The future direction of music demands that musicians today lose themselves in technology and learn from their mistakes. In the past, musicians tended to view technology as a nuisance—something someone else did so they could be left alone to create. But technology and music are merging rapidly—forcing musicians to view software as part of their composing and arranging palette.

Performance rock, in particular, is becoming granular—meaning artists must find new ways to make the most of small things. Young bands don’t have the gear major bands do, so they will have to focus on getting big sounds out of more meager resources. Performance artists also will have to become sound designers. How you bathe the listener sonically needs to be considered from the start. Technology and risk-taking will be key.

– John Cale, composer, singer, record producer. Founding member of the Velvet Underground.
Javier Espinoza, Nick Hostov and Marc Myers, “The Beat Goes On”, The Wall Street Journal, 5 July 2013.

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