By Sean Murphy

Our recent look at the evolution of e-books illustrated a technological development we will be watching closely for years to come. It remains instructive to remember that other forms of content are in a ceaseless state of transition as well. It will be interesting (and enlightening) to witness the ways in which competition necessarily accelerates the features and price points of imminent e-reader products. And, as discussed, if it is unlikely that we’ll see the disappearance of physical texts anytime soon, we have already observed the universal embrace of digital music. It is no longer a matter of if commercially-produced compact discs will be supplanted by digital downloads, it is a matter of how quickly and unequivocally this process will unfold.

Does this mean that our recently-beloved CDs are headed for the ash heap of history? Not necessarily!

Again, it’s exciting to consider the profoundly positive implications these advancements signify for both artists and audiences. And if e-readers are, at this point, more about the novelty of reading an electronic novel, digital music has truly revolutionized the way(s) in which music can be acquired and appreciated.

The story of how musicians—with the obligatory assistance of technology and the radical marketing potential of social networking—slowly wrestled creative, and financial, control away from the corporations has been adequately covered: what was inconceivable in 1999 is historic fact a decade later. Nevertheless, the potential for increased exposure via affordable access to artists’ work remains staggering. In addition to sampling (and/or purchasing) music from a band’s website, or at one of the aforementioned social networking hubs, artists have also taken steps to outsmart the bootleggers. Any musician with a certain amount of clout will testify to how frustrated they’ve traditionally been by the illegal taping and dissemination of their concerts. This was a market driven endeavor in the sense that the demand (from fans) was there, but the deck was stacked entirely in the bootleggers’ favor, as they could dictate price accordingly. The only entity that gained nothing from this enterprise was, unfortunately, the artists. Happily, technology and the innovative means of distribution have restored some balance to this perennially unfair equation.

Can you say sanctioned bootlegs? It sounds like an oxymoron, but with the ability to record (and promote, and sell) their own concerts, bands can make official bootlegs a legitimate, and profitable, opportunity. This development is not necessarily cutting edge, but it is gaining steam. Tech-savvy musicians were taking advantage of this possibility early on, but now virtually any musician with a PC, a disc duplicator and the necessary recording equipment can become a DIY producer, engineer and salesperson. And this scenario signifies a very rare a win/win for all involved.

Last month I had the opportunity to see California Guitar Trio, or CGT, at a local, intimate venue—the ideal atmosphere to enjoy three brilliant musicians playing acoustic guitars. In addition to writing unique and interesting compositions, this group has made a name for itself by doing quirky—and ingenious—covers of popular rock tunes. Check out their take on Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”:

The show was remarkable, and I enthusiastically recommend catching them live if you ever get the chance. But the real revelation of the evening actually occurred after the concert ended. As the band played the final encore, they informed the audience that in addition to selling (and signing) merchandise and CDs, they would be burning copies of the performance that was still in process. Sure enough, the band gathered afterward behind a long table scattered with swag—itself a very canny do-it-yourself sales and marketing strategy familiar to concert-goers. But in an intriguing twist (at least to this music fanatic), the band had an industrial CD Duplicator system operating like a concentrated conveyer belt, churning out ten-to-fifteen discs at a time. For $15 you could procure a piece of personal history, (and, it goes without saying, a superlative performance) on the spot. As soon as the discs were pressed (hot off the presser, so to speak), the trio, armed with sharpies, signed and dated them and slipped them into a generic cardboard cover. Quick, painless, cool!

It is obvious that CGT has embraced technology in a way that helps them bond with—and attract new—fans. Of course, the financial implications are not inconsiderable. Quite simply, this possibility, for band and listener, was not conceivable a decade or so ago. Americans love content, and they love instant gratification: this, it would seem, is an ideal marriage of technology and the ever-evolving continuum of supply and demand. It will be exciting to see how many other bands (ranging from obscure acts to arena-rock superstars) will adopt this practice and bring the possibility of artistic interaction to previously unimaginable levels.