The digitalization of musical instruments and musical practice

Abstract

Facing the possibilities of digital music production and the Internet, the “digital revolution” promised to bring about new aesthetic possibilities as well as a democratization of music culture. How did the promises play out in the experience of musicians? This article traces the main developments in the musical instruments industry in the course of digitalization and discusses its effects on artistic strategies and musical practice. It argues for a differentiated view of the effects of digitalization for musicians. On the one hand, the computer expanded the artistic possibilities of musicians while it facilitated the precarization of working conditions on the other.