What's better now?

[Twnty1inRF]

I know that sentiment here on TB tends to leans towards Vintage/Old School/Back in the Day etc was better, but now that I have been playing professionally in some capacity for 30+ years (some full time, some weekend warrior) I would like to see what my fellow geezers think has improved or has a "I wish this was around when I first started" vibe.

I'll start:

Talkbass: Back then you had nowhere near as much access to quality information and experience as this. I continue to learn new information or get inspired to try something that would have never occurred to me before Talkbass. For you newbies and youngsters out there - soak in as much as you can, you have access to literally thousands of years of collective wisdom (ironic for an instrument that is only 60ish in the case of the electric bass).

Gig quality, light, powerful amplifiers: Especially appreciated by this old back. Does it sound as good as my old SVT and fridge? Almost if not yes, but I can easily carry my RH450 and 210 (or 2) up the steps at 4 AM when I get home and that sounds great to me!

iPod/mp3 players: We had to either try to catch the song on the radio to cassette or go buy the album/45 and transfer it (prerecorded cassettes sucked for the most part). Even then you had to continually rewind over and over. Now we have gear that will transpose and slow down songs or passages to make it easy to figure out that tricky riff.

GPS: No more "Where the hell are we? Did we miss a turn?"

Social Networking: With Web Sites/Facebook/MySpace/Youtube we no longer have to print out flyers, buy stamps (expensive) and affix them, mail hundreds of people on your hand maintained (and later spreadsheet) mailing list hoping to get a few dozen of your fans out to a gig. Just upload and send a mass email and your work is, for the most part, done.

Affordable quality home recording: Gone are the days of ping ponging your tracks back and forth on your 4 track deck to get a usable version of the song in your head to tape to demo to the band. Now you can get very good results with little effort.

I'm certain that in my dotage I am forgetting some obvious ones, Lets hear yours...

[becker4567]

Better? Well, strings for one. When I started (in the dark ages), there were Rotosound rounds, Fenders and a few others, but try to find them at your music store (remember, the internet wasn't even a gleam in someones eye yet). You mentioned amps, and that can't be over stated. Amps, especially bass amps, in the late 60's were toys compared to now.
Worse? I really believe MTV, and music videos kinda ruined alot of music. Music became, and to a large degree still is, a visual thing. Kids judge a band by how they look in flashy, high cost videos and don't pay much attention to the music. And whats much worse? Rolling Stone magazine! Everytime I see one on the magazine rack, there is some no talent kid/band that a major label is trying to promote that you know isn't even going to be a memory in 6 months. And much, much worse? Parents that pump huge amounts of money into their dear childs kiddy band. I've seen high school kids that can barely play on custom built stages swinging multi-thousand dollar guitars in front of Led Zepplin size amps. Shall I go on, cuz I have alot more lol!

[kcole4001]

What's better now?
Everything but the price of gas.

[bassbrad]

All of the above, we most certainly get more for our bucks now.
Don't forget----affordable accurate tuners

[John Wentzien]

Everything mentioned above...except PAY!!!
I get about the same as I did 20 years ago!

[scott123]

I absolutely agree about the home recording equipment. I know some people don't like them, but I have to say modeling amps as well. Especially for beginners...I would have LOVED to have had a Line 6 Spider in 1985!

[tangentmusic]

Affordable Home Recording Equipment. It used to cost untold loads of cash just to make a 2 song demo in a "real" studio. Now you can record an entire LP's worth of music in the comfort of your own home, and can sound just as good as if it were done in a "real" studio for a fraction of the cost...

[thudfromafar]

Originally Posted by Twnty1inRF

I know that sentiment here on TB tends to leans towards Vintage/Old School/Back in the Day etc was better, but now that I have been playing professionally in some capacity for 30+ years (some full time, some weekend warrior) I would like to see what my fellow geezers think has improved or has a "I wish this was around when I first started" vibe.

I'll start:

Talkbass: Back then you had nowhere near as much access to quality information and experience as this. I continue to learn new information or get inspired to try something that would have never occurred to me before Talkbass. For you newbies and youngsters out there - soak in as much as you can, you have access to literally thousands of years of collective wisdom (ironic for an instrument that is only 60ish in the case of the electric bass).

Gig quality, light, powerful amplifiers: Especially appreciated by this old back. Does it sound as good as my old SVT and fridge? Almost if not yes, but I can easily carry my RH450 and 210 (or 2) up the steps at 4 AM when I get home and that sounds great to me!

iPod/mp3 players: We had to either try to catch the song on the radio to cassette or go buy the album/45 and transfer it (prerecorded cassettes sucked for the most part). Even then you had to continually rewind over and over. Now we have gear that will transpose and slow down songs or passages to make it easy to figure out that tricky riff.

GPS: No more "Where the hell are we? Did we miss a turn?"

Social Networking: With Web Sites/Facebook/MySpace/Youtube we no longer have to print out flyers, buy stamps (expensive) and affix them, mail hundreds of people on your hand maintained (and later spreadsheet) mailing list hoping to get a few dozen of your fans out to a gig. Just upload and send a mass email and your work is, for the most part, done.

Affordable quality home recording: Gone are the days of ping ponging your tracks back and forth on your 4 track deck to get a usable version of the song in your head to tape to demo to the band. Now you can get very good results with little effort.

I'm certain that in my dotage I am forgetting some obvious ones, Lets hear yours...

Y2K: No more fun, just serious business.

[Lazylion]

5-string Jazz w/active pups! I wish I'd gotten one in 1972 (did they exist back then?)!