The music technology of the past has given way to new innovations that are more advanced, powerful, and seamless than ever before. With every passing year, technology gets better!

Music production has gone through many changes since its inception hundreds of years ago. What was technologically possible then is not the same thing it is now. Technological developments have allowed for increasingly complex and precise songwriting and recording processes, as well as innovative ways to share songs and music.

Here we will take a look at eight major milestones in music technology from the 1980s. These eight milestones include things like the use of digital audio workstations, computerized instruments, multitrack recordings, and so forth. So what are these eight? Let’s get into it!

8th Milestone: Computerized Instruments

Duration: 5 Years °Celsius

What happened: Computers became integral parts of making music by being used either directly or indirectly for instrument creation and performance.

Directly, computer programs can be written to create, control, and perform an instrument such as the guitar. Programs like GarageBand for iOS and Windows 10 make using this software easy enough for anyone to do so.

Indirectly, musicians use computers to access and manipulate sound data. For example, you can use a computer program to generate sounds and upload them onto your instrument via a connection such as USB.

Recording techniques

A lot of people may not realize it, but there are actually several different ways to make an actual recording. Some say that technology has only made things more complicated, but really there are just as many (if not more) ways to produce an audio product as there ever were!

In this article we will talk about some of the most important ones while also looking at how certain artists used them effectively during the ’80s.

Recording equipment

In the early days of music technology, recording artists needed very expensive studio gear to create their songs. Starting with a microphone, recordists would need to purchase good quality headphones so that they could listen to how their voice sounded when recorded, a mixer to control what parts of your song you wanted to include, and then a computer or console to play back what had been recorded.

These three pieces are always the first things people mention when talking about music production. A mixing console is an integral part of any professional musician’s toolbox. They cost around $5-10k depending on which model you want, but this investment really pays off!

A mixers main function is to take audio input from different sources (like microphones, instruments, vocals) and combine them all into one large stream of sound that can be played back through speakers. This way you don’t have to connect each source individually using cable cords, instead everything gets routed properly via the consoles internal circuitry.

The more inputs a mixer has, the greater variety of content it can process and output. Some newer models also feature digital signal processors (DSPs), small microprocessors that help manage complex functions like reverb and other special effects. These processors give your music more depth and texture than simply connecting multiple microphones and guitars directly.

Celebrity endorsements

A lot of people probably remember music technology from the big explosions like the mobile phone or personal computer, but that’s not what made the most lasting changes. The technologies that really altered the way we use music are ones that improve or change how professional musicians function as artists.

Some examples include using computers to create music instead of picking notes out by hand, recording yourself onto an MP3 player for self-publishing, and having online communities where you can connect with other musicians to inspire each other and get feedback.

These things helped make music production accessible to more people. Even if you aren’t very good at making music yourself, there are free resources available via sites like YouTube and Spotify.

By providing easy access to tools, music has inspired generations of creative individuals to pick up the instrument and explore.

Live performances

One of the most significant changes music technology made in the eighties was live performance! Before, musicians had to work hard to be heard. They would have to invest hours into recording their songs or paying professionals to help them with that process.

Now anyone can perform at any time thanks to technology! Recording yourself is now easy enough for almost everyone, which has allowed for an explosion in content creators. YouTube is a great example of this- there are over one billion videos on the site!

Many people make money online through performing on YouTube or other sites like it. It’s not only for singers to do this either; some create diy (do it yourself) concerts or teach others how to play a song too!

There you have it! By looking at past developments in music technology, we see how technology has helped us connect, learn more about our art, and improve ourselves as performers.

Recording costs

Before the era of digital recording, music producers needed very expensive studio time to create new songs or albums. This was due to the cost of each individual part of creating an album.

Music technology changed in the eighties when companies designed software that allowed anyone with a computer and internet access to produce their own music.

This is what made it possible for people to make their own songs and put them online for everyone to listen to. It also opened up opportunities for aspiring artists to get into the field by dropping out of college and pursuing a career in song writing and producing.

Many successful musicians now are self-produced because they do not need expensive studios or advanced equipment to start working.