With the editing capabilities of modern recording and production technology, more musicians than ever can create release-ready tracks, in or out of the studio. But while some hail the new age of music creation – Timbaland insists AI is the future – Iron Maiden’s Adrian Smith miss the old days of recording.

In a new interview with the Scars And Guitars podcast, Smith says modern recording tech sometimes compensates for a lack of creativity. “Digital recording and Pro Tools have enabled anyone to make up something,” he says. “[Now] you can present something that sounds respectable, but it’s all done by computers.”

• READ MORE: Roger Daltrey says improving technology is making musicians lose the “heartbeat” of music

While modern musicians can edit and tweak each take, analogue recording was quite the opposite. If you lacked musical skill, you couldn’t cover it up – so you had to be good at your craft. “I grew up old school where you had to actually play in the studio; you couldn’t tune it up afterwards,” Smith says. “So that makes you more of a craftsman.”

However, despite preferring the older analogue methods, Iron Maiden are prone to using digital recording. You can hardly blame them – if you’re cranking out albums like Maiden, modern technology can be a huge time saver. “[We use] digital recording because it’s convenient,” he admits. “It saves time and it saves money.”

Smith is also firmly against the use of AI in the studio. “I don’t even wanna think about it…” he says. “It’s like the beginning of the end.”

“The other day… somebody, as a birthday present or as a present to his friends, had a song written by AI, using their voice. And it’s just mind-boggling. I mean, social media’s bad enough. But this is just another level.”

Bandmate Bruce Dickinson has shared similar views on how modern musicians tend to cut corners at the cost of the craft. Speaking to Classic Rock, the frontman recently  decried the use of backing tracks on stage. “The idea that you can turn it into the Disneyland Maiden, by using backing tracks, a few tricks… No!” Dickinson says. “Maiden has to be one hundred per cent real – and fucking fierce!”

“Only recently this guy, a big fan, said to me: ‘it’s so great to see Maiden still doing it,’” he said. “I said: ‘Yeah, and we’re doing it for real!’ There’s no detuning. This guy said: ‘Lots of bands use backing tracks now…’ I said: ‘No! No, no!”

“[If we use backing tracks], that’s the day I quit,” he continued. “Or the day we stop. If it’s not real, it’s not Maiden.”

Adrian Smith’s second record with the Smith/Kotzen project, Black Light/White Noise, was released last week, while Iron Maiden’s Run For Your Lives tour kicks off 27 May in Budapest. Tickets are available now.

The post “I grew up old school where you couldn’t tune it up afterwards – that made you more of a craftsman”: Adrian Smith on digital vs analogue recording appeared first on MusicTech.