Music production has come a long way in the last 25 years. Not only did we make and mix music differently, music was also distributed in a very different fashion. Today you can record, mix, and share music before breakfast all in the comfort of your living room or home studio. Anyone can be a one man band, send his music to a distributor and have music in online stores almost instantly. Technology is quickly shifting music creation as well as how we share, consume, and profit from music.


The Evolution of Music Broadcasting

The modern era of music broadcasting was started in the early 1910. Radios became commercially available to families and it wasn’t long before they were the main entertainment source in their house. The first radio advertisement had been broadcast in the early 1920’s, and after the 1940’s, music became popular in the airwaves and radio station see the opportunities to sell advertising along the programs.

By the 1960, FM radio was the most popular media in existence, all while record players became household items and record sales built a new source of revenue for artists and producers. At this point in music production, tracks were mixed during live performances in specialized recording studios. This is also when major record labels began dominating the music industry. Record labels had an important role supporting artists, in the hopes that a few of them would become lucrative superstars. Together the artists and labels would produce and advertise records, get them onto radio, and plan live performances.

The relationship between label and artist developed out of necessity; mixing a commercially-viable recording was difficult, technical work which required monetary investment – not to mention the cost of physically producing records. It may not be a perfect system, but for decades it was the only one available to musicians.


Old ways VS New Ways

These days, expensive recording studios and endless hours getting the perfect recording are no longer a musician’s only option. Technology has gotten small enough in size and cost that much of the hardware is accessible to anyone with a basement, and the software can be carried with you almost anywhere in the world. You can find anything, from acoustic guitars to MIDI controllers, and have it to your door in a business week.

The reason we’re able to move from the recording studio to our basements is due to the transition from live mixing to multitrack recording. With multitrack recording, instead of mixing a recording as it’s playing, you can record multiple tracks at completely separate times, combining and mixing them later. That means you can record separate instruments to individual tracks, and later take the recordings to create a full song, retaining the ability to edit the minutest detail of a track long after it’s been played.

In addition to this advancement in recording technology, it has become easier to use. Music editing software, or Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) exist today which can be purchased for under $100, be learned within the week, and can be used to 100 times the extent of a traditional sound table.


Current Technology

Choice is king for current and future modern musician, top quality DAW’s, thousands of VST instruments, instant upload to soundcloud and many platform ready for promotion and distribution. The availability of these technologies finally takes music out of the hands of record labels and into the hands of the musicians, hut how good is it really to producers and musicians.

Current technology makes it easier for about anyone to produce their own music, but used correctly is can also help a musician promote themselves and earn money. There are even some benefits, like that a musician no longer has to compete with other artists for shelf space in a store, nor do they worry about distributors or producers. Physical record sales are becoming less viable as the years go on, but a musician can earn money by streaming music, earning royalties and signing licenses, or even by teaching music through online tutorial.


By eliminating the necessity of a third party (the record label) musicians are now able to deal directly with their audience. This brings with it benefits and conflicts, as creative control is returned to musicians they also find themselves responsible for the business side of the music industry. Self-promotion has never been more important, but it’s also never been easier or cheaper. Social media and online advertisement are powerful sources to those in the entertainment space.


Where is music production going next

Everything was moving fast, however it seem to have stabilize in the last few years, technology is solid and stable, DAW’s features are now of unprecedented quality. Virtual instruments now matured to be as good or better than hardware synthesizer. This meant huge creative power to today’s electronic musicians. More music is being listened, shared and consumed today than ever in human history. Will the future of music be founded streaming services, or digital file sales, or something completely different? Only time will tell.