Veteran Ghanaian musician Gyedu-Blay Ambolley has raised concerns about the increasing dominance of technology in modern music production, warning that digital shortcuts are eroding creativity and artistic discipline among today’s musicians.
Speaking on Joy Prime’s Prime Time show on Wednesday night, the highlife pioneer didn’t mince words as he criticized the current wave of music that prioritizes speed and convenience over effort and depth.
According to Ambolley, the widespread use of technology in music today has led to a new generation of artists relying too heavily on computers and software, instead of mastering musical instruments or developing strong lyrical content. “Shortcuts in music are not good,” he said.
“It makes your music ‘sharp sharp’; it doesn’t last.” The term “sharp sharp,” he explained, refers to the fast-food style of music production that lacks soul, substance, and staying power.
Ambolley, whose career spans several decades and includes early experimentation with rap-infused highlife in the 1970s, expressed concern that many artists are now bypassing the learning process altogether.
For him, music should be treated as a craft that requires discipline, mentorship, and cultural grounding. He noted that in earlier times, musicians had to learn to play instruments, study music theory, and perform live: skills that taught patience and fostered originality. But in today’s digital-driven industry, a beat can be downloaded, lyrics quickly patched together, and a song uploaded within hours, often without much human interaction or creative collaboration.
He also pointed out how the lack of communication between collaborators is becoming increasingly common in the age of remote recordings.
Ambolley shared his own experience working with younger artists who send him tracks to feature on, only to release the final version without any follow-up or feedback.
Credit: myjoyonline.com
