Electric sound : the past and promise of electronic music

The author covers the development of the electronic musical instrument from Thaddeus Cahill's Telharmonium at the turn of the last century to the MIDI synthesizers of the 1990s. --book cover. Composer, Pioneer, Entrepreneur, And Teacher Joel Chadabe, In Vivid And Lively Terms, Tells How The Electronic Musical Instrument Developed From Thaddeus Cahill's Telharmonium At The Turn Of The Century To The Midi Synthesizers Of The 1990s. Book Jacket.--book Jacket. The Pioneers In The First Half Of The Twentieth Century -- The Early Instruments -- Tape Music And Related Technology, In The Studio And In Performance -- The Great Opening Up Of Music To All Sounds -- Expansion Of The Tape Music Idea -- Out Of The Studios -- Digital Technology And Synthesizer Concepts Come Together -- Computer Music -- Synthesizers -- The Midi World -- Where Are We In The Development Of Performance Devices And Sound Generators? -- Inputs And Controls -- Making Sound -- Ideas Emerge For An Interactive Instrument -- Automata -- Interaction -- Summaries And Speculations -- Where Are We Going?. Joel Chadabe. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Contents: I. THE PIONEERS IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. 1. The Early Instruments. II. TAPE MUSIC AND RELATED TECHNOLOGY, IN THE STUDIO AND IN PERFORMANCE. 2. The Great Opening Up of Music to All Sounds. 3. Expansion of the Tape Music Idea. 4. Out of the Studios. III. DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY AND SYNTHESIZER CONCEPTS COME TOGETHER. 5. Computer Music. 6. Synthesizers. 7. The MIDI World. IV. WHERE ARE WE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PERFORMANCE DEVICES AND SOUND GENERATORS? 8. Inputs and Controls. 9. Making Sound. V. IDEAS EMERGE FOR AN INTERACTIVE INSTRUMENT. 10. Automata. 11. Interaction. VI. SUMMARIES AND SPECULATIONS... 12. Where Are We Going? Notes on Sources and Materials. Index. With a truly global perspective, this vivid and readable narrative provides a comprehensive overview of the history of electronic music. The author draws upon his combined experience as composer, performer, researcher, entrepreneur, and teacher to provide insight into every aspect of electronic music, including the music itself, the instruments, and the industry. Based on more than 150 interviews with leaders in the field, this book allows students to understand how and why the musicians, engineers and businessmen did what they did to develop the modern synthesizer to its current state. Provides a comprehensive overview of the history of electronic music. This book presents insight into various aspects of electronic music, including the music itself, the instruments, and the industry.