Since the dawn of the digital revolution the music industry has been in a constant state of flux. Every half year seems to mark a shift in technology, that either creates new opportunities and approaches, or extinguishes an older way of doing things. It's an undulating wave and only those who have learned from the cyclical nature of the past, while keeping their eyes on the ever evolving present, have an advantage. Learning how to adapt, finding ways to relate past techniques to new approaches, and taking the time to both contemplate and comprehend the new, will allow an individual to discover how they would like to move forward within the advancing landscape.

Mixing engineer Ken Sluiter is an example of an individual who has used his pre-existing knowledge and forethought to enhance his work in the digital age. When interviewed by Warren Huart on Produce Like A Pro in 2015, he shared an inspiring self-reflection, “I want to be apart of the future. I want to learn from the past, but I want to be apart of the future. I don’t want to be one of these people... who talks about how everything was great in the nineties… There were great things about it, but there are great things happening now…” “If somebody sends me tracks I want to get working on it right away… I want to start wrenching right away. That’s important to me [Full Quote Here].” Stagnation is death to people who are involved in the record making process. Continuing to learn and grow is essential for both artistic, as well as vocational, survival and fulfillment. Take a page from Ken Sluiter and place the future into your own hands. Become the captain of your own ship on the restless sea of music technology.