*Music Technology

In the beginning, before all the technology we know today. . .

1. You needed a lot of musicians to make a BIG sound.2. A concert hall was built to amplify sound for

the audience.3. If you wanted to hear music, you had to see

it live.

Thomas Edison is known for inventing many things. In the world of music, he is the inventor of the microphone and the phonograph.

Microphone – device that turns sound into an electric signal.

Phonography – machine that could record and reproduce sounds.

The gramophone was invented in the 1880s. Records were made of wax and the sound waves were carved into them. Records, and the gramophone, allowed musicians to make recordings, sell them, and duplicate them for millions of listeners.

Throughout the 1900s, listeners wanted clearer sound and more portability. The record was replaced by:

1. The Cassette Tape2. The CD (Compact Disc)3. The MP3

In addition to clearer sound, technology has allowed musicians to manipulate sound. Popular ‘effects’ include:

1. Echo2. Reverb3. Distortion

Today, computers are used to play music, record music, store music, and sell music.

Some music is completely programed with computers (no human musicians)

-MIDI

The internet connects musicians all over the world to:

1. Listeners2. Other Musicians3. Businesses

It can be a great tool, but it can also be used inappropriately.

There are many legal alternatives that are safe to use and support musicians.

Technology is always changing. Music today sounds very different from music 20 years ago. Much of this is because of the technology musicians use to perform and record.

Who knows what we’ll be listening to in another 20 years . . .