A Hybrid Culture: Tech of the Future Informed by the Past
An exciting shift in DJ technology is on the horizon. Hardware and formats once deemed obsolete have found resurgent popularity, most notably that of the 'vinyl revival' which has seen record sales sore to new heights for the first time in over a decade. At first criticised as a fad, this trend now appears to be far more concrete than initial predictions gave it credit for. This phenomenon has since gone on to inspire a shift in tech innovation that goes all the way to the core of the music industry.
"Analogue is out. Digital is in" many were quick to conclude. Few anticipated that our hyper-connected, densely hybridised modern society would do just that - hybridise. The "out with the old, in with the new" mantra has always seemed a little short-sighted; a lot can be learned from looking back, the most innovative of ideas succeed on the merit of re-imagination. Take a timeless product, identify the flaws, implement the change - don't throw it away.
One such name championing this very idea is Rane. For years the turntablist was resigned to the fact that some pitfalls were just unavoidable, part of the craft. Needle's worn down? Buy a new one. Damaged tone-arm? Fix it. Bass skipping the record? Cut the frequency down. Well, seems someone got tired of 'dealing with it' and thought: eliminate the tone-arm, eliminate the problem.
Of course the digital influence is undeniable, recent advancements in tech are the reason why this is possible in the first place, yet the analogue feel is not lost - just re-imagined. But whatever side of the coin you fall on, the game seems to be changing. The more talk and connect, the more we learn; the organism of society has just as much impact - and say - on such technologies as the science itself.
So if you have an idea. A solution. A tweak. Make your voice heard... and you never know, you might just contribute to the next big leap in our constantly hybridising tech progression.