The History Of Electronic Music: A blog exploring the history and evolution of electronic music.
The History Of Electronic Music: A blog exploring the history and evolution of electronic music.
The History Of Electronic Music: A blog exploring the history and evolution of electronic music.
The History Of Electronic Music: A blog exploring the history and evolution of electronic music.
The History Of Electronic Music: A blog exploring the history and evolution of electronic music.
The History Of Electronic Music: A blog exploring the history and evolution of electronic music.
Electronic Music’s origins in the late 19th century
Electronic music is generally considered to have begun in the late 19th century, with the invention of the telharmonium by Thaddeus Cahill. This instrument, patented in 1897, employed a number of rotating electric dynamos, which generated an electrical current that was then converted into sound by means of a mechanism resembling a loudspeaker. The telharmonium was an enormous instrument, weighing 200 tons and requiring its own power plant. It was only ever used for public performances at two locations, New York and Niagara Falls.
The first electronic musical instruments
The first purely electronic musical instruments were developed at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. The earliest examples were called theremins and were invented independently by Lev Sergeyevich Termen (aka Léon Theremin) and Clarence W. Hansell. These instruments were controlled by two metal antennas which measured the distance between the player’s hands to determine pitch and volume respectively.
The earliest known recordings of electronically generated sounds date back to 1928 when Joseph Schillinger composed First Airphonic Suite for Theremin and Orchestra. However,
The History Of Electronic Music: A blog exploring the history and evolution of electronic music.
A 24-hour online radio station dedicated to experimental music, technology and ideas.
A 24-hour online radio station dedicated to experimental music, technology and ideas.
The History Of Electronic Music is a blog exploring the history and evolution of electronic music. From early experiments with sound recording, to the invention of the theremin and the Moog synthesizer, to the creation of techno, house, trance and more in the ’80s and ’90s, we’ll be documenting important moments in music history up until today. The posts will detail technological innovations, influential musicians and composers, as well as social movements in music.
We’re also interested in hearing from you! If you have information to share or an idea for a post we could write, please get in touch.
I started this blog in 2012 as a way to document my studies into the history of electronic music. This was a subject I was already passionate about, but at that time I had no idea just how all-consuming it would become.
This is the result of the last four years of research and writing. Over time the blog has evolved into something much more than I could ever have imagined when I first started. It has grown from an initial focus on early pioneers like Daphne Oram, Delia Derbyshire and Karlheinz Stockhausen, to include over 100 stories of electronic music from across the world, from the 1940s through to today. I’ve also tried to highlight lesser known artists wherever possible, while always retaining a sense of the bigger picture.
The History Of Electronic Music is intended as an introduction to a fascinating subject, which is by no means easy to define. Electronic music has developed in many different directions over the years, and there are numerous ways it can be approached and interpreted. It’s also constantly evolving, with new people continuing to push forward its development in their own unique ways every day.
Electronic music is a blanket term for music created with various sound-generating electronic devices. Although the term has been in common use since the 1960s, the origin of it can be traced back to the 1890s, when radio transmitters and receivers were used to create and broadcast radio signals.
In 1928, the French composer Pierre Schaeffer created an experimental music studio and helped invent musique concrète (concrete music), which was made by recording and mixing sounds on magnetic tape. The first commercially available audio synthesizer was released in 1954 by RCA and was designed by Harry Olson and Herbert Belar. Today, electronic music is a popular genre in pop culture and is used as background music in movies, television shows, commercials, video games, restaurants and more.