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Computer music

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Computer music Summary

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For the UK publication, see Computer Music (magazine).

Computer music is music generated or composed with the aid of computers. It also refers to a field of study that examines both the theory and application of new and existing technologies in the areas of music, sound design and diffusion, acoustics, sound synthesis, digital signal processing, and psychoacoustics. The field of computer music can trace its roots back to the origin of electronic music, and the very first experiments and innovations with electronic instruments and techno music at the turn of the 20th century. Much of the work on computer music has drawn on the relationship between music theory and mathematics. The world's first computer music was generated in Australia by programmer Geoff Hill on the CSIRAC computer[1] which was designed and built by Trevor Pearcey and Maston Beard. Subsequently, Lejaren Hiller (e.g., the Illiac Suite) used a computer in the 1950s to compose works that were then played by conventional musicians. Later developments included the work of Max Mathews at Bell Laboratories, who developed the influential MUSIC I program. Vocoder technology was also a major development in this early era. Advances in computing power have dramatically affected the way computer music is generated and performed. Early computer music programs typically ran in non-realtime. Programs would run for hours or days, on multi-million dollar computers, in order to generate a few minutes of music. John Chowning's work on FM synthesis, in the early 70s, and the advent of inexpensive digital chips and microcomputers opened the door to real-time generation of computer music[2]. By the early 90s, the performance of microprocessor-based computers reached the point that real-time generation of computer music using more general programs and algorithms became possible. Current-generation micro-computers are powerful enough to perform very sophisticated audio synthesis using a wide variety of algorithms and approaches. Computer music systems and approaches are now ubiquitous, and so firmly embedded in the process of creating music that we hardly give them a second thought: computer-based synthesizers, digital mixers, and effects units have become so commonplace that use of digital rather than analog technology to create and record music is the norm, rather than the exception. Despite the ubiquity of computer music in contemporary culture, there is considerable activity in the field of computer music, as researchers continue to pursue new and interesting computer-based sythesis, composition, and performance approaches. Throughout the world there are many organizations and institutions dedicated to the area of computer and electronic music study and research, including the ICMA (International Computer Music Association), IRCAM, GRAME, SEAMUS (Society for Electro Acoustic Music in the United States), and a great number of institutions of higher learning around the world.

Contents

Types of software

We can easily distinguish music software. There are sequencers, samplers, VSTs (Virtual Studio Technology). Sequencers, such as Cubase, Nuendo, Logic Studio, are programms which allows you to add tracks MIDI or audio tracks and record or import audio and MIDI files. Along with the sequencers you can use VSTs (Virtual instruments) or samplers. The other category, Virtual Studios, include many instruments, soft synths and samplers and you can master your own mix. For example, with Reason you get a large number of synths, samplers, compressors, eq, etc, you can mix and master your own song but you can't plug your instrument and record audio.

Key topics

References

  1. ^ [1] Article describing music made by CSIRAC with sound clips
  2. ^ [2] Max Mathews, the Father of Computer Music

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    Computer music from Wíkipedia. ©2006 by Wíkipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. View a list of authors or edit this article.

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