xxii + 286 pp.Includes a Foreword by Ross Kirk

Listening to instruments -- "The joy of precision" : mechanical instruments and the aesthetics of automation -- "The alchemy of tone" : Jörg Mager and electric music -- "Sonic handwriting" : media instruments and musical inscription -- "A new, perfect musical instrument" : the trautonium and electric music in the 1930s -- The expanding instrumentarium

By exploring the many different types and forms of contemporary musical instruments, this book contributes to a better understanding of the conditions of instrumentality in the 21st century. Providing insights from science, humanities and the arts, authors from a wide range of disciplines discuss the following questions: · What are the conditions under which an object is recognized as a musical instrument? · What are the actions and procedures typically associated with musical instruments? · What kind of (mental and physical) knowledge do we access in order to recognize or use something as a musical instrument? · How is this knowledge being shaped by cultural conventions and temporal conditions? · How do algorithmic processes 'change the game' of musical performance, and as a result, how do they affect notions of instrumentality? · How do we address the question of instrumental identity within an instrument's design process? · What properties can be used to differentiate successful and unsuccessful instruments? Do these properties also contribute to the instrumentality of an object in general? What does success mean within an artistic, commercial, technological, or scientific context?

Since 1960, with the advent of musical electronics, composers and musicians have been using ever more sophisticated machines to create sonic material that presents innovation, color and new styles: electro-acoustic, electro, house, techno, etc. music. The music of Pierre Henry, Kraftwerk, Pink Floyd, Daft Punk and many others has introduced new sounds, improbable rhythms and a unique approach to composition and notation. Electronic machines have become essential: they have built and influenced the music of the most recent decades and set the trend for future productions. This book explores the theory and practice related to the different machines which constitute the universe of musical electronics, omitting synthesizers which are treated in other works. Sequencers, drum machines, samplers, groove machines and vocoders from 1960 to today are studied in their historical, physical and theoretical context. More detailed approaches to the Elektron Octatrack sequencer-sampler and the Korg Electribe 2 groove machine are also included.

This is the perfect book for musicians who want to dive into the world of computer music and physical computing. This book is aimed at adventurous musicians who want to learn about music programming with Arduino, sensors, and Pure Data, and how to make new interfaces and even new instruments with that knowledge. You’ll learn the basics of the Pure Data and Arduino languages, how to incorporate sensors into your musical projects, and how to use embedded computers, like the Raspberry Pi, to create stand-alone projects. Along the way, you’ll learn how to create a variety of innovative musical projects, including an interactive bow for stringed instruments, a MIDI clavier synthesizer, an interactive drum set, a patch-bay matrix synthesizer, a guitar looper, and even a DIY theremin. If you are a musician or tinkerer who wants to explore the world of electronic and electroacoustic music and musical interfaces with Arduino, sensors, and Pure Data, Digital Electronics for Musicians is the book for you. What You Will Learn Learn the basics of the Pure Data and the Arduino languages Learn more about the available sensors on the market, and how you can incorporate them into your musical projects Focus on physical computing by combining Arduino and Pure Data, bringing the physical world to the world of the computers Make use of additional libraries that extend the capabilities of the Arduino Make use of external objects in Pure Data that help achieve certain goals, depending on the project Learn how a Pure Data patch functions and be able to modify other people's work that fits your needs Learn how the Arduino language works, enabling the modification of already existing code, according to your needs Get insight on the serial communication between the Arduino and Pure Data Learn how to approach various programming challenges in different ways Who This is For Musicians who want to explore the world of electronic and electroacoustic music and musical interfaces with Arduino, sensors, and Pure Data.