Synthetic music replaces instruments, vocalization

Jade Lewis, Sectional Editor

In the 1960s, bands used real instruments. Several of the instruments that were extremely popular were trumpets, saxophones, drums, guitars and bass. Back then, bands would have to enter a booth to record, and sometimes it could take hours. They would have to tune their instruments and then keep playing their records to get the right sound.

Now music has become very simple. Recording studios now offer a digital alternative when recording rather than bringing in a band with instruments.

In the 1960s through 1980s, the lyrics were written and performed by the band itself. Band members would simultaneously play instruments and sing and rarely utilized autotune or synthesizers, or many other factors that are used nowadays.

Using something like autotune was considered to be an insult back in the day, yet consumers now tend not to care. Artist Kanye West, whose album “Yeezus” sold 327,000 in its first week alone, is well known for using voice synthesizers and autotune in his music.

Often, music is marketed to mass consumers and songs are written by professional writers instead of the musicians performing them. While not all singers wrote their own music in decades past either, listeners sometimes complain that newer songs now have no real depth to them anymore either. Lots of mainstream artists buy music from other artists.

Many feel that it would be great for artists to try and expand their music into more than just the topics of love, sex or alcohol and try writing a song about a different issue or situation in life. Instead, music now is simply described as party music or something upbeat to dance to at a club.