Any sound you can imagine? The Bedroom Producer, creativity and popular music education

Abstract

Since the publication of Paul Théberge’s seminal book Any Sound You Can Imagine: Making Music/Consuming Technology (1997), a series of multifaceted, interrelated and co-dependent technical, economic, social, cultural and musical changes have contributed to the emergence of a distinct role of music-maker that could be termed ‘the Bedroom Producer’ (although as long as Bedroom Producers have the correct equipment, then the location of their music production activity is immaterial). This article explores the creative context of the Bedroom Producer and analyses the co-current, interactive spheres of music-making that they engage with. These analyses show that are important implications for educators working within popular music education (PME) and the article introduces some of the ways in which educators can use contemporary educational approaches to take account of the creative process in teaching and learning.