How Technology Changes Music

So there are the obvious reasons that technology has changed music.

Without the invention of electricity, there would be no electric guitar, electric bass, synthesizer, and any other electric instruments that exist.

On top of that, we have also acquired the ability to record our music, thus creating industries and opportunities for Money, where there where none before.

But what about the effect on the actual Music?

One thing that has changed dramatically is who you can write your music with.

You no longer have to be in the same room (Or Continent) in order to write music with someone else.

We now have the internet, and you can use programs such as Guitar Pro, and DAW's (Digital Audio Workstations) to share your music with other musicians. They can then write, or record, and send it back to you.

You could technically write an entire album with someone else, and never have to meet them in person.

Before the age of computers, you could still do it, but would just have to send a recording or Tape through the mail.

Not quite as convenient, but it still would be possible.

So yes you can share with other people around the world, but what does this mean for your music, specifically?

Well, have you thought that maybe you could be sharing your music with someone else who is of a different ethnicity?

What if you are a metal Artist, and you start sharing your music with someone in india?

Sitar Hero = Sharing Music Across the World

All of a sudden, you have some Metal and Indian Fusion, and someone has put a sitar in your music!

Now I'm not saying this has happened, but I'm just trying to get the point across to you that you can now collaborate with Artists who are in a completely different genre of music as you, without scouring the globe to find them.

So we have discussed the music itself, but what about the instruments?

Well, using things like Digital Drums, or Looping Stations, you can successfully pull of complex sequences in your music, all by yourself!

Someone Installed a Kaoss Pad In a Guitar?

You could technically play an entire song by yourself, if you looped all the bass, drums, and guitar parts on stage, and then just sang the vocals yourself. Would you want to? Probably not, but it is possible!

Well, we already discussed the new genres that could be created through new ethnicities, but what about just new genres?

This is where I can start talking about the Electronica, and Techno, and Trance, and all that Electric Dance type stuff.

Advances in technology have literally given DJ's their jobs.

Of course, without the digital age, none of these genres would be even close to possible.

Without Advances in Technology....

Thank you Advances to Technology!

I'm sure that I have only scratched the surface as to how much music has been changed due to advances in technology.

Hopefully you can take this, and appreciate this world of music, as opposed to what we had to listen to 100 years ago. The Alternative isn't to appetizing, is it?

At the least, I hope this got you thinking.


If you haven't done so already:

(That's A Clue!)

-Andrew Muller, Editor (Monday, July 27th, 2009.)

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