Audio Cassette: Gone But Not Forgotten
There was once a time when records ruled the world. These shiny pieces of vinyl were all you had to take the music home with you. People bought tons of these records. And they were the best that was available for the time. It was always a sad day when you discovered that your favorite song had a scratch on it. That was the problem with records.
Then the audio cassette was introduced to the public. This form was much more durable. And it came with a new added twist; everyone was able to record their own audio tapes! This opened the doors to all sorts of experimentation. People could record their own music, lectures or just whatever silliness they felt like.
The biggest impact of this new form of audio recording was the Walkman. Now you could take your music with you anywhere you went, and play it as loud as you wanted. Instead of needing a bulky boom box or a radio in a car, you could bring your music with you without bothering anyone else or having anyone interfere with your musical experience. What a concept!
The audio cassette did have its' downfall. You had to listen to every single song on the tape, there was no skipping. That could be a big problem if you just had to listen to that one song again. You had to rewind and wait for it to finally get there. Or, you could have gone too far and then got stuck in a back and forth race to find your song.
The invention of the CD and MP3 have revolutionized the recorded music world. However, while most music mixers have moved on to the new technology, some refuse to completely give up the audio cassette. Some have switched from analog to digital audio tapes but still use tapes. The audio cassette will still find a place in some music lovers' world for years to come.
We that did grow up with the old style mixed tapes, will always have a special place in our hearts for the tapes that allowed us to be our own DJs. But now we all have lap tops and MP3 player we have to really let that art out. However we won't forget.
Audio cassettes gained tremendous popularity for two reasons - first, they were more durable than vinyl discs; second and much more importantly, you could record onto them! You could not pick and choose the songs; you had to listen to every single one on the tape. However, for the first time, people could make their own recordings with the same technology as used by professionals. Cassettes led way to the walkman revolution. Even with the invention of the CD and the MP3, there are still those who swear by the cassette. Some even have moved into the realm of digital audio tapes.
Published August 9th, 2007
Filed in Technology
