The Discourse of Home Recording : Accessibility, Exclusion and Power
Thesis or Dissertation
2011-12 (degree granted: 2012-05-03)
Author(s)
Advisor(s)
Level
Master'sDiscipline
CommunicationKeywords
- Home
- Maison
- Recording
- Enregistrement
- Studio
- Domicile
- Democratization
- Démocratisation
- Technology
- Technologie
- Discourse Analysis
- Analyse du Discours
- Power knowledge relations
- Relations de pouvoir savoir
- Michel Foucault
- Communications and the Arts - Music / Communication et les arts - Musique (UMI : 0413)
Abstract(s)
Ce mémoire propose une analyse critique du discours de l’enregistrement sonore à domicile (home recording). Dans la foulée des propos mettant de l’avant l’ «accessibilité» et la «démocratisation» de l’enregistrement sonore, ce mémoire analyse les relations de savoir/pouvoir produites et légitimées par le discours, ce qu’elles permettent et contraignent, autorisent et excluent. Le corpus à l’étude est issu de la presse musicale ainsi que de forums de discussion en ligne relevant de sites spécialisés. Les méthodes utilisées sont inspirées de l’approche du discours développées par Michel Foucault et de ce que Johnson et. al. (2004) appellent l’interprétation critique. L’analyse met en évidence les deux principaux sujets du discours de l’enregistrement sonore à la maison : les professionnels de l’enregistrement et les «pros» de l’enregistrement à domicile, deux groupes constitués d’hommes financièrement aisés. Les règles qui régissent l’enregistrement à domicile semblent reprendre, en les adaptant, celles régissant les studios professionnels. Ce mémoire suggère que la «démocratisation» telle qu'énoncée dans ce discours articule l'«accessibilité contemporaine» à certains savoirs et certaines technologies à des exclusions singulières – comme des femmes et des personnes de moyens limités – qui rendent ce discours possible. Être dans le vrai, dans ce discours, c’est échanger, argumenter, discuter et prescrire des façons de faire et de dire qui font des studios professionnels l’espace des normes et des légitimités.
Mots clés: enregistrement, musique, maison, domicile, studio, démocratisation, technologie, l'analyse du discours, relations de pouvoir/savoir, Michel Foucault. This thesis proposes a critical analysis of the discourse of home recording. It aims to question home recording's will to truth by investigating what makes its statements possible, or what is the system of rules that authorize certain things to be said within the discourse. Driven by enunciations regarding home recording's "accessibility" and "democratization", this thesis analyzes the power/knowledge relations that have been produced and legitimized within the discourse, as well as what they enable and constrain, allow and exclude. Music magazines and Internet discussion forums form the corpus of this thesis. The methods used in this research are inspired by Michel Foucault's theory and method of discourse and by the approach known as critical interpretation (Johnson et al., 2004). This thesis' analysis shows that the government in home recording seems to be exerted by two main subjects: recording professionals and home recording "pros", who are overall characterized as well-off men. Moreover, the rules of home recording seem to be a replication and an adaptation to the home environment of the organizing principles of professional studios. This thesis suggests that "democratization" as enunciated and produced within and by the discourse of home recording articulates the discursive notion of a "contemporary accessibility" in terms of technology and knowledge to the exclusions – such as that of women and people of limited means – that make this discourse possible. These exclusions are legitimized through what is considered the "truth" within the discourse, as well as the norms and regulations established within it, which in turn follow the logic of the professional studio.
Keywords: home, recording, studios, democratization, technology, discourse analysis, power/knowledge relations, Michel Foucault.
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