As with most things, technology brings ‘good’ with ‘bad’. We know this with almost every facet of technological advancement in the world. Technology has obviously changed the way music sounds. We’re no longer limited to the conventional and traditional sounds of music and musical instruments.
The advent of synthesizers, electronic music and the use of computers, has enabled for some very interesting creation of sounds and has brought with it, beautiful sonic textures and layers of audible dimensions otherwise not possible to create…and in some cases, very ugly textures. This is true of every genre of music; from pop to metal to rap.
Technology has also evolved the way music is made, the speed albeit ease with which it’s made, and the expanse of creativity. For instance, much more is possible now with a particular sound and process, that when the author is creating a sonic soundscape their creativity is no longer limited to what used to be possible 50 years ago, but what’s possible today. Technology has made it possible for non-traditional sounds to be used in the arrangement and production of a musical composition, it’s made it possible for things to be tuned inhumanly accurately or ‘musically’ out of tune. Technology has also made it possible to create rhythms and syncopations that are impossible otherwise, or would take more than several people to create.
Technology has also enabled talented individuals to express their art form, that otherwise would have only been possible with detailed knowledge of music theory and/or a sizable band/ orchestra. Technology has made it possible to now create from inception to audible manifestation to a compact disc/ ipod, a musical idea/song/ score. Technology has enable us, to create The Masterpiece in the confines of our bedroom!
All in all, technological advancements have brought some of the greatest progressions (pun intended 
) and evolution in music. However, as with every school of thought, I’ll play the devil’s advocate.
Technology as great as it is, has also had an adverse effect in music….while this is an entire topic in and of itself, I’ll very briefly mention, that the chivalry of the art form has been lost in many senses. We’ve seen the rise of less than-talented individuals dominate the music scene without ‘real musicality’; with the loss of capital intensive professional studios and services (giving way to ‘home/project’ studios), we’ve in a sense lost the ‘parts of a sum’ –golden engineering ears, genius arrangers, world class mixes, we’ve lost the spirit of creating music from thought to finish.
“Technology after all, should be the catalyst of all things great, not the mask for all things possible” –yours truly (Yes, Shameer, that’d be me)
Contributor:
Ajay Shah, Producer, Los Angeles, California, USA
Contact Ajay Shah: ajayshah@cox.net
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