How Electronic Music Works

How Electronic Music Works is a website dedicated to helping people understand the basics of electronic music production.

Introduction

Electronic music is a genre of music that is produced using electronic musical instruments or electronic music technology. It is generally considered to be a form of popular music, but there are also many subgenres of electronic music, such as techno, house, drum and bass, trance, ambient and IDM (Intelligent Dance Music).

The origins of electronic music can be traced back to the early 20th century, when composers began experimenting with electric instruments and tape machines. In the 1950s and 1960s, electronic music was further developed by composers such as Karlheinz Stockhausen and Pierre Schaeffer. By the 1970s, it had become a mainstream genre of popular music, particularly in Europe and Japan.

With the advent of digital technology in the 1980s and 1990s, electronic music became even more widespread, with genres such as techno, house and drum and bass becoming global phenomena. Today, electronic music is one of the most popular genres of music worldwide.

What is electronic music?

Electronic music is a genre of music made using electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology. It emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The first electronic musical instruments were developed in the early 20th century. These include the theremin, synthesizer, and sequencer.

The history of electronic music

In its simplest form, electronic music is music that features electronic instruments and recordings, or music that has been produced using electronic means. The first electronic instruments were invented in the early 1900s, and the first electronic music was created in the 1920s.

The history of electronic music is often divided into three periods: the early phase from the 1920s to the 1950s, the middle phase from the 1950s to the 1970s, and the contemporary phase from the 1970s to the present.

The early phase of electronic music was dominated by two main approaches: serialism and musique concrète. Serialism is a compositional technique that uses a series of notes or pitches to create a melody or phrase. Musique concrète is a type of composition that uses recorded sounds as its source material.

The middle phase of electronic music saw the development of new technologies such as synthesizers and sequencers, which allowed composers to create more complex sound textures and rhythms. This period also saw the emergence of new genres such as techno and house.

The contemporary phase of electronic music is characterized by a widening variety of styles and approaches. With the advent of digital technology, composers now have access to an almost infinite range of sounds and possibilities. This has led to the emergence of new genres such as IDM, Drum & Bass, and Glitch Hop, as well as a renewed interest in older styles such as Ambient and New Age.

The instruments of electronic music

In its simplest form, electronic music is made by using electronic instruments and equipment to create sounds that didn’t exist before. These sounds are then combined into musical compositions.

The first electronic instruments were developed in the early 1900s. Since then, electronic music has evolved rapidly, and today there are many different types of electronic music.

One of the earliest types of electronic music was called musique concrète. This music was made by manipulating recorded sounds, such as environmental noises or snippets of speech, and combining them into new compositions.

Another early type of electronic music was called tape music. This music was made by using tape recorders to manipulate sounds. Tape music composers would use a variety of techniques to change the sound of the recordings, such as splicing the tape, speed changes, and reversing the direction of the tape.

Today, there are many different types of electronic music. Some common styles include techno, house, drum and bass, dubstep, and trance.

How does electronic music work?

Electronic music is produced using electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology. It is a form of music that is produced using electronic devices such as synthesizers, drum machines, and MIDI controllers. It is often played in clubs, bars, and festivals.

The basics of sound

Since the late 19th century, musicians have been able to create and record sound using electrical signals. This process starts with a vibrating object, like a guitar string or drum skin. When these objects vibrate, they create sound waves in the air. The amplitude ( loudness) of the sound wave is determined by how hard the object is vibrating. The frequency ( pitch) of the sound wave is determined by how quickly the object is vibrating.

The basics of synthesis

In electronic music, synthesis is the creation of timbre and texture through the manipulation of tone and noise. In its simplest form, synthesis can be achieved by playing a tone with a basic waveform—such as a sine, square, or sawtooth wave—and then manipulating that waveform to create new timbres. For example, by adding harmonics to a sine wave, you can create square and sawtooth waves; by modulating the amplitude of a square wave, you can create a pulsing effect; and by modulating the frequency of a square wave, you can create vibrato.

Synthesis can also be used to create more complex timbres through the use of multiple oscillators—that is, multiple waves that are played simultaneously. By detuning these oscillators relative to each other, you can create a rich, full sound; by modulating their frequencies relative to each other, you can create phasing effects; and by modulating their amplitudes relative to each other, you can create different stereo effects. In addition, certain types of synthesis—such as additive synthesis and granular synthesis—allow you to generate timbres that are not possible with traditional instruments.

Synthesis is not limited to oscillators; it can also involve manipulating noise to create new sounds. By filtering noise—that is, passing it through an electronic filter that allows some frequencies to pass through while attenuating others—you can change the character of the noise and turn it into something entirely new. For example, low-pass filters allow low frequencies to pass through while attenuating high frequencies, resulting in a “muddy” sound; high-pass filters have the opposite effect, resulting in a “sizzling” sound; and band-pass filters allow only a specific range of frequencies to pass through while attenuating everything else, resulting in a “whooshing” or “swooshing” sound.

Sampling

In professional music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a sound recording in a different song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically manipulated tape loops or vinyl records on a phonograph. By the late 1960s, the use of tape loop sampling influenced the development of minimalist music and the production of psychedelic rock and jazz fusion. Hip hop music was the first popular music based on the art of sampling – being born from 1970s DJs who experimented with manipulating vinyl on two turntables and an audio mixer. Historically, sampling was most often done with a sampler — a specialized piece of hardware — but today the term is used more broadly to describe the process of capturing any type of audio source to be used in production.

Advanced techniques

These days, electronic music is created using a variety of software instruments and plugins. But how does it all work? In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the advanced techniques used by producers to create their tracks.

Sequencing

In music, a sequence is a pre-determined, repeated order of musical notes, chords, or other musical elements. Sequences can be as short as two notes, or as long as an entire melody. They are commonly found in electronic music, especially dance and trance tracks.

A basic sequence consists of a loop of musical elements that is played in a repeating pattern. The length of the loop can vary, but is typically four bars (measures) long. The number of times the loop repeats can also vary, but is usually eight times (32 beats).

More advanced sequences may include additional musical elements such as countermelodies, harmony parts, or even different rhythms that change each time the sequence repeats. These variations can help to create a more interesting and complex piece of music.

Sequences are typically created using music software such as Ableton Live or Logic Pro. The notes or chords are entered into the software, along with any other desired variations. The software then plays back the sequence in a loop until it is stopped by the user.

Effects processing

In order to create the desired sound, most electronic musicians will use some form of effects processing. This can be in the form of a simple pedal, or a complex multi-effects unit. Effects can be used to change the timbre of the sound, or to create strange and unique sounds. Common effects include:

-Reverb: Creates a sense of space and depth in the sound.
-Delay: Repeats the sound after a short time interval.
-Chorus: Creates a sense of width in the sound by slightly detuning and delayinofig
the signal.
-Flanger: Similar to chorus, but with a more pronounced effect.
-Phaser: Uses filters to create ‘swooshing’ sounds.
-Wah Wah: A pedal which allows the player to sweep the frequencies of the sound up or down.

Conclusion

Now that we understand the basics of electronic music, let’s take a look at how it is produced. As we mentioned earlier, electronic music is created using a variety of electronic musical instruments and computers. These instruments and computers generate sounds that are then mixed together to create the final product.

The process of creating electronic music can be divided into two main parts: sound synthesis and sound processing. Sound synthesis is the process of creating new sounds using electronic musical instruments or computers. Sound processing is the process of manipulating existing sounds to create new sounds.

The majority of electronic music is made using a combination of both sound synthesis and sound processing. For example, a composer may start with a simple melody that they create using a synthesizer. They may then process this melody using a variety of effects pedals to create a more complex sounding composition.

Creating electronic music can be a complex process, but it can also be great fun! If you’re interested in learning more about how to produce your own electronic music, there are a number of excellent books and online resources available.