Evolution of Leisurely Music in the Home and the Record Player - Research Paper Example

 Evolution of Leisurely Music in the Home and the Record Player Introduction The innovations that are offered in different parts of history are able to push forward technology and concepts that move into the modern era. An invention that has changed the history of music and the way that music is listened to is the GA 45 Pop automatic record player by Mario Bellini. The record player that is offered by Bellini is one that revolutionized the way that music was listened to as well as the availability of music in society. The result of inventing and selling this particular artifact led to new demands for both music and listening devices while offering more options for design. The record player became important through history because of the social, cultural, political and economic factors that both pushed the design and which led to changes in each area because of the innovation. Defining the GA 45 Record Player The GA 45 pop automatic record player was designed by Bellini in 1968 in Italy. The manufacturer of this product is Minerva, a company based in Milan, Italy. The record player was designed in 1968 and was known as a revolutionary and vintage style record player during this time frame (The Collection, www.moma.org). The radio was invented as a component of Bellini’s reputation in Italy, where he became a renowned architect of furniture and industrial products. In 1963 he was hired by Olivetti, a company who used his consulting expertise to design various types of machine. The two areas of focus that Bellini used were based on the post – war era concepts and the freedom of expression with the architectural pieces that were invented. The GA 45 Pop record player was followed by the TCV 500 and TC 800, both cassette decks which were used by Yamaha. The style attributed to each of these was based on machine designs, Italian influences and the colors and needs that were popular after the war (V and M, http://vandm.com/Bellini-Mario/40_294_object=11539.aspx?return=1). The initial designs that were offered by Bellini were used in households and among those interested in contemporary looks within the home. The innovation was known as a soft product, specifically because it was used with material alternatives and with looks that were known to be ahead of their time. The definition of the soft product was combined with the materials that could be displayed in any area and which accented the homes and interior designs of the time. The design was furthered with contemporary design, specifically because there was an impact among youth who were interested in futuristic looks and attributes which were based on having music in the home as a cultural component. When in use, it would be placed in an area of the home for entertainment (Norstebo, 2004). The main component was that the record player could be used automatically, which attracted a second target market of the elite class to the newest technology as well as the looks that were associated with the record player. The materials combined with this because of the brighter colors and new Italian designs that expressed modern looks. Those who were in a household and wanted to express ideas of Italian design as well as futuristic looks were immediately attracted to the design by Bellini. The form that was created through the design allowed people to change perspective in what a record player looked like as well as how it could be used as a bright accessory to the home while offering music at the same time. More important, the colors and shape of the record player allowed individuals to remember the look because of the brighter colors, which created a fad from the appearance that others were attracted to during this time (Norstebo, 2004). The GA 45 pop automatic record player then became an essential design, specifically because it linked to the popularity of having music appliances in the home by both older individuals and youth. More important, it created a more defined look that also had practical alternatives of playing music that could be enjoyed for leisurely activities. Importance of the Record Player The record player became a collectible because of the forward thinking design and the futuristic look that was associated with the player. The combination of post – war design with Italian design was present in the player. More important, the name of Bellini by this time was known as one of the top designers throughout Italy and on a global basis. This began with his exhibition in 1972 called “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape” held at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. His prestige continued to grow as he had forward thinking and futuristic designs that were based on his main concepts in the 1960s and 1970s. This led to his belief in the man – made environment creating an existence between humans and industrial designs, all which led him into several positions as a speaker, designer and consultant for various household objects. The prestige of Bellini and the futuristic look during this time both contributed to the popularity of the item as well as the understanding of why it is a collectible (Fiell, 72). The first concepts which affected the economy and moved into the changes which the record player initiated were the social implications. Bellini created the record player so it looked futuristic and stood out as a design against other furniture in the home through the shape and bright colors. The automated system combined with this for the record player. The social implications combined with this created trends in entertainment that were popular after the war. Social leisure at home began to be more accepted with many looking for new technologies and innovations after the war. The social changes were based on patterns that were associated with spending leisure time at home by listening to records and music while the record player indicated new technology that began to distinguish social classes who were more informed in society. The consequences of the social impact was based on the ability to have futuristic designs and concepts in the home while having more connections to music that were in society, leading to a growing demand and expectation to leisure activities in the home by listening to music (Gershuny, 2002). As the leisure at home became a social commodity, cultural presentations also began to be implied with the record players. The post – war also began to create a new youth movement that was based around those that were interested in finding new music and making connections with both technology and global relations. Rock and roll, idols of music and global music were some of the accepted trends that were put into the community. The music which was played was used to represent the culture and created a specific association with being futuristic, modern and accepting of various cultures (Bennett, 2001). The culture that was presented through the radio was one which moved into demand both through the older generations, which were interested in new home leisure, as well as the youth of the 1960s, specifically because of the cultural implications of having new music and records that showed specific relationships to identity, all which were based on post – war concepts. The post – war and Italian design in this record player was able to easily connect to both youth and older generations with the cultural affiliations that were desirable at the time. The consequence of this was to create a device which reflected the ideologies of the youth at the time as well as the philosophies which they held in terms of the post – war concepts and the cultural basis that was associated with this. The political impact that was associated with the record players were also based on the youth culture that began to be created, as well as the implications of being a future thinking household that spent leisure time at home. Political agendas during this time were based specifically on relationships that were based on the public behaviors and attitudes toward culture and other components of society. The politics of the time were created because of the Vietnam War that had just been fought as well as the belief from many that there was not a sense of liberation because of the government trends. The political implications of the record player displayed the concept of government regulation and the need to change specific actions within society. The protests against war, emergence of youth with a specific identity and the public responses to the government all were a response from the youth of the time. The record player in the home was a way of reflecting the identity against politics as well as the association with thinking futuristically and globally, as opposed to supporting the attitudes of the political leaders. The response from the government was to begin to incorporate these cultures into the social and political settings through the use of records and other pieces of technology that remained futuristic in the household (Gunther, Mughan, 2000). The economic factors also associated with the design and the changes which were being made in society. From the initiation of automatic record players into the home, was a restructuring of the economy from different businesses which began to arise and move into the social and cultural trends. The trend among households was to have a record player to listen to music in the home. The following that was created came from rising record industries and musicians that could record music and sell it to homes. The new technology that was offered then change the economic regulations within society, specifically by offering new networks for corporations, both with recording entities that could make a profit, musicians that could have music advertised in a different manner and from others who began to associate with the music industry in an alternative manner. Before this time, musicians were required to travel and perform to gain popularity; however, the emergence of the record player into the home also created a boost in the number of musicians and the industry by creating new avenues for playing and distributing music. The main component that changed the economics in society was from the exposure of several musicians that could be recorded and distributed among those in society. The labor needed for this and the ability to create a new industry became a boost to the economy through the popularity of the record player (Alexander, 1994). Market structures followed these initiatives, specifically as sub-groups began to emerge, all which were interested in different genres of music and which could be targeted to continue to increase the economy from a musical standpoint. More important, records and the record player remained affordable because of the growing demands in technology, which allowed distributors to continue to increase the demands of the record. The growth in demand of the record player became an important distributer to the economy, specifically because of the amount of money that was distributed to buying record players and music within society. The affordability that this was priced with during the 1960s allowed many to spend more on the records and players, which increased the popularity and helped to heighten economic growth (Alexander, 1994). The economic consequences created a new industry which began to grow and submerge into society, now which is an expected component of those who are interested in music as a corporate entity. Modern Technology and the Record Player The concept of the record player that was created by Bellini is one which created a trend that began to grow and be redefined through time. The demand for music began to split into two types of trends. The first was from musicians and record corporations which wanted to create technological innovations from the record player that could produce stronger sounds and quality of music when played on a machine. The second was from the market demand, which was interested in easier methods to play music that wouldn’t cause complications. Even though the invention of Bellini was an automated record player, scratches on the records and other complications with playing often arose. The record player, while remaining in demand, also led into other evolved types of technology and machines that would continue to increase the expectations of playing music in the home through a recording device (Katz, 2004). Cassette players, CD players and digital devices, such as MP3 players began to emerge with modern technology specifically because of the foundational machine of the automated record player. The growth in demand that has been used for the record player has now led into the concept of the music appliances. It is expected that every home has a type of music appliance that can be used to play music. The social and cultural demands that are implied with this specific concept are based on the capability of having a music player that has high quality and which is technologically in demand. The demands that are currently in society are based on creating several centers for entertainment and leisure within society. This is an area for activities, entertainment, work, information and communications. The ability to have music available for these several leisure activities in the home as today’s demand also implies more convenient methods of playing music and technological spaces that are easier to use within the home. New technological innovations that are more efficient and effective with record players have then defined the musical and entertainment center of the home. However, more convenient and effective ways of playing music and tapping into entertainment are now the demands which are growing in expectancy in society (Venkatesh, Kruse, Shih, 2003). Conclusion The concept of music in the home is one that began to transform society, specifically in the post – war era of the 1950s and 1960s. A leading innovation which was attributed to this was the automated record player invention by Bellini. The concepts which applied to the creation of this music appliance changed several aspects within society from a cultural, social, political and economic realm. The design was associated with post – war identities, Italian design and futuristic looks, making it an artifact that is still remembered today as an artistic work. The record player that Bellini designed not only created a specific demand for this time period, but also created a revolution in accepting technology in the home for music and other leisurely activities. Today, the record player has transformed into other mediums for playing music in the home while continuing to remain one of the most popular and accepted appliances in the home. Works Cited Alexander, Peter. (1994). “New Technology and Market Structure: Evidence from the Music Recording Industry.” Journal of Cultural Economics. (18), (2). Bennett, Andy. (2001). Cultures of Popular Music. Philadelphia: Open University Press. Fiell, Charlotte and Peter. (2001). Design of the 20th Century. New York: Routledge. Gershuny, Jonathan. (2002). “Social Leisure and Home IT: A Panel Time Diary Approach.” IT and Society(1), (1). Gunther, Richard, Anthony Mughan. (2000). Democracy and the Media: a Comparative Perspective. New York: Cambridge University Press. Katz, Mark. (2004). Capturing Sound: How Technology Has Changed Music. California: University of California Press. Moma. Mario Bellini: GA 45 Pop Automatic Record Player. 2010. Retrieved from: http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A451&page_number=3&template_id=1&sort_order=1. Norstebo, Carl. “Intelligent Textiles, Soft Products.” Norwegian University of Science and Technology 2004. V and M. Mario Bellini. 2010. Retrieved from: http://vandm.com/Bellini-Mario/40_294_object=11539.aspx?return=1/. Venkatesh, Alladi, Erik Kruse, Chuan – Fong Shih. “The Networked Home: An Analysis of Current Developments and Future Trends.” Cognition, Technology and Work. (5), (1). Read More