Why Does Technology Get a Bad Rap?
When people talk about technology in music, they often talk like it’s the villain in the story. Drum machines “ruined” drummers. Auto-Tune “killed” real singing. Now AI tools are “taking away” creativity. But if you’ve been around long enough—like I have, growing up in a musical household in the 1980s—you know the real story is more complicated. And honestly? It’s a lot more hopeful.
From Cassettes to DAWs
I started out bouncing parts from cassette to cassette, losing fidelity every time but gaining the thrill of building a bigger sound. I had live instruments all around—drums, guitars, a Hohner organ—but I longed for a drum machine and a little Casio. When the Roland U-20 and Yamaha RY-30 came into my life, I felt unstoppable… until I realized “unstoppable” still wasn’t broadcast-ready. Studio time was expensive and usually came with strings attached.
Then along came Cubase, Cakewalk, and eventually the modern DAW. Suddenly the entire studio lived on a screen. What once cost tens of thousands of dollars was now a few hundred. For independent producers like me, that was liberation.
Why Technology Gets a “Bad Rap”
Every generation has its fears. Synths, drum machines, Auto-Tune, laptops, AI—it’s always the same refrain: “This will ruin music.” But history proves otherwise. The tools don’t erase musicianship—they shift it. They expand what’s possible and lower the barriers for people who never had access before. The real danger isn’t the tech—it’s whether we use it with intention, taste, and honesty.
WDMN MEDIA & Suno AI
Fast forward to today: at WDMN MEDIA, we use Suno AI v5 like another instrument. We don’t ask it to write songs. We write the lyrics, compose the music, and produce the tracks. Suno becomes the vocal engine: rendering harmonies, doubling parts, experimenting with timbres. Sometimes we even sing live into it and derive the final vocal styling. It’s part of our workflow, not our replacement. That’s how we’re building series like If I Was Your Producer—spanning genres with speed, flexibility, and control.
And legally, the footing is solid. On a paid plan, we own our outputs, hold the commercial license, and retain our human authorship. The vocals are ours to use, monetize, and protect—just like if we had hired a session singer.
The Business Side: Deductions Made Simple
Let’s pivot to money. Tax deductions can feel like a foreign language, so here’s the “tell me like I’m 2” version. A deduction doesn’t mean the IRS hands you cash. It just lowers your taxable income. Make $50k, deduct $10k, you’re taxed on $40k. The cash stays in your business bank account instead of leaving.
How you pay yourself depends on how your LLC is taxed:
Sole prop = owner’s draw.
Partnership = split per agreement.
S-Corp = salary plus distributions (with tax savings at higher profit levels).
Startup costs? First $5k can be deducted, the rest spread over 15 years. If you dissolve early, the unamortized amount gets deducted all at once in that final year. It’s not glamorous, but it matters—because money you don’t send to the IRS is money you can reinvest in your craft.
This Week in WDMN Media
It’s been a packed pop culture week:
The Batman Part II tease and Batman Day vibes.
Superman hitting streaming.
Peacemaker back on screens.
A new trailer for The Mandalorian / Grogu (due May 2026).
Taylor Swift rolling out variant vinyls before her new album.
Sabrina Carpenter brushing off chatter about not being “country enough.”
The Prince estate planning an Around the World in a Day collection (but no new vault tracks).
Talk of a Purple Rain: The Musical that some fans find cringeworthy.
Law & Order: SVU and Criminal Intent returning, plus Jimmy Kimmel back on late night.
WNBA playoffs heating up.
And in Philly news—the Eagles are 3–0, still undefeated. Rumors are already flying about who might headline the Super Bowl halftime show.
Closing Thoughts
The thread through all of this? Whether it’s technology in the studio or franchises on the screen, the tools and platforms will keep evolving. The question is always: how do we, as creators, use them? At WDMN MEDIA, the answer is clear—use them as instruments, not crutches. Protect the business side, stay informed, and keep the music rolling.
If I Was Your Producer Vol. 3 is out now, Volume 18 is in the works, and the creative train isn’t slowing down. Big love to Code3 Records for their support, and to you for listening and reading. Keep making music—and don’t be afraid of the tools that help you do it.
