What will recorded music look and sound like in a decade?

[BeBop]

The trend seems to be toward lower sound quality and diminished interest in quality reproduction, less interest in physical manifestations (CDs versus downloads), somewhat less interest in analog (…though not dramatically less than five years ago, it seems to me).

I’m pleased to be able to purchase LPs and digital recording that have at least as much resolution as the Red Book standard provides. I’m fearful, however, that the CDs I own may be the end of the line in terms of quality sound in the digital era. SACD and DVD-Audio don’t seem to be taking hold in the market – aside from a niche. So, do I go nuts and buy the Complete Coltrane Prestige sessions today, expecting never to be able to get a better product in the future? (I’m assuming that they won’t find any more Trane on Prestige, in my example.) Will one of the higher resolution formats catch on? And, if so, will it hold any improvement for existing analog or digital recordings, or will it only be useful for newly recorded music that takes full advantage of its ‘capacity’?

What’s your crystal ball say? Mine’s murky, but, then again, it’s low-res digital.

Here’s hoping those CDs don’t rot.

[JSngry]

[Ed S]

I've got over 2000 cds. Probably closer to 3000. I've often thought about the same thing.

Will my CD collection someday have the value of an equivalent number of wheatback pennies? Or worse, will they appear in a few years to be the equivalent of what a collection of some 3000 8 track tapes looks to us now?

I hope they don't rot......

[BruceH]

Music will be beamed directly into one's brain via an implanted chip.

Edited August 8, 2006 by BruceH

[Hot Ptah]

All music will be converted to a single format--the cassette tape, which will make a stunning comeback.

[BruceH]

All music will be converted to a single format--the cassette tape, which will make a stunning comeback.

If only!!

[Jim Alfredson]

Music will be beamed directly into one's brain via an implanted chip.

Chips are so '00. Music will be delivered via ingestion of stem cells taken from aborted fetuses (and abortion will be not only legal, but required if you have more than 1 kid, due to the cost of oil making single family homes a must, since everyone will only be allowed to have a scooter with a sidecar on it for family transportation).

[Guest sailor]

Dis' is where it all be at Hilbert spaces and all that good stuff.

Ok not a decade but then again 2012 is coming up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_computer

Edited August 16, 2006 by sailor

[David Ayers]

I think vinyl will retain its collectability and CDs will become worthless. I'd say CDs are already more or less worthless since once you have one you can make an endlessly transferable copy, and the booklet (in a crappy box or digipac) will never have the fetish value of an LP sleeve, especially not an original or 'period' LP sleeve. Higher quality streamed music or music files may start to come in more widely though, but I don't expect to see too much of this in the near or nearish future. CDs and their packaging really are a pile of crap though, with only slight exceptions for Mosaic booklets and the occasional Sony or Verve box set, so I'll be glad to see them gone.

[andybleaden]

dunno

I will still have lots of blue notes etc (as long as they do not all rot) and if I am honest when I am there I hope I have learnt to appreciate more of what I have and crave less for what I do not

Music wise of course!

and yes I am being smarmy but sometimes I miss having the old cds back out and have a delve into nostalgia.

Yes sure I have a zillion and one ways to access mp3 etc but sat with a mosaic box or a pile of Sonny Clark cds is my idea of heaven.

Spent years building my collection....got 98-99% of what I wanted originally and found new stuff many times over...have I listened to all of it (sssshhh- no I ain't...got years left though)

In the future we will probably demand more, instant supplies and there I fear they will have us over the barrell as we crave a copy of a rare Kenny Burrell session and the big boys say - help yourself - download or what ever for $5 and its yours for a year and then its gone.......that is what I fear.

As for crappy quality Cds David- I dunno........I had a whole stash of records- some lovely, some even lovelier, some - well they were cheap . Maybe save my old Japanese Blue Notes I do not miss em any more if I am honest. I have the same on cds now save the odd one I never wanted and do not miss it. I do prefer to have a retail cd though as a cdr misses artwork and notes although comes a close second if it ain't on cd yet

Quality products in my collection, probably like yours I cherish as I did within my record collection. I treated my Box set of the Other Side of Blue Note from Japan with reverence, same with my Tina Brooks mosaic set but as for the old tatty 70's Blue notes...well I had em but they were not as nice. Its the same with cds in my opinion... I picked up the rare tracks 4 cd japanese blue note thing (along the same line as the box set above but for the 4000 series.......) not as nice? Uhmmm yes and no in different ways

Where was I ?

Ok ranting maybe

The Future mate will mean mega corps getting more of you dough for less foot tappin music thats for sure and it sure has gotta sving man

[jbs-tom]

i think for real music lovers things will not change so much !

of course mp3 (or what format ever) is getting bigger and you will get it soon everywhere - over the mobile, over tv and so on.

but this is for the people who are already satisfied with listening to music over the radio or who buy here and there a compilation with best of tracks - i think this is the target group for the digital fast food sound- plus of course youngsters !

i was always collecting records and it is the biggest thrill to but an old record on the player - this will never change for me i think.

i was also starting collecting mp3 on itunes but i must admit I am a little through with that - i love to put again also cds in the player more than ever !

so, the let the future come...

[md655321]

As download speeds continue to increase, we will see the beginnings of lossless (aka CD quality) downloads. Eventually, of course, there will be absolutely no physical media, but thats probably 15 to 20 years away. In ten years CDs will still be popular especially among the old folks (anyone 25 or older right now)

However, as a guitar teacher I see ALOT of kids who are into music, yet very very few own cds. Or atleast, own alot of cds.

Personally, im looking forward to the bottom completely dropping out of the used cd market. Cheap cds for me! Hopefully not too cheap where places continue to go out of business though.

[BeBop]

Background: I'm a geezer. Old.

I do like having some physical form for my music. But still, the music is the most important part. Hence, I've been able to live with CDs - a less than ideal presentation of the music - because so much of what I want to hear isn't available on LP. (Of course, there's a considerable amount of music in the reverse situation).

To the extent that the world moves toward more and more compression/lower sample rates/poorer sound quality, I'm going to think of CDs as the best source for sound in the digital realm. Unless, by some miracle, SACD or DVD-Audio prove viable.

It would be great to see lossless downloads, but until then, the CD's my (relatively lossless) format of choice.

[AllenLowe]

musical suppositories -

you heard it here first -

[Clunky]

musical suppositories -

you heard it here first -

well I guess Mosaics will come as enemas in that case.