Kirk Kirkland

MUSC 1500

Technology in Music:

Where Are We Now

Music evolves with technology, thats the way it has always been. From relatively simple

percussion instruments to strings, woodwinds and brass we have seen a steady increase in the

complexity of these instruments as time has gone by. Every new take on each of these

concepts for deliberately producing a noise that is, or deliberately isnt, pleasing to the ear has

influenced the music that is produced around it. That hasnt changed today, even in a digital

age where numerous technologies for recording music have become obsolete, though not

undesirable. Today we have a seemingly endless supply of instruments, sounds and auditory

textures at our disposal with which to express ourselves and enhance the human experience.

Technology is so deeply rooted in music today that discussing one without the other can

actually be a serious challenge. To support this point, many an audio engineer is every bit as

obsessed with the gear they use, both analog and digital, as they are with the music they create

and enhance. The most basic interaction between technology and music that we all experience

every day is that of recording and play-back. In recording sound pressure compression waves

are turned into an analog electric signal via microphone or pick-up that can then be printed to a

recording medium, today this is usually a digital file on a computer. Although the magnetic tape

of not so long ago is still used in the music industry to impart a certain familiar feel to the music

when desired. Play-back is the very same process in reverse, the recording medium is fed

through the proper device to produce an analog electric signal which controls the movement of

a cone in your speakers or headphones in order to reproduce the sound pressure compression

waves that were originally recorded.

Next we move to instruments. Electric guitars have been around for a while, and offer a

wildly different tone and palette of sonics than the orchestral and symphonic instruments used in
classical arrangements. In many ways, today the electric guitar is every bit as classic as the

violin. The biggest difference between the two? Technology. Where a violin has a fairly defined

tone (although it does vary quite a bit between individual instruments) it is quite possible, with a

working knowledge of signal flow, amplification, pick-ups and processing gear or plug-ins to

achieve a phenomenal number of tones from the very same guitar. In todays world, the new

electric guitar is the synthesizer.

Whether hardware or soft-synth we can now directly produce and interact with the

analog waveforms we expect our speakers to respond to. We now have the ability to produce

almost any tone or timbre we can imagine, given the right amount of knowledge, time and

processing power. With different techniques such as FM or granular synthesis we can alter and

mangle a sound until we find something we find pleasing. We are as close to the sound as we

have ever been and its extremely exciting. We can record samples of anything we can hear,

load it up into a sampler and play it back as part of larger whole, we can chop it up and

rearrange the pieces, we can even process and change the sound into something completely

different. There are more ways than ever to take complete control of a sound a make it what you

imagine, or alter it in creative ways in the hopes of the all powerful happy accident.

As wonderful as all this is, there are a few catches to be aware of. Music is a very

human, living thing and often the electronic (especially digital) devices we use to produce and

record it are just too perfect. For instance, drums that are programmed to land perfectly on the

beat sound unnatural and lifeless to our ears. The same can be said for synthesised sounds

that are produced in the vacuum of a circuit-board or inside the algorithm of a plug-in. Without

the real physics of the air around them or the body of the instrument reacting to the vibration

and all of the hundreds of tiny variations that occur over time in the real world they can often

lack emotion. This is the primary impetus for using samplers. After all, music is art and art is a

vehicle for emotion. Without that emotion, whats the point?

 This leads into the interesting discussion about how musicians and others throughout

the music industry should and shouldnt use these technologies. It is the opinion of the author

that everything is fair, so long as intellectual property is respected and it serves the music. On

the analog versus digital debate, I would argue that neither is better than the other. Every piece

of gear and every piece of software serve a purpose and if you have that purpose in mind then

by all means use whatever it takes to accomplish your goal. Its also important to note that the

perfection that can be gained with recent technologies is often the enemy of a pleasing sound.

Although if achieving that perfection is your goal and necessary for you to manifest your art,

who could rightfully advise you to strive for anything but. In the end, every piece of gear or

software is an instrument and every instrument is a tool for the creation music.

In the interest of serving the music, it is often advisable to avoid over quantizing any

recorded or programmed audio. Again, editing to perfection can cause a song to lose the life,

energy, feel and vibe that made it great to begin with. Over use of compressors has been

another common trend in the past. Crushing the dynamics of a song is another great way to

potentially lose impact, suspense and tension. Use your tools mindfully. A last thought on this

would be to never underestimate the power of a skilled musician or artist. While programmed

parts can sound great and the precision they provide can be invaluable to a piece of music,

nothing captures the soul and emotion of a song like a real live human being on a guitar,

drumset, at a keyboard or laying down vocals. Many a time, the magic is in the mistake.

As technology advances we can only expect to see many more wonderful and exciting

things in audio. It would be great to see advancements made in digital to analog and analog to

digital converters, these are often considered the weakest parts of the signal chain. Processing

power is probably the most guaranteeable improvement that will be seen in the near future.

While more track counts may be questionable to optimizing work flow, who could complain

about being able to have a greater number of active plugins. Improvements in wireless

technology could be a game changer for performers and less than top level studios. Also, it can
be expected that latency will be greatly reduced in the near future as well. Beyond that, its

anyone's guess. Music is a creative space and the people involved in related technologies are

no less creative than the musicians, engineers and artist they equip. I cant wait to see the next

big thing and if youre not excited, you should be.