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The Telharmonium (also known as the Dynamophone) was an early electronic organ, developed by Thaddeus Cahill in 1897. The electrical signal from the Telharmonium was transmitted over wires; it was heard on the receiving end by means of 'horn' speakers.
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The theremin is an electronic musical instrument in which the tone is generated by two high-frequency oscillators and the pitch controlled by the movement of the performer's hand toward and away from the circuit.
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The Ondes-Martenot works by oscillating radio tubes that produce electric pulses at two supersonic sound-wave frequencies. They in turn produce a lower frequency within audible range that is equal to the difference in their rates of vibration and that is amplified and converted into sound by a loudspeaker.
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The Hammond Organ is invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert based on the basic principles of the telharmonium. The Hammond Organ is basically an electronic organ.
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The tape recorder is an audio storage device that records and plays back sounds, including articulated voices. It was invented by Fritz Pfleumer.
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Messiaen wrote Fete des belles eaux for six ondes-martenot. This was one of the first pieces written for the new electronic instrument to become extrememly successful.
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John Cage composes Imaginary Landscape no.1 (1939) and no. 2 (1942) using test-tones from recordings, which were played on variable-speed turntables. These titles were revolutionary in the making of electronic music. It was the beginning of a new recording era.
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RTF (Radiodiffusion-television Francaise) broadcasts Pierre Schaeffer's Etude aux Chemin de Fer on Oct. 5th. This marks the beginning of studio realizations and musique concrete.
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Robert Moog was a pioneer in electronic music. He invented the moog synthesizer, which would eventually be a spark for the entire music industry.
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Columbia-Princeton Studio established in New York with the help of a $175,000 Rockefeller grant, incorporated the RCA Mark II synthesizer, the first major voltage-controlled synthesizer.
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Development of smaller voltage-controlled synthesizers by Moog and others make instruments available to most composers, universities and popular musicians.
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Mini-Moog, a small affordable integrated synthesizer make analog synthesis easily available and affordable, along with newcomers ARP and Oberheim. Development of real-time digital synthesis is also created.
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MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) instruments and software make powerful control of sophisticated instruments easily affordable by many studios and individuals. It makes electronic music more easily created.
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An interactive system of sensors measuring physical movements of cellists premiered by Yo-Yo Ma is usedin computer technology. This is a huge breakthrough for such a known artist to start using computer generated software.
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PLOrk is the first all computer orchestra to perform. PLOrk stands for Princeton Laptop Orchestra.
