Contemporary Electronic Music

What is MIDI?

MIDI: Musical Instrument Digital Interface

The MIDI language allows different electronic instruments and computer interfaces to "talk" to each other. Before the invention of MIDI, musicians had a difficult time syncing up their instrument set-ups because the instruments were not compatible with each other. MIDI was developed in 1982 and was shared freely as open source. Today most music studios and professional software programs operate off of MIDI. At first MIDI sounds were limited to 127 specific sounds that you would most likely recognize from some of the earliest video games of the 1980s.

Ghostbusters Atari Music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJDjALoIeKU

Composers like Laurie Anderson took MIDI and found new ways to express music and art through technology like the Drum Suit, samplers, CD-Rom, vocoder, and video.

Puppet Motel CD Rom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPYOSLqN5Ns

O Superman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd7XnOnSkkA

Pamela Z BodySynth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLDUQs7mkVQ

Contemporary Electronic Music

Technology, the Internet, computers, microchips, virtual reality, sensors, etc. have all revolutionized music technology and electronic music. Composers from all around the world use technology to compose and perform their works. There are a variety of new musical styles in the contemporary electronic genre.

Electronic instruments and music technology in general has helped composers and musicians create many musical sounds in a variety of situations:

Film composers can create entire orchestras and choirs using computer software
MIDI instruments like the Malletkat and electronic drum sets allow a percussionist to become a string orchestra
Dancers can "compose" music through their dance movements in a live concert through sensors using MIDI data
Composers can have a computer transcribe their music and send copies to an orchestra with a single click of the button
Indie musicians can share their newest album without having to worry about an agent through the internet
Music students can listen to music from all over the world without leaving their home
Musicians can collaborate internationally with musicians across the ocean
Music teachers can create fun music activities with music education software
Difficult to find instruments like bagpipes or full organs can be played on a keyboard in live performance
Video, video games, and audiovisual technology is combined with electronic music in a variety of hybrid arts.

Where does classical music end and technology begin?

You can read more about the importance of Music Technology in this article: http://iawm.wordpress.com/2010/01/23/in-defense-of-music-technology-adapt-or-die/

Eric Whitacre Virtual Choir Piece: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7o7BrlbaDs

Interactive MIDI Sequencer using MaxMSP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O70FrnH2JU&feature=related

Turing Machine Opera: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jPlIvoS1t8&feature=BFa&list=PL270BA342E9103AD8&index=10

The Manekin "I'm Table Live": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdcEJFHId1I&feature=related

Synthesized work: h ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh0jZisqUeg

iPhone Orchestra: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADEHmkL3HBg

laptop orchestra: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUeBXRWg0pA

Musical Tesla Coils: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEj6nSpD778&feature=related

Here is a sample of a vocal synthesizer singing using Vocaloid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rsBLRFONEs&feature=related

The animated character singing is called Miku Hatsune, and she is actually a virtual music superstar!

The You Tube Symphony Orchestra is only one example showing how the internet has changed the classical world. Comprised of 100 members who auditioned online through YouTube, the You Tube Symphony Orchestra premiered at Carnegie Hall with a work by composer Tan Dun (composer of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and the Beijing Olympics).

"Internet Symphony" by Tan Dun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZhXMA62eNA&feature=relmfu

A Composer's Brief Guide to Percussion Mallets

When composing for percussion, it is important to know the difference between a variety of mallets. Although in most cases the percussionist will choose the proper mallets for the passage, sometimes as a composer, you want a particular sound. It is always good to research a mallet before indicating it in your score. Consult a percussion catalogue for a more in-depth look at the hundreds of mallets available. 1. YARN MALLETS They come in every dynamic range from supersoft baseball-sized to forte. They are the multi-purpose mallet, used for toms, suspended cymbal rolls, marimba, xylophone, woodblock, and pretty much anytime a percussionist doesn't have time to pick up another mallet. 2. CORD MALLETS These are harder than the yarn mallets. More effective on xylophone and vibes, these mallets can also be used for a variety of percussion instruments. 3. BRASS MALLETS These are for use on the glockenspiel/bells and the occasional brake drum. They produce a more "tinny" kind of ...

Music Secrets: The Music School Survival Guide

Music Secrets: The Music School Survival Guide Don't have any time to balance rehearsals, exams, and a social life? Then read on! So you find that between playing in orchestra, the school musical, a solo recital or two, joining Sigma Alpha Iota or Phi Mu Alpha , playing in the alternative band at night, pep band, and marching band that you can't keep your eyes open, let alone study for the music history midterm next week or even begin to write your term paper on Debussy? Then read on and learn to balance life in Music School. 1) Musicians DO need to Sleep Yes, you need to sleep, even if it is only five hours a night plus catnaps. Your brain cannot function if you do not sleep. So sleep, even if that means that you can't play in that awesome alternative band that jams every other night till 5am at the local bar. 2) Eat right and exercise Okay, so I sound like your parents, or Oprah, but I am serious. My biggest mistake as an undergrad (well, one of my bigges...

Percussion 101: How to Play Hand Crash Cymbols

Young Girl Plays Cymbals The hand cymbals (or crash cymbals ) are extremely versatile percussion instruments . The hand cymbals are used in the military, drum and bugle corps , the orchestra, and wind ensembles. Proper percussion hand cymbal technique takes many years of practice and hard work, as well as stamina and upper body strength. The most common use of the hand cymbals is in the drum line, whether in a high school band or a professional drum and bugle corps. Two cymbals are held by straps to the cymbal player's hands. In marching band and drum and bugle corps, the cymbal player often will loop their own hand in the strap, then grab the strap. Protect Your Hands Tape, strap pads, and gloves are often used to protect the cymbal player's hands from blisters and the slow grinding away of skin during a lengthy band show. In the orchestra setting, where the crash cymbal is often reserved for music accents and shorter music passages, the percussion player does...

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