The way that technology has changed the music we listen to as well as the way we listen to it is phenomenal. This becomes hugely apparent when listening to a song currently in the charts in comparison to a song made in the 1960s. One of the most iconic and important advances in music technology is the electric guitar. The effect that the electric guitar has had on the music industry is obvious when you listen to any rock song made in the last 40 years. The electric guitar is now the first thing most people associate with rock music although it wasn’t even invented when the genre came about. This is a huge example of the way that technology can completely transform genres of music and force genres to progress and evolve. Not only did the electric guitar change the sound of the music we listened to, it also had an impact on the image of the genres that were create in years to come. The electric guitar gave a new feeling of rebellion that was rarely heard before and paved the way for even darker genres such as Heavy metal and Punk Rock and bands such as Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. The electric guitar is a piece of technology that is now the very definition of Rock music. Even more revolutionary, the use of computer enhancing technology in music is something that is used in all genres of music today. The ability to transform average singers into note perfect ones opened a door to the music industry to many musicians and pop artists. Whether this changed the music industry for better or for worse, this is what I hope to prove. I think it is clear that nobody can deny it has definitely had a huge impact on the artists and musicians in the charts. Computers also allowed musicians and artists to record songs and edit them later using software. They also allowed producers to add effects such as artificial reverb, this kind of technology meant that it was possible for bedroom producers to give the effect that they recorded their tracks in a cathedral or studio. Technology such as this paved the way for the electronic producers and artists of today and without these advances, genres such as Dubstep and House may cease to exist. DAW software such as logic and reason also meant that musicians who were not so familiar with playing instruments and reading or writing music traditionally were able to make music without being classically trained. Now many famous musicians in the charts today were never classically trained on instrument but instead learnt how to use DAW software to present their music. These DAWs are also used by to produce most modern music including physical instruments. Multi track recording is something that has sped up the recording process for producers of all genres and allows for instruments to be altered and have effects added to them individually. This allows more precise mix downs and also gives a lot of room for experimentation and versatility between tracks. The phenomenal effects that these advancements in technology have had on the way musicians compose music as well as record and perform are surely extraordinary achievements. However some people have very different views and opinions on the results that these technological advancements have made. For some successful artists, these advances are what allowed them to pursue their career in music. With the Internet now available to almost everyone, DAWs have become a tool for creating music that is very easily available. Not only has this broadened the amount of musicians and young producers starting to create music, it also brings new ideas and progression to genres. However, with so many teenagers starting to produce with this technology and being able to get hold of it so easily, does this effect the authenticity of the music of today. Some people feel