Digital has Killed Music both Recorded media and HI-Fi

[71 dB]

You can decide whether the reason is chronology or geography,

I'd say both. Also, my dad listens to jazz, not soul so I was exposed to other kind of music.

[Elgarian Redux]

I've think I've heard this my entire adult life, so just wake me up when it's finally dead.

Wake up Neal! Wake up! I think it's happened ...

Oh no, sorry. It was only sleeping.

[Florestan]

Wake up Neal! Wake up! I think it's happened ...

Oh no, sorry. It was only sleeping.

Was it? To die—to sleep...

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

You got my point exactly - digital formats are a curse 

Look what happened to recorded music, particular in the non-classical sphere its gone to pot and I blame digital for that.

Any fool can record something and push it out to the masses with little or no involvement from anyone with some form of musical skill...........................

Pop music has always been about cultural identity rather than musical quality or virtuosity. A huge amount of skill is involved in the production of pop music, but not what we classical enthusiasts would consider musical skill. In the end, I don't think the dreck is any more drecky than it was in olden times, and there is probably a lot more interesting "indy" music.

In classical, the lower financial barrier to the production of music has had good and bad effects. A saturated market has made it harder for the top shelf performers to be profitable, but it has allowed the proliferation of small labels recording specialized repertoire. I'd say a net positive.

I'd say the most disconcerting trend is the separation of classical music from mainstream media, but I'm not sure digital distribution is a primary cause of that.

And now, I'm starting to regret responding to what is meant as an unhinged rant anyway.

[Florestan]

In classical, the lower financial barrier to the production of music has had good and bad effects. A saturated market has made it harder for the top shelf performers to be profitable, but it has allowed the proliferation of small labels recording specialized repertoire. I'd say a net positive.

And I agree.

I'd say the most disconcerting trend is the separation of classical music from mainstream media, but I'm not sure digital distribution is a primary cause of that.

I see where you're coming from but I'm not that sure. I'd say YouTube is pretty much mainstream these days. 

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

I see where you're coming from but I'm not that sure. I'd say YouTube is pretty much mainstream these days. 

I'm referring to the withering of "middlebrow" culture, where mass media (television, radio) would provide some exposure classical "warhorses." Well, we lost Liberace but we have Andre Rieu now...

[Florestan]

I'm referring to the withering of "middlebrow" culture, where mass media (television, radio) would provide some exposure classical "warhorses." Well, we lost Liberace but we have Andre Rieu now...

I see, thanks for clarification.

Well, I remember the anti-Andre-Rieu crusade Mirror Image led singlehandedly a few years ago. I disagreed then and I still disagree. Imho Andre Rieu's concerts are much more akin to the original Johann I and Johann II Strauss "concerts" (actually, dance and merriment events) than the Wiener Philharmoniker New Year concerts with their "stiff and still" audience --- which I call "the Brucknerization of the Strausses". 

[71 dB]

Pop music has always been about cultural identity rather than musical quality or virtuosity. A huge amount of skill is involved in the production of pop music, but not what we classical enthusiasts would consider musical skill. In the end, I don't think the dreck is any more drecky than it was in olden times, and there is probably a lot more interesting "indy" music.

In the production of a Katy Perry song every small detail is polished to perfection and if you allow yourself to appreciate such a thing such work can have something to offer. Pop music isn't as simple as it used to be in the 80's when A-ha ruled the World. Pop music of today can have 200 tracks and everything is compressed, equalized automated and prosessed to perfection. The silly visuals of music videos is what makes people think otherwise. Not all pop music is good of course, a lot of it is bad, but I find good stuff every now and then. Give an open-minded listen to Kesha's "Rainbow" album of 2017 and then tell me it's not good music!

There is tons of "indy" music, but you have to discover it yourself.

I'd say the most disconcerting trend is the separation of classical music from mainstream media, but I'm not sure digital distribution is a primary cause of that.

Classical music doesn't need mainstream media, because alternative media exists. This forum is an example of that. Mainstream media only waters down everything. The main reason is that mainstream is about money making. It doesn't have any other principles, cultural for example.

[EddieRUKiddingVarese]

and now its just digital noise 

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Pop music of today can have 200 tracks and everything is compressed, equalized automated and prosessed to perfection.

LOL, this is precisely why I avoid contemporary pop music. That, plus the fact that the songs are written by committee. It has the individuality and memorability of lunchmeat.

Occasionally I'll check in with "Doc" Buckley on YouTube for a Musical Autopsy:

https://www.youtube.com/user/ADoseofBuckley

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

LOL, this is precisely why I avoid contemporary pop music. That, plus the fact that the songs are written by committee. It has the individuality and memorability of lunchmeat.

I don't think the bit about written by committee is accurate. Usually there is a single producer whose vision of the song controls production of the track, more so than the headline artist.

The assembly of the track can come from very eclectic sources. I listened to a podcast, probably Planet Money, who profile some guy who, as a teenager, started packaging sets of sound samples, which have been incorporated into a stunning variety of hit songs (Justin Bieber, etc.).

[EddieRUKiddingVarese]

Here is my own example of when someone(me) is let loose with Digital recording techniques- says it all 

https://www.kompoz.com/music/listen/release/713288

[Madiel]

LOL, this is precisely why I avoid contemporary pop music.

Well, then, maybe you should just find the contemporary pop music that isn't written by committee.

Just because some of the biggest hits are written in this fashion does not mean that this is the only form that exists within the genre. Nor is it the case that all of the music available is producer-focused.

[Elgarian Redux]

But there has always been bad art, for all sorts of reasons. Usually what happens is that it doesn't survive its time, and is forgotten. In the case of music, I doubt whether the mere technological change from analogue to digital can be blamed for this. Heck, I can make lots of bad music myself with an acoustic guitar, and I don't need digital media to do it.

[71 dB]

LOL, this is precisely why I avoid contemporary pop music.

Fine, but I wouldn't brag about it if I were you because it makes you look narrow-minded and a person with attitude problems.

[Madiel]

But there has always been bad art, for all sorts of reasons. Usually what happens is that it doesn't survive its time, and is forgotten.

Yes, very much this.

[steve ridgway]

But there has always been bad art, for all sorts of reasons. In the case of music, I doubt whether the mere technological change from analogue to digital can be blamed for this.

The technology can have serious impacts. It has often been said on rock forums that the introduction of digital synthesisers around 1980 led to over reliance on the preset sounds rather than spending a lot of time creating sounds with the use of patch cords and so on. Later on the introduction of computer based sequencing and mixing encouraged rigid adherence to precise four beat bars and made it far too easy to repeat loops endlessly.

[steve ridgway]

Here is my own example of when someone(me) is let loose with Digital recording techniques- says it all 

https://www.kompoz.com/music/listen/release/713288

At least you were playing an actual guitar and had someone singing Eddie, not just dragging samples around on a grid .

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Fine, but I wouldn't brag about it if I were you because it makes you look narrow-minded and a person with attitude problems.

Sorry to look narrow-minded, but I'm curious why you seem to think all this compression, equalization, processing etc. is a good thing. There's also this to consider:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war

[71 dB]

Sorry to look narrow-minded, but I'm curious why you seem to think all this compression, equalization, processing etc. is a good thing. There's also this to consider:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war

All that processing can be a good thing... ...or it can be a bad thing. Compressing 70's rock because of loudness war is likely to be a bad idea because that music was created to have larger dynamic range while modern pop music is created to have smaller dynamic range and skillful use of the effects makes it possible to have DR6 music that doesn't sound overcompressed.