Musicians used to need to be part of an orchestra or band to create all the sounds they wanted to in a particular piece. But of course a collection of musicians is an expensive endeavor. What happened in the twentieth century to change this?

One of the big innovations was the synthesizer, a keyboard that could shave expenses by making the sounds of piano, organ, or other instrument.

There was also the drum machine. Actually, a drum machine is a kind of synthesizer used to replicate drumming and other kinds of percussion. These kinds of sound machines have revolutionized the musical world.

Not only can expenses be cut, but more control is given to an individual musician who wants to make a particular impact. Artistic control is a coveted asset. In the 1930's, "rhythm machines" were the drum machines of their day. One of the earliest, the Rythmicon, could produce 16 different sounds in different pitches.

These could be played alone or together. But somehow, perhaps because it was the era of the big band, these did not catch on with musicians. The only thing that did catch on was the use of the rythm machines to preprogram set cadences, such as those with a latin beat. In the 1950's and 1960's, another version was created by the Wurlitzer Company to accompany their organs.

This was called the Sideman and it continued to be used in conjunction with organ music for some years, helping the organist to produce a rich, full sound in any piece or song. There's something about good percussion that makes music memorable, and the drum machine could allow that to happen without having to hire a drummer/percussionist.

But it wasn't until 1970, when "Somebody's Watching You" was covered by Little Sister that it's usefulness in pop tunes was recognized. The drum machine that highlighted the melody convinced musicians that it could enhance sound for the contemporary ear. In fact, a strong drumbeat became a necessary part of contemporary music, one that often made parents in the late 60's and '70's cringe.

From that time on, the use of drum machines became standard, at least for a while. Drum machines and synthesizers evolved in the computer age. While in the beginning years, their technology was analog, in later years digital technology refined the sound. Of course, while for some purposes this evolution is positive, for others it is not.

The sound may be clearer, crisper, and more precise, but some artists like to find and use old machines so that they get the retro sound they're looking for. In the past few years, there's been less use of drum machines.

The computer age is with us and has certainly affected the music world. Sounds can easily be recreated by young people in their own rooms using hardware samplers, music workstations where the drum sounds are integrated and sequenced, and special software for sequencing and sampling.