LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- Veteran Nigerian producer ID Cabasa has called out what he sees as a growing problem affecting sound quality in modern music production, blaming careless recording practices rather than lack of equipment.
In a message shared on his X page, the Coded Tunes boss spoke directly to producers and sound engineers, pointing to what he described as “compromise” in how music is made today.
Known for producing hits like Gongo Aso and Street Credibility for 9ice, as well as Totori by Olamide and Wizkid, Cabasa drew from years of experience to explain his concerns.
He criticized the growing habit of recording vocals in uncontrolled environments, where background noise and poor setup affect the final sound.
The producer maintained that relying on mixing and mastering to fix these issues weakens the overall “sonic” quality of music.
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“Hey Music Producers/Sound Engineers ! What are those things we compromise on now that is destroying the ‘SONIC’ of our music Now? Lemme go first… ‘How we record our Vocals’ When we record anywhere and anyhow hoping to fix it in mixing,” he wrote.
Furthermore, Cabasa stressed that expensive and top-of-the-line equipment is not the solution. Instead, he said discipline and proper recording techniques matter more than the gear.
He encouraged producers to build strong technical knowledge, educate themselves often, and take sound engineering seriously.
“Quality equipment does not fix the discipline of proper recording! It also does not sort creativity needed for that niche. As a producer try to learn as much as u can ‘Sound engineering,’” he added.
His comments builds on how music production has become more flexible, with many artists recording outside traditional studios due to tight schedules or distance.
While this shift has made music creation more accessible, it has also raised questions about consistency in sound quality.
Cabasa is now calling for a return to controlled studio environments, where sound can be carefully managed.
He believes this approach will help preserve the richness and balance that define great music, ensuring that the final output reflects true artistic quality rather than quick fixes.
