Berger Video A Video Production / Digital Video Editing / Sound Design / Broadcast Video Studio

Every generation enjoys new technologies. New technologies that improve the quality of a good idea and make it better right?

I remember my dad gave me a hard time when I purchased my first separate component stereo system. He pointed out that you couldn’t stack records on the turntable. You see, this was an important feature for my parent’s generation. The last thing you want to do is change a record, especially if you’re hosting a party. A good host provided continuous background music for the duration.

My friends and I knew that stacking records would destroy your vinyl treasures. The clicking and popping was unacceptable. Degrading the frequency of your LPs was just not in the best interest of your musical investment. We handled records like nitroglycerin because nothing sounded better than a brand new record. The only way to keep it sounding that way was proper care and handling.

A very common event that occurred in my parent’s basement was listening/critique sessions that would take place whenever a groundbreaking album was released. Ever so delicately, the valuable disc would be removed from it’s colorful packaging and placed on my state of the art direct drive turntable. Everyone would take a seat. I’d pass the album’s cover around so we could read the liner notes. We would sit in complete silence cherishing on the short time we had to enjoy one side of an album. Very serious discussions would follow about how much our heroes ruled (or did not) in their latest endeavor.

I compare the portable and digital way of music listening these days to my uncle’s 8-track tape player in his car, convenient (yes) but horrible sounding! Our generation prided ourselves in our sound quality appreciation. The CD seemed like the natural progression in technology when it came out, but it seems as though audio appreciation in music is completely absent to the majority of music appreciators now.

I’m just as guilty as everyone else, I enjoy iTunes and listen to internet radio when I want some music. I can’t remember the last CD I purchased. Like my parents, when we entertain, I switch the home theater system to a music channel conveniently provided by my cable company for continuous background music for the duration.