People

People and creators

Every recording involves more people than the names printed large on the cover. Someone came up with the music, someone played it, someone decided how it would sound in your headphones, and someone created what you see on the shelf. Here we talk about roles rather than specific people, and explain how to find reliable information about a musician on your own.

The cover gives one name. The booklet usually gives ten, and every one of them means something.

— Editor's thought

How this section works: we describe professions and roles in music and ways of checking information. There are no names of living people, biographies, discographies or ratings here.

Who makes a recording

Six roles that appear in the credits of almost any release.

Composer

Creates the musical material: melody, harmony, the form of a piece. In experimental music the composer often sets out not notes but rules by which the sound emerges during performance.

Performer

Turns an idea into sound. In improvised and electronic music the line between performer and author is blurred, which is why booklets often list both roles side by side.

Producer

Is responsible for the recording as a whole: chooses the material, helps shape the running order, keeps an eye on deadlines and on the overall sound of the album.

Sound engineer

Records, mixes and masters. Their decisions determine whether you hear the flautist's breath or the hiss of the tape, and how close the sound seems to you.

Label curator

Shapes the identity of a label: decides which recordings come out under its name, how series are designed and what the accompanying notes will say.

Cover artist

The illustrator, photographer or designer who creates the visual image of a release. For 1950s exotica the cover was almost as much a part of the concept as the music.

How to find reliable information about a musician

Start with the credits of the release itself: the booklet and sleeve are usually more accurate than retellings online
Look for interviews published by the original outlet or primary source, not undated reprints
Check music encyclopedias and reference works, especially for dates and line-ups
Turn to sound recording archives and library catalogues: they document releases, not legends
Separate facts from epithets: words like "genius" and "pioneer" tell you about the writer's taste
If sources disagree, note the discrepancy rather than choosing the version that sounds better

Artists (archive) (in Russian)
A note on the old artist page address and how to find reliable information about musicians.
Analysis
How to break down a track by timbre, rhythm, structure and recording quality, using hypothetical examples.
About (archive) (in Russian)
A note on the old address of the former association's page and on independent labels as a phenomenon.

Sources

Music encyclopedias and reference works
Release credits: booklets and sleeves

Historical information is based on music encyclopedias and reference works. Details of releases, concerts and venues change, so check them with publishers and organisers.