Posted By Mandy Kubik on December 29, 2011

Whether you love him, hate him, or merely respect the technological advancements he was responsible for, there is no denying that the world as we know it has been greatly affected by the work of Steve Jobs.  One does not even have to own an Apple product to feel that effect.  You can browse the net and find several stories and videos of individuals with disorders such as cerebral palsy and autism who are now able to communicate with their friends and loved ones utilizing an iPad.  How magnificent for them!  How wonderful for those with whom they’re communicating!

Upon hearing the news of his death, I polled a few of my close friends and colleagues to ask them how their own lives were affected by Apple products.  To my surprise, despite the fact that most of the individuals polled were musicians and/or music lovers, every response was unique and not all revolved around music.  Pepper’s V.P. of Communications kept it simple, indicating that his iPhone had given him the ability to stay organized and to sync his personal and work-related tasks together to ensure he was always on top of things.  Our Dallas manager was a long-time PC user who had gotten fed up with how many steps it took for her to upload photos from her camera, so she bought a Mac.  Fast-forward a few years, ask her about her more recent iPhone purchase, and she will say:  “You can have my kids, maybe one of my dogs and certainly my husband… but don’t touch my iPhone!”  Got it.  Sheesh!

So how about the music?  Alright, let us attempt to touch on the impact and essential reshaping of the music world that has taken place since the advent of the iPod, and implementation of iTunes.   The V.P. of Consumer Markets summed things up pretty well when he said “The iPod gave me the ability to direct the soundtrack of my day, moment-by-moment and mood-by-mood.  Wherever I was, it was with me too.  The ability to break albums down by track and create custom playlists on a portable device changed how we listen to music.  It spawned a revolution.”

Adriel Algiene, music director, private piano instructor, and independent musician, from Las Vegas uses his Apple products for teaching as well as composing.  In his own words:  “I have used my macbook to not only record and write music but as a valuable teaching tool for my piano and voice students to listen to themselves and hear when they play well and when they are not playing so well. It’s a positive impact in this day and age when many untrained “musicians” are glorified on television with a horrific audition.

I have also used Mac products to write and arrange for myself as an independent musician. It’s made it easier to leave behind band politics and still be creative. And if you have an idea for a melody or a part you and you don’t have your laptop then you can record it on your iphone. It’s made it very easy to be creative.

Still not convinced that any of this has affected you?  At the time of his death on October 5, 2011, Mr. Jobs was listed as either primary inventor or co-inventor in 342 United States patents or pending applications related to a range of technologies, from actual computer and portable devices to a multitude of user interfaces.  Further proof that, though he is no longer with us, we have not seen the last of Steve Jobs.  His legacy lives on.

Tell us how you use Apple products to enrich your life!

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Categories: Casual Musician, Sound Techniques, Studio teacher
Tags: Apple, music, Steve Jobs, technology