Unit 14b: Utilitarian Music, Holograms, Virtual Concerts, and A.I.

Unit 14b: Utilitarian Music, Holograms, Virtual Concerts, and A.I.

Author: Sarah Wallin Huff February 13, 2025 Duration: 39:34
In our final segment of this course, we talk about the evolution of music being used in utilitarian ways (versus artistic ways), holograms performing on stage, Vocaloids and voice synthesis, virtual concerts held in cyberspace, and the artifical intelligence boom in the field of music creation. To view the videos this audio is taken from, as well as related links and slides, visit: https://is.gd/YaVxR2 If you’re interested in purchasing the online textbook for this course, find instructions on how to do that at https://sarahwallinhuff.com/history-of-technology-in-music

Join composer and scholar Sarah Wallin Huff for a deep, chronological journey through the sounds of our past. In History of Music and Technology with Professor Wallin-Huff, each episode unpacks a pivotal moment where human ingenuity met the desire to create rhythm and melody. This isn't just a list of inventions; it's a story about how tools-from the earliest bone flutes to analog synthesizers and digital audio workstations-have fundamentally shaped what music is and how we experience it. You'll hear about the cultural shifts driven by new instruments and recording methods, understanding music as a living technology itself. Sarah brings clarity and passion to these lectures, making a vast timeline feel immediate and connected to the music we hear today. Tune in to this podcast for a rich narrative that sits at the unique intersection of art and innovation, exploring a 40,000-year conversation between creators and their tools. The perspective offered here reframes both history and your playlist, revealing the technical artistry behind every note.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 37

History of Music and Technology with Professor Wallin-Huff
Podcast Episodes
Unit 10a: History of Recording Overview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:38
This episode starts with a “bird’s eye view” of the developmental timeline for important aspects of sound reproduciton technology and then explores the beginnings of how recording technology quickly and dramatically tran…
Unit 9c: Music on TV and Music Videos [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:53
While underground music genres were flourishing on radio, the advertising dollars on TV had more say of what kind of music would be programmed for the general audience. Plus, where did the music video first come from, an…
Unit 9b: Radio Programming and Culture [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:00
A look at the factors that determined what kind of programming would be broadcast on radio, from its inception in the 1920s, through the era of the Great Depression, and through the 1950s and later, with a look at the de…
Unit 9a: Introduction to Radio [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:58
An introduction to the early history of radio broadcasting and sound capture. To view the videos this audio is taken from, as well as related links and slides, visit: https://is.gd/Atnjbl If you’re interested in purchasi…
Unit 8c: Electronic Instruments [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:20
A history of electronic instruments, with emphasis on the synthesizer. To view the videos this audio is taken from, as well as related links and slides, visit: https://is.gd/pYkCbG If you’re interested in purchasing the…
Unit 8b: Electroacoustic Instruments [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:10
The history of a few important electroacoustic instruments, with a deep dive into the societal importance of the electric guitar. To view the videos this audio is taken from, as well as related links and slides, visit: h…
Unit 8a: Electromechanical Instruments [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:46
The history of a few important electromechanical instruments. To view the videos this audio is taken from, as well as related links and slides, visit: https://is.gd/pYkCbG If you’re interested in purchasing the online te…
Unit 7: Self-Playing Instruments [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:18
While humankind has been fascinated with self-playing instruments since antiquity, the machines of the 19th and early 20th centuries, and the music written for them, caused society to begin questioning… what is music aft…
Unit 6b: The Impact of Opera and the Development of the Orchestra [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:52
How the explosion of opera's popularity changed society's views of music, causing singers, instruments, and the orchestra to evolve in response. To view the videos this audio is taken from, as well as related links and s…
Unit 6a: The Ancient Origins of Music and Drama [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:56
Introducing the ancient origins of combining music with drama, set designs, story, and machinery. To view the videos this audio is taken from, as well as related links and slides, visit: https://is.gd/uYuw15 If you’re in…