Since time immemorial, rhythmic sound aka music has been a source of relaxation and entertainment for human beings. The ancient man started making music with objects of various kinds which gradually evolved into musical instruments. Addition of lyrics, while music was played on such instruments, happened at a much later stage. So, one can say that conversion of music into songs was a metamorphosis of monumental magnitude.
Problems related to sound recording
However, enjoying music required a person to be present at the place of performance because transporting music was not always possible. And obviously, man did not have the technology to record music in the early days. In fact, it was not until the 15th century AD that the foundation for the possibility of recording sound, songs and music were created. Transport of music or sound was still a far cry.
Introduction of the first music and sound recording instrument
It was in the 19th century that man invented a technology which couldrecord music and use it in the future. The invention of the Phoautograph was perhaps the most significant revolution till then, as far as sound technology was concerned. And well, like manyof the fascinating innovationsand inventions of Homo Sapiens- the phoautograph was created by accident. So it was the first great accidental revolution in the glorious history of sound technology.
Technological improvements in musical devices
There was no stopping innovation once the phoautograph gained popularity. The phonograph came into existence a mere twenty years later. It was an evolved and more efficient version of the phoautograph which used similar technology. Vinyl was the next step towards increasing effortlessness as far as the recording of music was concerned. Vinyl records were also known as gramophones. Upon analysis, one can safely say that the gramophone was the first device to play recorded music which was produced on an industrial scale. During this time the transportation of sound from one place to another with the use of radio technology had become quite prevalent.
Inexpensive substitutes of Gramophone
The cassette tapes arrived in the early and mid 20th century. It made music more accessible and affordable because the gramophone was expensive and available only to people with money. The recording of songs on compact discs and CDs started in the 1980s. The millennial generation would find it hard to fathom the difficulties that our forefathers faced in getting things which they can get at their fingertips by a few clicks.
