and Roll has Tender Moments too... ! Photographs by Chalkie Davies 1973-1988 ! For as long as I can remember people have suggested that I write a book, citing both my exploits in Rock and Roll from 1973-1988 and my story telling abilities. After all, with my position as staff photographer on the NME and later The Face and Arena, I collected pop stars like others collected stamps, I was not happy until I had photographed everyone who interested me. However, given that the access I had to my friends and clients was often unlimited and 24/7 I did not feel it was fair to them that I should write it all down. I refused all offers. Then in 2010 I was approached by the National Museum of Wales, they wanted to put on a retrospective of my work, this gave me a special opportunity. In 1988 I gave up Rock and Roll, I no longer enjoyed the music and, quite simply, too many of my friends had died, I feared I might be next. So I put all of my negatives into storage at a friends Studio and decided that maybe 25 years later the images you see here might be of some cultural significance, that they might be seen as more than just pictures of Rock Stars, Pop Bands and Punks. That they even might be worthy of a Museum. So when the Museum approached me three years ago with the idea of a large six month Retrospective in 2015 I agreed, and thought of doing the usual thing and making a Catalogue.
  • LJMU Research Online

    LJMU Research Online

    LJMU Research Online Krüger, S In Conversation with Steve Levine http://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/1676/ Article Citation (please note it is advisable to refer to the publisher’s version if you intend to cite from this work) Krüger, S (2016) In Conversation with Steve Levine. Journal of Popular Music Studies, 27 (4). pp. 101-125. ISSN 1533-1598 LJMU has developed LJMU Research Online for users to access the research output of the University more effectively. Copyright © and Moral Rights for the papers on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other copyright owners. Users may download and/or print one copy of any article(s) in LJMU Research Online to facilitate their private study or for non-commercial research. You may not engage in further distribution of the material or use it for any profit-making activities or any commercial gain. The version presented here may differ from the published version or from the version of the record. Please see the repository URL above for details on accessing the published version and note that access may require a subscription. For more information please contact [email protected] http://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/ Forthc. “In Conversation with Steve Levine”. Journal of Popular Music Studies. In Conversation with Steve Levine Simone Krüger, Liverpool John Moores University Abstract This interview with internationally acclaimed music producer and sound engineer Steve Levine explores numerous pertinent issues surrounding the changes within the music industries over the
  • Competitiveness in the Music Industry a Study of the Swedish Music Companies

    Competitiveness in the Music Industry a Study of the Swedish Music Companies

    J ÖNKÖPING I NTERNATIONAL B USINESS S C H O O L JÖNKÖPING UNIVERSITY Competitiveness in the Music Industry A study of the Swedish Music Companies Paper within Business Administration Author: Anders Berg Jörgen Fransson Fredrik Sörendal Tutor: Elena Raviola & Annette Johansson Jönköping January 2007 Bachelor thesis in Business Administration Title: Competitiveness in the Music Industry: A study of the Swedish Music Companies Authors: Berg, Anders; Fransson, Jörgen; Sörendal, Fredrik Tutors: Raviola, Elena and Johansson, Anette Date: 2007-01-15 Subject terms: Technological Change, Sustainable Competitive Advantage, the Music Companies. Abstract Problem: The music industry has experienced a significant technological change, leav- ing the music companies with a new way of distributing music. The sale of physical products (i.e. the CD) has decreased, and the industry has seen a steady increase in digital music. In this period of technological change, how are the four major music companies, EMI, SonyBMG, Warner Music Group and Universal Music to create a competitive advantage? Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to study and analyze how the traditional music companies are creating a sustainable competitive advantage in a technologi- cally changing environment. Method: A qualitative approach, following the logic of a case study, has been used to answer the purpose. Interviews with new media managers at the four major music companies have been conducted. Furthermore, an interview with the mobile phone operator 3 was conducted since the company is one of the biggest customers to the music companies using the new technology. In or- der to avoid a biased study, we also interviewed Robert Picard at JIBS and Kris Serian at Warner Home Video who both have extensive experience in the media industry.