Music and technology go hand in hand. Not so long ago, the world of vinyl ruled the landscape that now seems to be resurrecting itself with an ode to a bygone era. Yes vinyl is cool but so too were innovations such as the compact disc, eight track, MP3 files, I-Tunes and cassette players. We often as music heads forget that the technology of our time helps to shape our sounds. Have you ever pillaged through an old record collection of one of your family members and found the craziest artist who would never associate with their musical taste stashed away. Sometimes the answer is, hey man they just sounded awesome on record. Moreover, the choice can be a sign of the times, a group associated with a certain generation being heard with the electronic medium of the day. Forgone are the days of portable radios, which are now replaced with I-Pods, smart phones and other devices that play music in a hand held nature. The internet also provides users with radio stations, YouTube etc. How long before the sound scape of radio changes to suit the current demands of society. We have satellite radio, pod casts etc. The writing is on the wall and similar to the newspaper, the dinosaurs have to evolve or they will go extinct eventually. This is not an anti-technology rant, actually quite the opposite as the advances we have made have only made the process way more enjoyable.
I still love the old school mediums such as radio, vinyl and print but nowadays the technology associated with music enhances it in so many ways. Take for instance the high end headphones that are now the hallmark of any music junky irregardless of genre. Oh you got the new beats by Dre, sick. $300 and a few headaches later, the person may have had their hearing permanently spoiled as those studio quality instruments just introduced their eardrums to the way the music should be heard in high fidelity. Audiophiles have much to rejoice over as the quality of the music has never been better and many have gone back to remaster some of the best albums ever produced. What about the quality of modern systems inside most cars. They are loud, clean and crisp with high end speakers that are wicked. The system in my car is powered by a really good Rockford Fosgate system. Unreal quality and not over the top. Team that with your I-Pod, MP3 or cellphone and you got a powerful way to have your daily dose of musical medicine delivered. The older I get, I realize the creature comforts of musical technology and I appreciate the efforts of those who develop these products most go through. For that I say thank you and I can not wait for what lies ahead.
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