"When we were making vinyl records we had a lot of time limitations for each record so songs were left off for a number of reasons. Now, with CDs, much more music can be included"
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Ken Hensley's quote shows the evolution of music recording media and how it impacts creative expression and the music market. Initially, vinyl records imposed substantial time restrictions. A basic LP vinyl record typically holds around 20 minutes of music per side, which restricts the number of tracks and the overall length of an album. Artists and producers needed to be selective, often leaving specific tunes off due to these physical restrictions.
Hensley indicates that the limitations of vinyl needed thoughtful curation of an album's content. Each track had to be thoroughly selected, edited, and sequenced. This potentially indicated some songs, regardless of their creative worth, were left out if they didn't fit the predefined duration or the thematic coherence of the album. This constraint required a different method to album development than what artists and manufacturers experience today.
With the arrival of CDs, there was a substantial shift in these limitations. Compact Discs can normally hold up to 80 minutes of music, using far more space and flexibility. This technological improvement enabled artists to explore longer formats, try out their music designs, and include more content that they may have otherwise disposed of. Albums might now include extra tunes, extended versions, or concealed tracks, expanding the scope of innovative possibilities.
Hensley's observation calls attention to the effect of technological improvements on music production and circulation. The shift from vinyl to CDs not just altered how albums were crafted but also how audiences consumed music. It marked a significant shift in the music industry, with CDs permitting artists to express themselves more fully and using listeners a richer musical experience. This advancement highlights the consistent interaction between innovation and imagination and how each improvement improves the cultural landscape of music usage.
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