Renowned sound engineer and music producer Appietus has voiced his concerns about the growing trend of self-taught sound engineers in Ghana.
He argued that these individuals, who often rely on platforms like YouTube for their learning, are compromising the quality of music production in the country.
“You have to understand sound engineering, the frequency range listeners can hear, the decibel range you can go, the dynamics, and all the technicalities. You need to understand all these things. It’s only in our industry that you find people saying, ‘Oh, I learned sound engineering on YouTube,’” Appietus argued.
Appietus, born Appiah Dankwah, believes that the influx of amateur engineers is contributing to a crisis in the Ghanaian music industry.
He points out that this subpar quality is preventing Ghanaian music from achieving international acclaim.
He stresses the importance of formal education and professional training for sound engineers to ensure they meet industry standards.
“For you to become a medical doctor or a surgeon, you cannot go and learn it on YouTube. Nobody is going to lie down and say, okay, this is my stomach, operate on me because you learned it on a social platform. But in Ghana, we have people saying, ‘Oh, I learned it on YouTube, so I know.’ Come on, please. These internet communities cannot teach you the real thing,” he disclosed.
Drawing a parallel to the medical field, Appietus argues that just as one cannot become a doctor through online tutorials, sound engineers need in-depth, formal training to master the complexities of their craft.
He criticized the notion that self-taught skills can match professional expertise, likening it to attempting surgery without proper medical education.
He further emphasized that the global market demands high-quality production, and anything below standard is likely to be rejected.
Appietus urges self-taught engineers to invest in professional training and strive for excellence to help elevate Ghana’s music industry on the international stage.
“Works from these amateurs are a contributory factor to why most of our songs are not breaking the global market. The international marketplace knows good quality, so if it’s low, they will not accept it. There’s something called industry standard in sound; if you do not have it, come on, they will just throw your music away.”