We also had to mix on vinyl by ear and try to match native tempos enough that you didn’t have to pitch more than +/-8, so tracks had long, formulaic lead-ins and outros to make that process smooth.

These days if you want to make a track longer you can just key in a loop, the pitch is corrected at any tempo (and can be adjusted to be in key), the gear measures tempo in real-time and can start tracks synced up to the correct beat measure (some small adjustments may be required) and you can jump to any part of a track, still beat-aligned, with the press of a button. You also get SMPTE, DMX, and video output if you want to control other aspects of the stage. And your record crate is a thumb drive you can stick in your pocket.

It’s not easier, it’s just different, and there are fewer restrictions.