Technology in Music

Technology in music is often seen as a bad thing from people who don't understand it. You'll frequently find people of the opinion that auto-tune and computer generated sounds becoming popular is something that destroys music as an art form. This simply isn't true.

Electronic music is at the highest point it's ever been in history, and while there is a fair share of uncreative dance music, in order to believe it is all like that you have to be willingly ignorant of the beautiful music created of this genre. I'll use Porter Robinson as an example. He started his career producing dance music to be played at popular festivals. Typical stuff to get people going. Over the past few years he has transitioned into using his talent in a more creative way, making music with meaning and experimental genre mixing. A great example of his transition is in his song Fellow Feeling, which describes his opinion on how popular electronic music sounds ugly to him. "Hear what I hear" preceding the industrial and "ugly" chorus, saying the ugliness will all die out, are all talking about mainstream electronic music. If it sounds ugly, that's because it's supposed to contrast with the beauty at the beginning.

Electronic music isn't only EDM. Dance music has its place. People want to get pumped up, but to think that all music made with a computer is made without creativity is ridiculous. If anything, electronic music requires more creativity than standard music production. Designing the individual sounds, combined with the infinite possibilities allowed with a computer makes it one of the most creative outlets music has ever had. 

Many other genres have also been heavily influenced by electronic music, namely pop, R&B, and alternative. Similar to electronic music, there is music of this genre meant to get people pumped up, but there is also music made with beauty and meaning. Below are just a few examples of what can be done from each genre.

Technology has opened up new doors for music and to undermine that by calling all electronically-influenced music talentless is an insult to artists everywhere. Amazing music is constantly getting released, and it's more accessible than ever thanks to services like YouTube, SoundCloud, Spotify, and more. Technology has not only made music better, but more accessible for everyone.