Instead of focusing on the "stuff" of recording technology, this column explores ideas about the music that comes from the recording studio. Based on the author's experience working with Mark Rubel, four ideas about music are explored--one, the rise of alternatives to performance; two, the "get it done early" school of thought; three, recording as a pathway for ideas and dreams; and, four, the need for downtime in digital recording environments. Each of these ideas is then connected to implications for music educators. Additional references connect the wisdom of the recording studio with practical approaches to recording as well as philosophical ideas about music education and technology.