| Before the invention/proliferation of records, radios and jukeboxes musical training was much more widespread than it its now. Every family had at least one piano player or singer capable of reading music and door to door sales of instruments was a big thing. There were lots of instruments ( autoharps, zithers) that could and would be played easily with little training, just knowing chord symbols. Parties, get togethers almost always involved sing alongs of popular songs. Sheet music was as hot as 45s were in the 50s
Nowadays, with cds, TV etc people buy their entertainment instead of creating it and the easy availability of high quality, professionally productions is intimidating. Who wants to attempt to sing or play something when the CD is done much better ( Karaoke is a welcome fad) |