Good Afternoon Linearity

A few years ago I resusitated my turntable. I have a large collection of LPs, and wanted to play something for my youngest (then about 16). Wired up, then fired up; needle still intact, and dropped the vinyl and subsequently the needle. We were going to listen to an album! The sound was terrific; I realised I sort of missed those old crackles and pops. My youngest was fascinated. And then he stopped me, and asked,

"How do you pick which song you want to hear?"

I showed him the track dividers on the record, and picked up the needle and dropped it onto the beginning of tune in the middle of the album, but what I realized he was really indicating was his overall experience in music listening was digital. Not physical, as in the media we could hold in our hands, but a rapid index selection process in which songs he listenes to are not necessarily contiguous, or related to one another. A very extensive relationship with Napster had yielded him, (and all of us) literally thousands of songs that exist as only as computer files. Files to be manipulated, re-ordered to preference, shared, and deleted - all at the drop of a hat. Or the spin of a thumb.

The advent of digital music has altered the landscape. It has provided enormous choice to the audience. It has given power to the listener. Is there a new CD out? Love it, :::except:::: for song number four? Then just download the ones you like (and pay for only those). Rather than the artist's product being delivered to the audience as a whole entity, we can now pick and choose what we wish to have.


I may be holding onto the past, but I do miss the physical media.
There was album art to hold in your hand.
No more stacks of cassettes, with the tape loose on one side, just begging for a pencil to tighten up the slack?