Analysis
Technology has been evolving human lives slowly from every sphere. Today, people use technology for almost everything such as at home, at work and so on. This study deals with the perspectives in which technology is having an effect on the music and the various arts. In the twenty first century, people use technology to access everything such as they can download music from the internet, have an online tour at some artist’s studio or even read an e-book of the latest Pulitzer winning novel. Technology has opened up several doors not only for business but for arts as well. The modern artists to create fascinating masterpieces use technology. The musicians are creating new sounds and rhythm using technology. The artists are creating new shapes and drawings using computers. Many modern artists nowadays prefer to use computers to create their art pieces rather than the old school manual methods.
Technology and art are slowly becoming an entity as nowadays in every field of art there is a considerable contribution of technology. The painters are making their paintings using software, which provide them with an option to use life like colors to make the sketches without the hustle of the traditional methods of paintings (Aliyev, 2015). Technology has not only reformed the traditional methods of art but also created avenues for some latest genres of art. Digital art is a product of the combination of technology and art. Digital art started developing when the computer software could be used, to make several new patterns and shapes (Denton & Chaplin, 2015). These new patterns and shapes started taking into a shape of beautiful art pieces. The modern artists cannot get enough of technology as they are continuously experimenting with it.
Figure: Survey on the negative impact of technology on art
Figure: The positive impact of technology on art
Technology is changing not only the methods of creating art but also the ways to deliver them to the audience. Internet is the most powerful weapon that technology has presented us. Therefore, using the internet the artists can share their talent with people all around the world (Flanagan, 2011). Many artists have their own websites, where they can upload their artwork for the world to see. The website is also used for creating a strong fan base of the artist (Bridle,2011). The internet has been a boon to the world as through internet it has become very easy to find new artists as well and create proper exposure platforms for them. The internet helps the new artists to display their talents to the world and gives them an option of marketing them properly. Traditionally, it would be very difficult to access art for the audiences. Thus, the modern artists have changed their methods and now they have started using the help of live videos to showcase their art exhibitions, they even post small clips of video in the making of the paintings. An artist called Schwartz, has been using technology to create masterpieces for years (Paul,2008/2015). This artist has a special affinity towards the topic of technological influence in art. In a survey, the art organizations have presented a data, which shows that art has become an experience for the people has it has been able to bring together audiences having different tastes.
Transportation and exposure of art
According to the various renowned artists and the art houses, technology brings in many challenges for art. Internet has created a huge audience background for the artists, which has increased the expectations of their audiences. This creates a huge pressure on the artists. Nowadays, the audiences need a lot of access to the artist’s life, the making of the music and so on. The fans of the artists have expectancy that they will be able to access their creations at low budget. The public is always grasping for some free contents. Another important negative impact of the technologically influenced world is that they require an in-person experience besides good art (Sterling, 2012). The public is always waiting for the artists to appear at some interview or have a live show. All these factors create a huge pressure on the art companies and the artists, which is pushing them everyday to set new limits in their industry.
Technology has opened many opportunities for the music industry also. Due to the implication of technology, music has some newfound instruments such as the electric guitars, mastering equipments, high quality microphones that allow the music producer to record clear sounds, which boosts the overall experience of the audience.
Previously, music was played on gramophones, after that people to could play the music in radios and portable speakers. During the 1950, the music records were shipped all around the globe (Bridle, n.d.). With the new invention of the civil aircrafts, the distribution process gathered some pace and started delivering faster. In the modern days, it is very easy for the audiences to access the music as they can download it from the internet within minutes. People can record and store their music in their phones and listen to them anywhere and at anytime. In this way, technology has enhanced the music listening experience and has been keeping music fresh and refined. With the evolution of the internet the music format has also changed. During the 90s, internet usage was quite costly and hectic (Frohne, 2013). There would be a dial-up connection, which would connect the computer to the internet. After connecting the computer to the internet, the music file had to be searched and downloaded from the internet. The music files would be in the WAV format, of 50 mb (Sterling, 2012). The speed of the internet was very poor back then compared to today it used to take almost 5 hours to download a song. The music recording methods have also gone under huge transformations such as it has changed from big gramophone records to CDs to MP3 today (Paul, 2008/2015). The music companies can sell their labels much easily now due to the soft copy of music is available to them. On the other hand, they also face many piracy problems due to the internet, where people can download the same music free. Music has become universal than it ever was because now people can access any genre of music from any part of the world. The music companies use websites of their company where they can advertise for the music they make and promote their artists. In this way, they can promote their company and their artists as well. The music artists have found new ways to promote their music and reach to their fans such as live concerts and world tours.
Technology has set new standards for the music industry. During the 1920s, music-recording equipments were quite expensive and it was very rare. By the 1950s, this scarcity took an epic turn and started becoming popular amongst the recording studios and artists and thus, the equipment started getting a lot cheaper (Krapp,2017). Innovation has been shaping the re-master and the recording equipments, to produce even better and clear sounds. The recording studios are also using software to enhance and modify the music or the voices (Kumar, 2012). Today, there is a specific separate genre of music, which is made purely out of machines and software known as electronic music. The electronic music genre is very popular among the generation Y. The music composers and the engineers are aggressively working constantly to bring new things to the music industry to entertain heir audiences. They are inventing machines, looking for a new sound or the perfect song to set those feet tapping.
Figure: traditional business of the record labels
Source: “The impact of technology on the music industry” by Jazmine A.Valencia (2008)
Conclusion
Technology has brought significant contributions to the music and the arts industry. Technology always aims to provide the future experience to its users and so the evolution of these creative fields has really helped humankind to diversify and grow their taste. In the research, mostly the advantages and the disadvantages of technology in the cultural fields have been discussed. It should always be kept in mind that technology has both the good and the bad side so its impact can be anticipated easily. Different people use technology in different ways. Some of them use it to gain exposure and display their talents and some use it commit crimes like piracy. Technology should always be treated as an option rather than as the only option.
References
- James Bridle’s New Aesthetic Blog.
- James Bridle’s ‘Waving at the Machines’ lecture at Web Directions South (2011).
- Sterling, Bruce. (2012) An Essay on the New Aesthetic. Wired (2 April 2012).
- In Response To Bruce Sterling’s “Essay On The New Aesthetic” – the Creator’s Project (2012).
- Paul, C. (2008/2015) Digital art. London: Thames & Hudson (Introduction).
- Paul, C. (2008/2015) Digital art. London, Thames & Hudson (Chapter 2 – ‘Digital Technologies as a Medium’).
- Flanagan, M. (2011) Play, Participation, and Art: Blurring the Edges
- Aliyev, E. (2015). The impact of the Motion Capture technology on artistic process in film art. European Journal Of Arts, 10-12. doi: 10.20534/eja-15-2-10-12
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- Frohne, U. (2013). Art In-Formation. American Art, 27(2), 38-43. doi: 10.1086/673108
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- Kumar, V. (2012). Fine Art Pedagogy in India And Impact of New Media Art. Paripex – Indian Journal Of Research, 3(1), 80-82. doi: 10.15373/22501991/jan2014/23