Digital – Good stuff?
A Digit – (noun) sometimes used to refer to a finger.
A Finger – (noun) What some people use to poke you in the eye.
What’s “digital” done for/to music? It created a revolution in what can be done in a studio…and with instruments. Thanks Mr. MOOG! ...(that was 30 some years ago.)
What else? Lately?
Well, people now spend more money on devices to play music than on the music itself! As a matter of fact, that’s become the definition of how great their awareness of music is… “My IPOD holds 11,000 songs!”
Did you know that a local furniture retailer will give you a 3GB IPOD NANO for every purchase over $300.00.
So what does all this have to do with music? (or even furniture!) Nothing. Think about it.
“Hey, I can listen to all my songs in class or at work or even while I’m driving!”
What about listening to a live band at a concert, or even a club? …“Costs too much.”
Oh. Don’t you like to dance or maybe meet people in the real world? …“Nah. Me and my friends all have IPODs.”
Do you ever go out? Go on dates? …“Yeah, we get together and hang out and we can listen to all the music we want!”
What do you listen to? …“Whatever is on our IPODs.”
Why? …“’Cause it’s cool.”
What’s cool about it? …“I don’t know, we just like it.”
What about the bands? The musicians? …“They’re ok. I don’t know. I saw some of ‘em on YouTube. They looked cool.”
What about when you do go out? Who are your favorite bands? …“Um, the ones that play what’s on my IPOD and act like the bands on YouTube!”
What does that have to do with the music? …“I don’t know. Nothing much, but I have 2,784 songs on my IPOD!”
Nothing. Think about it.
A Digit – (noun) sometimes used to refer to a finger.
A Finger – (noun) What some people use to poke you in the eye.
What’s “digital” done for/to music? It created a revolution in what can be done in a studio…and with instruments. Thanks Mr. MOOG! ...(that was 30 some years ago.)
What else? Lately?
Well, people now spend more money on devices to play music than on the music itself! As a matter of fact, that’s become the definition of how great their awareness of music is… “My IPOD holds 11,000 songs!”
Did you know that a local furniture retailer will give you a 3GB IPOD NANO for every purchase over $300.00.
So what does all this have to do with music? (or even furniture!) Nothing. Think about it.
“Hey, I can listen to all my songs in class or at work or even while I’m driving!”
What about listening to a live band at a concert, or even a club? …“Costs too much.”
Oh. Don’t you like to dance or maybe meet people in the real world? …“Nah. Me and my friends all have IPODs.”
Do you ever go out? Go on dates? …“Yeah, we get together and hang out and we can listen to all the music we want!”
What do you listen to? …“Whatever is on our IPODs.”
Why? …“’Cause it’s cool.”
What’s cool about it? …“I don’t know, we just like it.”
What about the bands? The musicians? …“They’re ok. I don’t know. I saw some of ‘em on YouTube. They looked cool.”
What about when you do go out? Who are your favorite bands? …“Um, the ones that play what’s on my IPOD and act like the bands on YouTube!”
What does that have to do with the music? …“I don’t know. Nothing much, but I have 2,784 songs on my IPOD!”
Nothing. Think about it.
When "Digital" becomes the definition of how we interact with the arts, maybe we lose more than we gain. Especially in music, its appreciation includes social interaction, sharing the experience with the 'audience' as well as the musicians. Even though the 'event' (going to listen to music) may be transient, the impact is something that stays with us and contributes to our growth, tastes, appreciation and ability to make our own judgements of quality. We get to share the event with people around us and strengthen our own socialization. Without that interactive participation, music itself becomes just another transient, even meaningless one-shot blink in the day.
An added potential downside is that the number of people who have no musical or artistic training, are randomly manipulating music digitally and then call themselves artists. Their new criteria for the label? I can work a computer.
Nothing. Think about it.
No comments:
Post a Comment