As time goes on, the way we listen to music is constantly changing, from cassettes to CD's, to HiFis to mp3s. I think this has happened because music is such an important aspect of life to many people and business' have realised this and learnt that people are always looking for easier and cheaper ways to listen to their favourite songs. I personally cant go a day without listening to music. On the go I always have my ipod and at home spotify allows me access to any music I desire unlimitedly. With the amount of musical technology about, the actual hardware of a CD is no longer needed. Sales have fallen massively, as the recent closure of many HMV stores throughout the country as shown. In my opinion, downloading music is a lot faster, easier, and cheaper. When we download music we don't even need to leave our homes, we have the music quickly and easily and saved for as long as we want. As digital music consumption continues to increase, artists and consumers are finding new ways to engage within the digital landscape. Spotify, the leading digital music service, is helping to driving this digital conversation by providing a music discovery and sharing platform which caters to the modern, social consumer, supporting the artist as a engagement tool, and driving increasing revenues back into the music industry.
However, according to a recent study, the radio is still the most popular way people to listen to and discover new music. "The accessibility of music has seen tremendous expansion and diversification," said David Bakula, SVP Client Development, Nielsen. "While younger listeners opt for technologically advanced methods, traditional methods of discovery like radio and word-of-mouth continue to be strong drivers."
From acoustic, through electronic to digital recording techniques, through shellac, vinyl, tape and then CD music formats, and the various media forms on which the music can be accessed, it is hard sometimes to see it all as the same industry.
The digital recording revolution has democratized the music production industry. By lowering the cost barriers to entry and offering nearly limitless creative possibilities, a new breed of modern producers/engineers have been born. I think it’s fair to say that this development has permanently changed music forever. Nowadays, anyone with Pro-Tools and a little cash can call themselves a Producer and whip up professional recordings without ever stepping foot inside a “real” studio or knowing how to operate a 24 track. The tracking of live instruments is fast becoming obsolete in light of the steady improvement in virtual instrument technology. Using samples libraries recorded from the highest quality instruments or modelled sounds from advanced synth plug-ins, modern studios can create realistic, professional sounding tracks without the expense or difficulty of actually tracking a live instrument performance. The audible shortcomings of virtual instruments, especially complex ones like drums, are quickly being refined and improved upon. This technology is already being used on major releases without any appreciable difference from true live performances. It is only a matter of time before live recording becomes an expensive novelty.
We all know that the age of selling physical “copies” of music (such as CDs) is over. Now we are we are reaching the point where the era of downloading compressed audio formats like MP3s is headed the same way. Owning digital copies of content is becoming obsolete with the transition to streaming content delivery services like spotify. When you subscribe to these services, you are paying for access to enjoy the content, without having to own it. With internet speeds increasing everyday and the explosion of mobile internet devices, streaming services will allow you to listen to the high-quality music you want anywhere.
No comments:
Post a Comment