The UWA Conservatorium of Music is an outstanding research-intensive institution with an exceptional classical music program and highly esteemed electronic music research capabilities.
In the 1940s, magnetic tape technology enabled musicians to edit recorded sounds together into pieces using tape synchronisation. This resulted in musique concrete and other experimental forms of electronic music being created.
History of electronic music
Electronic music history can largely be defined as the development of sound synthesis and audio processing technologies. The first electronic instruments were invented at the end of the 19th century; by 1920s electrical recording technologies had already taken shape. Composers could now explore sounds not previously considered musical. Furthermore, electric generators with sine, sawtooth and square waves provided composers with the foundation for modern electronic music. By the 1940s, magnetic tape recorders had replaced mechanical phonographs as the go-to medium for creating music, enabling musicians to improvise using sounds recorded from different sources and creating unique compositions using them. This led to musique concrete’s rise in Paris as well as experiments experimenting with changing speed or direction on recorded sounds for composition purposes.
Toshiro Mayuzumi was inspired by Pierre Schaeffer to employ tape as a medium for musical composition in Japan. His 1951 dodecaphonic piece “X,Y,Z for Musique Concrete” marked its introduction. Other pioneering Japanese electroacoustic composers like Yoshiro Irino and Yoshishishi Shibata explored techniques such as serialism and twelve-tone composition for Musique Concrete as part of this style of electroacoustic music composition.
By the 1950s, several experimental electronic music studios had been established, such as WDR Cologne in Germany and NHK Studio in Tokyo. These experimental studios helped shape many new instruments and techniques such as ring modulators, filters and acoustic echo chambers. As computer technology advanced and synthesizers became more readily available (Max Mathews of Bell Laboratories developed the MUSIC I program that allowed users to control output through playback while Lejaren Hiller introduced a vocoder which changed voice or instrument sounds by altering frequency).
Even with early advances in sound generation technology, electronic music did not emerge widely until the 1970s. This can be traced to bands like Ultravox, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Gary Numan and Depeche Mode who were heavily influenced by musique concrete soundscapes; their synth-heavy sounds helped give rise to electronic rock genre.
Electronic music instruments
Electronic musical instruments can be defined as those equipped with circuitry that produces electrical signals in response to input from musicians, and this signal can then be used either to control the instrument itself or create new sounds. Examples include keyboard synthesizers, digital pianos and drum machines which can be combined with more traditional instruments like guitars and violins to produce various styles of music.
In the early 1900s, several innovative devices were invented that made it possible to electronically create and record music. Devices like Telharmonium and Photophone allowed people to synthesise orchestral instruments through sound synthesis while others, like Phonograph and Gramophone were capable of playing back preexisting recordings – thus expanding the music industry as an industry and leading to further innovations such as electronic musical instruments.
Early electronic music composers focused on synthesizing sounds using electronic instruments. Such instruments included devices such as theremins and oscillators that responded to hand movements of musicians performing, adapting themselves perfectly to musical expression. Others used sound frequency modulation magnetic tape enabling composers to edit sounds by superimposing or changing timbre; such early electronic musical instruments were most often found within performance art and experimental genres.
After the advent of magnetic tape recording techniques, composers began making more significant contributions to electronic music development. For instance, Pierre Schaeffer and Edgard Varese created musique concrete – a style of music composed by combining recorded fragments from nature and industry sounds – in the 1940s, while Karlheinz Stockhausen produced works such as Gesang der Junglinge based on biblical scripture in the 1950s.
In the 1960s, many musicians and composers began to incorporate electronic music into their performances and compositions, particularly pop artists and rock bands who used keyboard synthesizers to achieve their desired sounds. By 1989, keyboard synthesizers had become so prevalent that even country and folk artists such as Anne Murray, Kate & Anna McGarrigle used them in their songs.
Electronic music software
Electronic music utilizes electronic musical instruments, computer programs and digital effects to compose, arrange and arrange melodies and rhythms. Acoustic sounds such as pianos, violins and drums may also be included within electronic composition. Electronic composers may use various software and hardware instruments such as synthesizers, samplers or mixers in order to manipulate audio signals for composition purposes.
First step to creating EDM music is acquiring music production software. There are numerous programs to choose from, but finding one that feels intuitive to you should be your goal. Many beginning producers find Komplete Start an ideal starting point as it comes equipped with high-quality sounds and samples and is free. Plus, for even greater features and flexibility consider upgrading to KOMPLETE which offers full versions.
Samplers and sequencers are essential tools in electronic music production, enabling musicians to record and play back acoustic or synthetic instrument sounds as well as MIDI-triggered computer music. Furthermore, they can be programmed to perform complex musical compositions using algorithms.
These instruments can be played live using laptop computers or more conventional setups such as stage-ready keyboards and amps. Laptops have become the go-to tools for performing electronic music due to their portability and user friendliness; live performers typically employ large displays; for optimal results, your computer must also possess enough RAM memory in order to run multiple applications at the same time.
Electronic music comes in all kinds of styles: some styles focus on beat-driven electronica while other genres like ambient and experimental music may not adhere strictly to rhythms. No matter the genre, many electronic producers begin with a solid drum beat before adding chords and melody; the beat typically includes elements such as kicks, snares or claps, hi-hats/cymbals/toms/pitched drums as part of its composition.
Producing music using just a computer and some basic hardware components is possible with some minimal equipment. At its core lies a quality sound card and USB microphone; more advanced options such as dedicated audio interfaces or high-end headphones may also be considered necessities for producing. A large storage device may also be needed.
Electronic music production
Producing electronic music involves various approaches. Producers may prefer hardware instruments while others opt for software-based instruments and production programs. Whatever method you use, however, having an understanding of musical theory as well as an openness to experimentation and learning is key in order for one’s talent and creativity to shine through eventually. Getting started as an electronic music producer involves gathering up all necessary equipment as well as learning the fundamentals of production.
Samplers are electronic or digital instruments that use recordings (known as samples) of real instrument sounds such as piano, violin and trumpet as well as excerpts from recorded songs or even found sounds such as sirens and ocean waves to produce scales and chords. They store these samples digitally within memory for use by sequencers, MIDI keyboards or other trigger devices and they can even be pitched and altered to produce scales and chords.
In the 1920s and 1930s, technological advances played an integral role in creating modern electronic music. These included audio-frequency technology such as basic circuits for sine, square, sawtooth wave generators; amplifiers; filter circuits; loudspeakers. Mechanical acoustical recordings were gradually replaced with electrical recording techniques.
The early 1950s witnessed the introduction of magnetic tape recorders and electroacoustic tape music; later Karlheinz Stockhausen created Musik aus elektronischen Generatorn; these developments were furthered with algorithmic composition with computers first demonstrated in 1956 by Mauricio Kagel’s Transicion II.
Although you can produce electronic music using just software and your computer, to get started producing EDM it’s best to invest or lease some hardware. Any computer from within the last decade should suffice as its system requirements for music production software are relatively modest; as you gain more experience you may require faster computers with greater storage and processing power.
Advanced producers can utilize various effects plugins to alter an input signal creatively and give music more professional sounds without becoming monotonous or robotic. Common examples include distortion, EQ, delay and reverb; these effects help give your songs that extra edge that sets it apart from other tracks on the radio or album.