BITTERSWEET, Ky. — In my line of work, I get to listen to a lot of music; I mean, a lot of music. And as much as I love it, I must admit that some days, in searching through dozens of musical selections and artists, I sometimes have a hard time deciding which direction to go.

Often it is because there are so many good performers and songs to choose from, but other times it’s because nothing really stands out as being unique. I know you have heard me say from time to time how so many performers out there sound alike. That seems to be the case for me at the moment.

But I know if I search long enough, my patience will pay off and I will come across someone who knocks my socks off. Often these socks-knockers are people you’ve never heard of. I find that to be the case more and more as younger artists have discovered the ability to record, produce and release their music from their living rooms.

Don’t get me wrong – nothing can beat the sound created in a full-blown modern recording studio – but with the advancement of digital recording equipment, more aspiring artists are finding their way onto the musical scene through independent means.

I remember the times my bandmates and I would set up the reel-to-reel recorder and stage mics in the living room to make audition tapes. The process didn’t always result in the cleanest of tracks, but it did make us better musicians because we wanted to make sure we got it right in as few takes as possible, for a number of reasons (including the fear of disturbing the next-door neighbors).

It made us concentrate and try harder each time we did it. No sound or special effects, no vocal enhancements, no extra instruments from previously recorded tracks – just us, our instruments and the harmonies we produced naturally.

Today, a computer is the main piece of recording equipment, along with a variety of software choices that can turn your car into a recording studio. Digital audio workstations have given the promising musician the ability to get quality sound out to the multitudes through social media platforms, without the expense of big studios or the wait in being discovered by a record executive.

I still miss setting up in the living room and making our audition tapes, but this modern technology gives the listener a better-quality recording and the World Wide Web allows more of us listeners to hear from more artists than at any time ever before.

And, we can hear it all at the touch of our smart phones. Here’s to modern technology!

Bluegrass Johnson comes from a long line of country music performers and enjoys a passion for the rhythm and melody. From the hills of Kentucky, he will offer his opinions on a variety of new country music each week. Readers with questions or comments may write to Johnson in care of this publication.