ska invita
back on the other side
I've been meaning to come back to the thread, just not had the energy and headspace.
I dont think I've made myself clear -will have another go.
Of course there will be new music, there always will be, with new variations and "possibilities" (though from a theoretical point of view the degree of novelty is marginal - variations on what has gone before rather than genuine novelty)
My key point is this: if you are 80 years old now you will have lived through the creation of Rock and all its subgenres, Funk & Soul and all its subgenres, Rap and all its subgenres, EDM and all its subgenres, etc. etc. etc. The shock of the new was exhilarating. The next 80 years wont have that degree of innovation < I dont think think thats an opinion, that can be understood through looking at material history and the drivers of that history.
The last century has thrown up the most incredible technological innovations:
take for example the humble high quality microphone - this allowed for crooning which was impossible before!
To sing forevermore: How the microphone, radio and the Crooners changed the music industry
Music suddenly became accessible for households across the nation.
www.michigandaily.com
The distortion pedal created punk. The microchip! I cant be bothered to list everything that has happened but you get the idea.
Here's someones list in fact.
The 21 most important products and innovations in music technology history
From the mic to the MP3, we countdown the biggest tech breakthroughs of all time
The degree of technological innovation of the last 100 years is unique in human history, and it cannot be replicated forever...in fact it is fast running out of steam by comparison to what has gone just before. The most recent innovation has just been computing power, which makes all that preceded affordable and can fit on a computer making hardware unnecessary. This democratises music but doesn't add to the sonic possibilities (actually there have been a few new virtual instruments that have added a few new bass patches and the like, but its a micro-change on earlier synths and nothing compared to the innovation of the electric guitar say).
But technology isn't the only driver in music. I can think of 3 main drivers, 1. Technology, 2. Music theory 3. socio-cultural forces.
From what I can tell 1+2 are basically done.
1. Still some tinkering to be done with tech, but not on a scale anywhere near comparable to the last century.
2. Theory has been mined, leading to noise and discordance as new boundaries, both old hat now. I see mumble rap and rapping out of time as another (slightly desperate) way of trying to innovate/variate in territory that's already so well worn and explored.
3. is never done, so that still leaves a lot of room for development of "message" and culture around listening to music (communally or privately). Culture is the most interesting bit to me, and that's where tradition comes in too. The culture of the dancefloor for example <that's down to people hearing the music and our attitudes more than the musicians/producers.
My point boils down to lowering expectations of future shocks of the new and endless novelty. It just can't be anywhere on the scale of what has just happened the last hundred years. I count myself lucky to have lived through some of it
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