Browsing through the pages of
OC Weekly online, I found an
article that touched on the much-disputed Analog vs. Digital music debate. As technology advances, the role of vinyl seems to be diminishing. Because of this, many DJs, as well as vinyl enthusiasts have tried to keep the record alive, and rightfully so. After all, it has had a major impact on the past, as well as the present state of music.
The record has played a major role in shaping the samply-heavy culture of Hip-Hop. For years, collecting everything from must-have classics to vaguely identifiable music on this analog medium has been a hobby (and obsession) of many (just look at the movie,
High Fidelity). To a lot of people, it has even become an iconic image not only of Hip-Hop culture, but of music in general. However, with the development of more high-tech DJ tools such as the
Serato Scratch Live, many people wonder what will become of vinyl in the digital age.
From a more technical viewpoint, many argue that sound quality is degraded on mp3 and other digital audio formats, and that music just sounds better on vinyl. The argument is highlighted in this
Wikipedia article. However, as stated in the article, high quality sound is attainable in
either medium. Sound quality aside, the Serato is convenient and accessible for many. No more lugging around records; your computer is your handy source for music. But there is also one major problem it poses; many people argue that it has caused DJs to be more dependent on their laptops, rather then the pursuit of choice vinyl.
For those of you who don’t know, the
Serato is a software program created for DJs. It first became accessible in 2004, and has become even more popular in recent years. The Serato Scratch Live
website describes the product as “the ultimate software and hardware solution for bridging the analog world of vinyl and the digital world of computer audio files.” The software works on both Windows and Mac, and with the Serato, a DJ can easily connect his or her computer to turntables. By doing this, they are able to employ the use of their own digital music libraries into live sets, and consequently, they are able to manipulate these digital music files using Scratch Live software.
Indeed, it's quite the convenient tool, but critics of the Serato claim that it is hurting the business of many record stores.
For example, Cerritos and Ontario-based record store,
Stacks Vinyl, a multi-branch record store launched by DJ Icy Ice of the
Beat Junkies, closed its doors last August. Sure, they had a huge in-store sale when they closed, but you have to be just a
little sad when a place named “LA Weekly’s Best Hip-Hop Record Store in 2004” is gone. Stacks is still alive on the web, but many of the store’s vinyl-collecting followers were quite disappointed that they no longer could visit the original storefront, where records and live performances were both in copious amounts.
While this new technology may have had adverse affects on some businesses, a lot of DJs undoubtedly benefit from the versatility of the Serato. By using Serato, DJs also don’t have to spend many, often frustrating, hours looking for their records of choice. However, for many other DJs, it is exactly the thrill of the hunt that draws them to the art. Whether buying records to add to your collection, or purely for nostalgic purposes, many DJs find indescribable solace in searching for, and acquiring that perfect 12."
And although there is much to be said about how the vinyl industry is no longer as robust as it formerly was, there is no doubt that many DJs have mediated the dispute by using both analog and digital mediums. Perhaps the Serato is even a way to bridge the gap between generations of DJs…You decide.
