Where Did Electronic Music Originate From?

We take a look at the history of electronic music and where it all began. From early pioneers like Kraftwerk to modern day superstars like Skrillex, electronic music has come a long way.

Introduction

Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments and circuitry-based music technology. In general, a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means (electroacoustic music), and that produced using electronics only. Electromechanical instruments include mechanical elements, such as strings, hammers, and so on, as well as electrical elements, such as magnetic pickups, power amplifiers and loudspeakers. Examples of electroacoustic instruments include the theremin, which has been used in soundtracks such as The Day the Earth Stood Still and Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle; the ondes Martenot, used by Maurice Martenot in various works including his score for the film Le Voyage dans la lune; and various kinds of tape music. Electronic instruments include synthesisers, theremins and computer generated imagery (CGI).

Digital audio technology was developed in the mid-twentieth century. This technology allowed for the conversion of sound into digital form for storage and manipulation. This development led to the creation of digital synthesisers, which were used to create new sounds that were not possible with traditional instruments.

The first electronic music was created in the early twentieth century with instruments such as the theremin and Ondes Martenot. These early electronic instruments were often used in film scores or for other dramatic purposes. In the 1950s and 1960s, electronic music began to be used in popular music genres such as rock and roll and pop. This use of electronic instruments in popular music led to the development of new genres of music such as electronic dance music (EDM).

The Birth of Electronic Music

Electronic music has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the early 20th century. It has come to encompass a wide variety of genres and styles, and has had a pervasive influence on popular music. In this article, we’ll trace the history of electronic music, from its earliest incarnation to the present day.

The First Synthesizers

Inventors started toying with the idea of electronic music in the late 1800s. The first synthesizers were large, expensive machines that were used mostly by scientists and composers working in the classical tradition. One of the earliest and most influential composers to experiment with electronic music was French composer Edgar Varèse. In the 1930s, he composed Poème électronique, a work for orchestra, voices, and 400 speaker units that was premiered at the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels.

By the 1950s, composers like Karlheinz Stockhausen and Pierre Schaeffer were experimenting with new ways to create sounds using electronic instruments. Stockhausen’s piece Gesang der Jünglinge (1955-56) was one of the first works of electronic music to be created entirely from recorded sounds. Schaeffer’s work Musique concrète (“concrete music”) used everyday sounds like footsteps and doors slamming to create new musical works.

In 1955, American physicist Dodge and American composer Edward Tufte published An Introduction to Statistical Theory , which proposed a new way of creating music by manipulating sound waves mathematically. This work laid the foundation for the development of computer-generated music.

The First Electronic Compositions

The first electronic compositions were created in the early 1900s, using a range of primitive electronic devices. These early pieces were mostly used for educational purposes, or to create sound effects for theatrical productions. It wasn’t until the 1920s that electronic music began to be used as a serious compositional tool.

One of the earliest examples of electronic music is the Theremin, an instrument that uses two metal rods to control an electric current. This current is then passed through a speaker, which creates sound. The Theremin was invented by Russian scientist Leon Theremin in 1919, and was later used by a number of avant-garde composers, including Sergei Prokofiev and Igor Stravinsky.

In the 1930s, German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen created one of the first pieces of electronic music to be performed in public. His composition “Studie I” used a range of sounds generated by different electronics devices, including radios and vacuum tubes. This piece was later seen as a major influence on the development of 20th-century music.

The Development of Electronic Music

Electronic music has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the early 20th century. Inventors and musicians alike have been experimenting with electronic sound for decades, and the results are a genre of music that is truly unique. Let’s take a look at the development of electronic music and see how it has evolved over the years.

The Rise of Techno

Techno is a type of electronic dance music that originated in Detroit, Michigan in the 1980s. techno is characterized by a repetitive 4/4 beat and often features synthesizers and drum machines. Techno is one of the most popular genres of electronic music and has spawned numerous subgenres, including acid techno, rave techno, and hard techno.

The Rise of House

The late 1970s and early 1980s saw the rise of a new form of dance music in the clubs of Chicago and New York. This new style, which came to be known as “house,” was built on the foundations of disco but with a more minimalist approach. The typical house track would feature a repeating bassline, simple drum machine patterns, and occasional keyboard or guitar riffs. This lack of complexity was offset by the skill of the DJs who would mix together multiple tracks to create a continuous flow of dancefloor energy.

The Future of Electronic Music

Electronic music has been around for decades, but it has only recently gained popularity. The genre has a wide range of subgenres, which can make it difficult to define. Electronic music is created using a variety of electronic devices and can be mixed with other genres of music.

The Evolution of Synthesizers

The first electronic musical instruments were invented in the early 1900s. These included the theremin, the ondes martenot, and the trautonium. These instruments were mostly used by avant-garde composers and were not widely adopted.

In the 1950s, several important developments took place that would shape the future of electronic music. One was the invention of the first commercial synthesizer, the RCA Mark II Sound Synthesizer. This instrument was capable of creating a wide variety of sounds, which made it popular with composers and performers alike.

Another significant development was the invention of multitrack recording. This allowed different sounds to be recorded on separate tracks and then mixed together to create a final piece of music. This made it possible for composers to create more complex pieces of electronic music.

In the 1960s and 1970s, a number of important synthesizers were invented, including the Moog synthesizer and the ARP Odyssey. These instruments allowed performers to create a wide range of sounds, making them very popular with musicians working in all genres of music.

Today, electronic music is more popular than ever before. Thanks to advances in technology, it is now possible for anyone to create their own electronic music using nothing more than a computer and some software.

The Proliferation of Electronic Music

The proliferation of electronic music has led to the rise of a number of new subgenres and styles, such as dubstep, trap, and future bass. This surge in popularity has been driven by the rise of streaming platforms like SoundCloud and Spotify, which have made it easier than ever for artists to reach a wide audience. With its immense popularity, electronic music is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.