Musique lectonique, Part 2

1
Musique Électonique, Part 2

• A Brief History and Technical Overview

2
Going live
3
1959

• Columbia-Princeton Studio established in New York
• Incorporated RCA Mark II, first major
  voltage-controlled synthesizer
• Composers included Babbitt, Mario Davidovsky,
  Otto Luening, Vladimir Ussachevsky, Charles
  Wuorinen, Jacob Druckman

4
1960s

• Development of large mainframe computer synthesis
• Max Mathews (Bell Labs) develops MUSIC V, direct
  digital synthesis language
• Smaller voltage-controlled synthesizers by Moog
  and others make instruments more widely available
• Switched-on Bach, by Walter (now Wendy) Carlos
• Beginning of live electronic performance
• Synket, used by John Eaton

5
1970s

• Affordable, integrated synthesizers
  Mini-Moog,ARP, Oberheim
• Jon Appleton (with Jonesand Alonso) invents
  whatbecomes Synclavier (right)
• Barry Vercoe writes Music11, a next-generation
  music synthesis program (becomesCSound)
• CCRMA (Stanford) founded 1975
• IRCAM (Paris) founded 1979

6
1980s

• Development of MIDI
• An industry standard defining interactions
  between electronic music devices.
• Yamaha introduces DX-7 keyboard, based on FM
  synthesis
• Miller Puckette develops MAX
• graphic signal-processing software for real-time
  MIDI control
• algorithmic composition

7
1990s

• Interactive computer-assisted performance becomes
  popular.
• Tod Machover (MIT, IRCAM), Begin Again Again for
  "hypercello," using interactive system of sensors
  measuring physical movements, premiered by Yo-Yo
  Ma.
• Max Mathews perfects Radio Baton
• MIDI sequencing programs expand to included
  digital audio.
• Growth of works for instrumentalist (or ensemble)
  and tape (pioneered by Mario Davidovsky's
  Synchronisms series)

8
Works for Performer and Tape
9
Milton Babbitt, Philomel

• Composed 1964
• For soprano (live), soprano voice, synthesized
  sounds
• Fleeing Tereus into the forest of Thrace,
  Philomel is transformed into a nightingale, the
  ruined bird whose song pours out of the darkness
  with a voice restored from incoherence.
• Listening guide
• Text
• Score
• Listen (Var2)

10
John Cage, Aria, Fontana Mix

• Fontana Mix
• Composed according to aleatoric process
• Aria
• Performer indeterminacy
• Score
• Listen (Var2)

11
Olly Wilson Piano Piece for Piano and Electronic
Sounds

• Tape part more traditional
• Tighter integration between tape, soloist
• Listen (Var2)

12
Jeff Hass

• Lost in the Funhouse, Mvt. 3, Lost in the
  Funhouse (Dept. MP3)
• For wind ensemble and tape

13
Electronics in Popular Music

• Beetles, Sgt. Pepper, Being for the Benefit of
  Mr. Kite (see esp. 154)
• Beach Boys, Good vibrations (tr. 17)
• Electro-theremin (right)
• Almost all current pop music
• Electronica
• Hip-hop