How Did Technology Affect Western Music?

Over the last few centuries, music has evolved quite a bit. New technologies have influenced how we listen to music and what kind of music we listen to. For example, technological advances like radio allowed for wider exposure to music; listening to an album as a playlist rather than song by song is something that has grown in popularity.

The rise of digital technology made it easy to create, share, and access music at no cost or with very little cost. Technological tools make it easier to find and enjoy music, which was not always the case.

Technology also had a significant impact on the way people listened to music. For instance, many people now use headphones instead of earbuds because they are more comfortable. And some people prefer listening to music via device rather than through a speaker system.

This article will discuss several different types of songs that were affected by new technologies and other parts of society.

Online streaming

how did technology affect western music

Before the rise of online music platforms, listening to new songs was very difficult. You had to either go out and buy the album or you needed access to the internet to stream the song for playback.

With the advent of online music services like Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, and more, it has become possible to listen to virtually any type of music anywhere at anytime. Artists have benefited from this shift, as people are able to discover their music and enjoy it much faster than before.

Some believe that artists will eventually be replaced by automation and computer technology. Machines can now create art in its own right, making it impossible to tell whether an artist’s work is done manually or automatically.

Overall, however, technological advances have helped to strengthen the relationship between musicians and their fans, and it will continue to do so moving forward.

Commercial studios

how did technology affect western music

In the early twentieth century, large scale music production was mostly limited to major record companies that had enough money to invest in state of the art recording equipment and facilities. Companies like Victor Records and Columbia Records were able to out-hustle their competition by offering lower prices for recordings than their rivals!

But this wasn’t always the case. Before the 1920s, musicians usually self published their work by producing and distributing their own records. This allowed them to retain control over the content and quality of what they put out, but it also meant that there weren’t very many opportunities for them to be paid well for their efforts.

It took an entrepreneur with lots of resources to launch his or her own studio and business model and create change where before there was none. Roland Franklin is just such an individual — he transformed how we listen to music as we know it today.

He designed some of the most important pieces of recording technology used by generations of artists to come, including the microphone, turntable, and console. These tools empowered anyone with a passion for making music to do so without having to rely on outside sources for materialistic benefits.

Franklin originally intended to design and manufacture radio transmitters, which are the components that send signals through airwaves from one source to another. He instead shifted his focus onto audio engineering and recording, two areas he spent several years mastering both.

Home studios

how did technology affect western music

In the early 2000s, music was mostly listened to in headphones or via earbuds you wore around your neck. This is because most people did not have access to a home studio with recording equipment or enough money to invest in such a thing.

So how could anyone truly listen to music without having their own set up? That’s when people started using technology like laptops to create makeshift recording facilities.

With a good quality microphone and software for editing and remixing songs, this was totally doable! And now it has become common practice for musicians to use these technology tools as part of their craft.

Popular music genres

how did technology affect western music

One of the most significant changes that has happened in popular music is how many styles and what types of songs are needed to stay afloat as a musician. With technology, anyone with an internet connection can create their own genre or style of music!

Music genres such as rock, pop, jazz, hip-hop, and folk all started off being made by artists who had direct exposure to the latest trends in musical theory and practice.

In the early days, musicians learned from each other via word of mouth or through personal relationships. As technologies advanced, however, it became possible for people to go beyond just having those interactions to learn more about music.

Now, anybody with an online presence can start creating music and sharing it with the world. This has led to an explosion in creativity across all areas of music. Artists no longer have to be trained exclusively in formal methods like harmony, melody, and rhythm to produce music, nor do they need to know about bass lines, guitar licks, or drum patterns to write a song.

What they must now understand, though, is how sound waves influence each other, how pitch works, and how timing affects tone.

Classical music

how did technology affect western music

Another style that flourished during this time was classical music. Classical music is typically described as beautiful, calm, and soothing. It usually uses very deliberate timing and rhythm, and it can be categorized into many different styles.

Classical music made its debut in ancient Greece around 300 BCE. At that time, musicians would use instruments such as the lyre to create pieces of music. The most well-known piece created with this instrument is called “The Ode To Apollo."

In India, the raga type musical structure originated around 500 CE. Rags are groups of notes that form patterns which make up the song. These songs were used to tell stories or praise Gods!

During the Renaissance period (1400–1650), new technologies allowed for an increase in production of art. Instruments became more advanced, making orchestra sizes larger and allowing for greater precision when playing.

This increased accuracy gave rise to a newer genre of music: symphony. A symphonyis a collection of separate melodies played simultaneously, like a ripple effect. Symphonies had large orchestras and were extremely popular. Many people today still enjoy them!

Music from the late 19th century and early 20th century is often referred to as modern music. Artists and composers experimented with new sounds, genres, and techniques. Some examples of these include the blues scale, techno, and jazz.

These types of music remain major components of current music trends.

Hip hop

how did technology affect western music

Technically, hip hop is not an art form. It is a genre of music that was made in America during the 1980s through present day. But what sets it apart from other genres is its lyrics and artistic style.

Hip hop artists use rhymes to tell stories. These stories usually focus on the artist’s life or things going on in their community at the time of recording. The songs often combine rapping with singing and/or DJing which means having someone else do the writing too!

The styles used for rap are typically short, rhythmic, and have lots of metaphors and references to popular culture. For example, when the song “Bitches Gotta Have Money” by Missy Elliott uses the line ‘I put my foot up in your business like I own the floor,’ this is a metaphor for taking over something completely.

Another common lyrical pattern is using exaggeration to emphasize a point (this is called poetics). An example of this would be if the song mentioned that there were guns all around you then the lyric would probably be ‘there were guns everywhere.’ This could mean anything really-guns in the room, a gun next to each person, etc.

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