Web 2.0 and its impact on music…

I love the upheaval happening in our society today.  By upheaval I mean the political and social storm that always seems to predicate, cause, then reflect change.  Web 2.0 concepts have started to make significant and necessary changes in the way we consume, disseminate, and evaluate information.  I read the following on a the blog “Center for Digital Democracy (www.democraticmedia.org):  “If news, cultural and civic-oriented content came directly from the public—and not just a few private interests—then more accountability and responsibility would follow. By embracing Web 2.0 concepts and tools – starting with socially conscious social networks (SCSN) – greater democracy will be able to flourish under a brighter media future.”  If that doesn’t tickle your wiggle bone, I don’t know you very well.  I get tingly when I think about taking ANYTHING away from special interests.  News papers are scrambling to keep up with the digital age, and not doing as good a job as a few crafty bloggers.

How does this impact music you ask?  Well…how DOESN’T it?

Music flows on much of the same wavelengths as most other media.  The digital age has ushered in a myriad of new styles techniques and modes of expression.  New ways of presenting music have come in to their own.  But now we [composers and musicians] can integrate such technologies as the internet, chat programs, video capture and manipulation, blogging, wikis, and much more into our music making.  This is all referred to as “New Media” (future posts on this exciting subject are forthcoming).  Web 2.0 prmises a future of a mass public that is constantly plugged in to the information highway, and up to speed on new developments in technology.

With this well plugged-in public, musicians can count of the fact that their music will be both manipulated by, driven by, and delivered through technology.  Composers can draw in the listener by allowing them to interact with the music through chat, video capture and manipulation, and other internet apps.  “What a wonderful world it could be.”

Thomas Jefferson based his entire notion of Democracy on the concept of a well informed and educated public.  Now it seems, we might finally achieve that lofty ideal.