The cultural impact of computer recording on popular music - Essay Example

?The cultural impact of computer recording on pop music The introduction of computer recording in pop music has been resulted by the need for serve the following needs: a) through the computer (Internet) the music could easier reach the public worldwide, b) the computer offered the potential – through appropriate software – to improve the quality of the music produced or develop special features which would not be achievable through a different means. The cultural effects of computer recording on pop music can be understood by referring primarily to the historical and the sociological aspects of the particular activity. It should be noted that the involvement of computer in the production and the process of pop music has been gradual; in fact, it was around the 1950s that the recording of music appeared – with the form of ‘high fidelity’ (Biagi 2006, 92); then, it was around the 1956 that Stereo entered the music field (Biagi 2006, 92), a fact that offered the chance for the recording of music using the tape recording – in the context of which music could be stored and processed, options which were not available until then. The appearance of walkman in 1979 by Sony has been another unique event in the field of music recording (as also the storing and the hearing of music) allowing the development of the particular activity in any area, with no limitations in terms of the space available for the establishment of relevant equipment (Biagi 2006, 92). The development of the technology used in music recording had a series of phases; initially, i.e. since in its appearance, music recording was developed using ‘stereo analogue tape recorders’ (Warner 2003, 20); then, especially after the 1960s, ‘digital multitrack machines’ (Warner 2003, 20) become a common tool for music recording. In fact, ‘digital mixing desks’ (Warner 2003, 20) have been used in most phases of the music recording – analogue signal has been used – if necessary – only for making the final amendments to the music recorded (Warner 2003, 20). This practice today has been expanded at such level that most of the sounds included in the pop music are produced using ‘synthesizers and samplers’ (Warner 2003, 20). In accordance with Dawe (2004) the replacement of old analogue machines used in music recording by computers should be considered as unavoidable since computers ‘are able both to store and reproduce sound much more accurately than the old analogue machines’ (Dawe 2004, 125). Another important aspect of the introduction of computers in music recording is highlighted in the study of Dawe (2004); in accordance with the above researcher, the use of computers in music recording allowed the increase of production of music (Dawe 2004, 19) – reference is made specifically to the pop music which has been mostly benefited by the involvement of computers in the specific field. In any case, the introduction of computerized systems in music recording increased the potentials of music producers for the production of high quality music – referring to the advanced features available to the music producers compared to the past where the time required for the recording of a music piece could be significant mostly because of the limited technical potentials of the analogue systems – which were used in music recording up to the introduction of the computer systems in the particular field (Baldauf et al 2008, 319). The above fact is also highlighted in the study of Gordon (2005) who noted that the production of music of improved quality – referring to the aesthetic aspect of each music piece, is another benefit of the use of computerized systems in music recording (Gordon 2005, 184). Moreover, it is noted that the introduction of advanced computerized systems in the music recording supported the development of certain brands – mostly those related to the clothing/ accessories of pop music; the volume of pop music produced was increased and its expansion globally made easy; industries which were depended on the pop music (retail, travel, electronic equipment) were highly supported achieving high levels of profit (Longhurst 2007, 41). The above outcome has been the economic benefit of the use of computers in the pop music recording. Apart from the historical development of music recording, the sociological aspects of the specific activity are also important for understanding its cultural context, especially in regard to the freedom provided to music producers to produce and sell their music pieces in the international market. From a sociological point of view, the advances in the methods of music recording served the following two targets: a) the promotion of postmodernism (especially in the 1960s and 1970s) – a concept emphasizing on the need for continuous development of features and trends that characterize the modern style of life worldwide and b) the expansion of music internationally – through the Internet; such prospect could not be achieved through the traditional – analogue – systems of music recording (Miller 1993, 153). From another point of view, the use of computers in music recording reflects a trend for revolution in the specific sector – referring not only to technological revolution but also to a sociological one; the appearance of computerized systems in the music recording showed, in accordance with Swiss (1999, 312) the willingness of music producers to end their dependency on the traditional means for music production. In regard to the cultural impact of the development of pop music recording, the following issues need to be highlighted: a) the use of computers in the music recording changed the quality and the form of sounds used in the pop music recording; sounds of high quality and range resulted which were able to attract the public easier; in this way, the supporters of pop music were increased; thus, the influence of the specific type of music on everyday life (for instance wearing or behavioural habits) was increased (Whiteley et al 2005, 184), b) the freedom of music composers to produce and sell pieces of music was increased (Katz 2010, 3); this freedom has been secured through the introduction of legislation which aims to protect the music composers’ rights on their work (Zuidervaart et al 2000, 128), c) the long term development of the pop music has been secured; the technical potentials of computerized systems are extended; apart from the existing forms of pop music, potentials exist for the further development of the particular type of music (Gordon 2005, 248), another benefit achievable through the use of computers in the pop music recording process. References Baldauf, K., Stair, R. (2008) Succeeding with Technology: Computer System Concepts for Real Life. Cengage Learning Biagi, S. (2006) Media/Impact: An Introduction to Mass Media. Cengage Learning Dawe, K. (2004) Island musics. Berg Publishers Du Gay, P. (1997) Doing cultural studies: the story of the Sony Walkman. SAGE Gordon, S. (2005) The future of the music business: how to succeed with the new digital technologies : a guide for artists and entrepreneurs. Backbeat books Katz, M. (2010) Capturing Sound: How Technology Has Changed Music. University of California Press Longhurst, B. (2007) Popular music and society. Polity Miller, S. (1993) The Last post: music after modernism. Manchester University Press Shuker, R. (2005) Popular music: the key concepts. Routledge Swiss, T. (1999) Key terms in popular music and culture. Wiley-Blackwell Warner, T. (2003) Pop music: technology and creativity: Trevor Horn and the digital revolution. Ashgate Publishing Whiteley, S., Bennett, A., Hawkins, S. (2005) Music, space and place: popular music and cultural identity. Ashgate Publishing Zuidervaart, L., Luttikhuizen, H. (2000) The arts, community, and cultural democracy. Cross-currents in religion and culture. Palgrave Macmillan Read More