Music Technology

By Anna Mirasol

What is Music Technology?

• It is a term that refers to all forms of technology involved with the musical arts, particularly the use of electronic devices

• The concept is connected both to musical and technological creativity

• Because people are always striving to create new devices, this term of Music Technology must continuously expand

Music Technology can also be instruments.

• .

And..

• In the computer age, Music Technology can be mechanical, electronic (firmware and hardware) and software.

• The picture on the top left is an amplifier, which is a device that usually increases the amplitude of a signal.

• The bottom left is called a metronome, which is a device that produces a regulated pulse or established tempo.

The Pro and Con of a product

Digital Synthesizer

Or

Analog Synthesizer

Synthesizer• an electronic instrument

capable of producing a variety of sounds by generating and combining signals of different frequencies.

• 3 main synthesizers”– Analog

– Digital

– Software Based

Digital or Analog Synthesizer• Fundamental differences between analog and digital technology mean some of the

characteristics of analogue synthesizers cannot be replicated by samplers or digital synthesizers

• Digital Synthesizer: uses digital signal processing (DSP) techniques to make musical sounds

– "softsynth" software that synthesizes sound using conventional PC hardware– - require careful programming and a fast CPU to get the same latency response

as their dedicated equivalents – Another con is that the budget for large digital systems are expensive– digital synthesizers frequently have the advantage of onboard accessibility,

with switchable front panel controls to peruse their functions– simple hard-wired digital circuitry to implement techniques such as additive

synthesis and FM synthesis• Analog Synthesizer: synthesizer that uses analog circuits and analog computer

techniques to generate sound electronically– could be used both as a sound-generating and sound-processing system.– A very specialized form of analog synthesizer was the analog vocoder– Vocoders could be used to make a sound that resembled a musical instrument

talking or singing.– Analog synthesizers were mostly replaced by digital synthesizers and

samplers

Devices/Apparatuses/Appliances of Music Technology

Some Examples [with pictures]

The Apple Macbook Air

&

MPC5000 –DJ Controller

Resources

• http://www.futuremusic.com/

• http://www.futuremusic.com/

• http://www.portnet.k12.ny.us/port2000/glossary.htm

• http://www.manifest-tech.com/society/future-music.htm

• http://futuremusic.com/news/january2008/2008_technology_report.html