Why Hardware?

In the early days of electronic music, musicians began experimenting with electronic test equipment, tape machines, and record players. These efforts evolved into purpose-built devices made to generate and control sound. Through the efforts of many, including Don Buchla, Robert Moog and Serge Tcherepnin, analog synthesizers were born. These innovations of 1960s and 1970s had a profound influence on music and lead to what is commonly referred to as electronic music.

Music Hardware as Musical Instrument

Technological advancements have the expanded the possibilities of electronic music creation. Digital technology enabled the electronic music equipment industry to offer new electronic instruments to wider audiences. These included drum machines, sequencers, samplers, digital effects and digital synthesizers. The shift to affordable electronic music hardware allowed new communities to participate, outside of research and university settings. New forms of music emerged, such as hip hop and EDM. Today, many musical artists use hardware to make interesting and innovative music.

Computers & Electronic Music Creation

Computers have become a significant aspect of our lives, embedding themselves in the ways we work, communicate, learn and play. Most people born in the 21st century that have engaged with electronic music creation have done so on a computer, and they are more likely to consume music over a computer. Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs), software synths, plugins, and DJ apps provide seemingly limitless options, but they also pose challenges.

Music made on a computer is mediated by a screen and requires an understanding of how to create music within specific software applications. These applications influence how music is made and often what types of music is made. For example, a particular DAW may emphasize loop-based music creation, making it difficult to discover other compositional approaches.