Research & Critical Method II

7/27/2019 Research & Critical Method II

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Research Paper

By Aaron Duroy 2012



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Contents

Chapter One – Introduction 3

Chapter Two – Research Question 6

Chapter Three – Literature Review 8

Chapter Four – Research Methods 17

Chapter Five – Results 21

Chapter Six – Discussion 31

Chapter Seven – Conclusion 38

References 42

Appendix One 43

Appendix Two 48

Appendix Three 53

Appendix Four 58



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Chapter One -

Introduction

The Reason for this Research Project

In this chapter, I will discuss the topic of my research project, as well as the reasons for the

choice of topic and choice of research methods.

I have decided to conduct my research on electronic music because it is a topic which I am

interested in and don’t have much knowledge of. I thought research in the field of electronic

music would help me to understand more about the topic.

I will be utilising an ethnographic research approach, so my focus in my research is to

analyse the personal experience of the audience, and whether or not it has changed due to

the development of electronic music. I will use social and historical information to answer

my research question.

Definitions

Electronic music contains many technical terms due to its affiliation with technology. For

definitions, please see Appendix 1.



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Reason for the Research

Electronic music is a relatively recent development; therefore there is a diverse range of

literature which is easily accessible. However, much of the literature I found on electronic

music referred to the history of electronic music and the impact that it has had on music in

the 20th

Century. I found that there was a gap in my research in that I wanted to discover

the effect that electronic music has had on the audience.

To discover the effects of electronic music, it was critical for me to use a literature review,

interviews and observation as methods for my research. Because my topic refers to the

audience experience, an ethnographic research seemed appropriate so that my answer

contained information that was written in the field, as well as interviewing knowledgeable

people in their respectable fields and observation to gain an understanding of how

audiences reacted to live music. The combination of these methods of research will give me

a comprehensive understanding on what I need to know to answer my question.

Research Question

Because of my interest in the development of electronic music in the latter half of the 20th

Century and my curiosity in the field of audience reaction, I came to the research question:

How have the trends in electronic music affected the personal experience of an audience?

I will further explain how this question was determined in the research question chapter.



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Research Methods Overview

When conducting my research, I will use the process of triangulation by using three

methodologies to ensure validity and reliability. The methods I will be using combine social

and historical elements of research. These methods include a literature review, interviews

and observation. The combination of all three methodologies will help me to answer my

research question.

Conclusion

My interest in electronic music has led me to research on the topic, and the social element

of audience reaction. I will use several research methodologies which relate to both social

and historical factors to complete my research. In the next chapter, I will explain how I

reached the topic of my research question.



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Chapter Two –

Research Question

Introduction

In this chapter, I will explain how I took my interest in electronic music and formulated a research

question that would enable me to complete ethnographic research on the topic.

The Research Question

‘How have the trends in electronic music affected the personal experience of the audience?’

Formulation

I have a strong interest in electronic music because of my unfamiliarity towards the topic. I have

minimal experience in the field of electronic music and so it was a point of curiosity and a quest for

knowledge that brought me to research electronic music. I wanted to specifically incorporate the

development of electronic music throughout the 20

th

and 21

st

centuries into my question, so I

decided to include ‘trends’ into my question so that I could research the development and future

possibilities of electronic music.

To include a social element into my research question, I thought that it would be suitable to research

the field of live electronic music. I wanted to explore how the process of creating live electronic

music affected the experience of audiences, because I believe it is a gap of research. To understand



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the effect electronic music has had on audiences, it is vital for me to compare the differences

between electronic music and non-electronic music.

By conducting a literature review, interviewing knowledgeable people and observing audiences, I

believe I can analyse the trends of electronic music, and discover the effect that live electronic music

has on audiences.

Conclusion

My interest in electronic music has led me to my question about trends and audience reaction in

regards to electronic music. To gain a complete answer to my question, it is important for me to

research these elements from a range of sources. The next chapter will contain my literature review,

which includes research of literary sources to discover what has been written in the field of

electronic music and the field of audience experiences.



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Chapter Three -

Literature Review

Introduction

In this chapter, I will use a range of literary sources to discuss the history of electronic music

and its growth throughout the 20th

Century, as well as the trends of musical experience and

how these trends have changed due to the development of electronic music.

Setting the Parameters

The purpose of conducting a literature review on my chosen field was to gain an

understanding of the influence electronic music has had on the development of music.

Reviewing sources on my chosen topic has helped me understand the history of electronic

music and the trends of musical experience.

Electronic music is a recent development and a popular topic, and contains extensive

amounts of literature. I have reviewed a variety of sources including research articles,

books, internet websites and video seminars.

What Has Been Written in the Field?

There is a wide range of information relating to electronic music and musical experience. I

have used a number of sources that discuss the history of music from the 19th

Century

onwards, specifically the foundations and growth of electronic music. I also found a number

of sources that contained specific information regarding the experiences of audiences and

the influence electronic music has had on these experiences.



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Post World War II

“Electronic music has become very important since World War II, both because of the new

techniques it uses and because it’s new resources are linked with new concepts of music and

aesthetics” Apel 1972.

Prior to WWII, experimentation led to the development of instruments such as the

Hammond organ and the Theremin. These instruments provided new timbres and

established the technical foundations for future electronic music. The development of

computer technology in the post-WWII era had a significant impact on electronic music

(Hiller et al 2010).

The Growth of Electronic Music throughout Europe and U.S.

‘Musique Concrete’

‘Musique Concrete’ emerged in France in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. The movement

was led by Pierre Schaeffer in his Parisian studio along with Darius Milhaud, Olivier

Messiaen and Pierre Boulez. ‘Musique Concrete’ was an important development of the

integration of electronics with sounds, as it refers to the process of recording natural sounds

and then manipulating these sounds. Such manipulation usually included changing the

speed of playback, reversing the direction of the tape and processing sounds throughexternal filters (Forney, Machlis 2007).

‘Electronische Musik’

Karlheinz Stockhausen, Herbert Eimert and Gottfried Michael Koenig were developing

‘Electronishce Musik’ in the West German Radio Studio in Cologne, Germany. The



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music. The separation significantly altered the concept of the personal musical experience,

and tended to ignore the importance of visuals (Thompson et al 2005).

The Musical Experience

Thompson et al (2005) state that “…visual aspects of performance signal that performers are

not merely producers of sound but themselves listeners, highlighting the musical activity as a

shared experience between performers and listeners…”

The musical experience is not only the communication and representation of a musical idea

and sounds, but also a visual experience which uses facial expressions and body movements

to connect the performer and listener together on an emotional level. Basic concepts of

music such as tempo, dynamics, consonance and melodic contour are emphasised and

manipulated to express their intention. Musical events are emphasised visually, to focus the

listener’s attention to specific moments which are critical to the musical performance. Each

musical genre requires a different balance of visual and aural emphasis (Thompson et al

2005).

Trends in Musical Experience

Although visual aspects remain key to a music performance, the way that these visual

aspects are represented has continually changed. The actions of the performer are not as

significant to a performance, in favour of other visual displays. Techniques such as facial

expressions, hand gestures and body movements have become less important in popular

music, in favour of visual techniques including light shows and pyrotechnics (Thompson et al

2005).

“This movement away from the action of the performer began with the super stadium

concerts of the early 1970’s, the most obvious exemplar being Pink Floyd, with its high ratio

of visual machinery to actual people performing music.” Thompson et al 2005.



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Although there is still emphasis on the performer and their connection to the audience,

most large scale concerts require these artificial visuals to connect to the audience in a

different way, just as how electronic music needs the same visual representation to engage

the audience (Thompson et al 2005).

“Musical performance in a cultural context has been inextricably linked to the human

bod y…” Bahn et al 2001.

“Historically, the body has played only a minor role in the creation and performance of

electronic music.” Bahn et al 2001.

The lack of physical involvement in electronic music performances has led to requiring

alternative methods to connect to audiences. ”…these performance issues have often led to

exaggerated gesture along with extreme amplification to create exciting connections…This

creates a musical/social context that is inherently and intentionally presentation (rather

than process) oriented.” Bahn et al 2001.

Conclusion

The results of my literature review have influenced me to continue research on the topic

through other research methodologies, such as observation and interviews, so that I can

apply an ethnographic approach to my research to comprehensively answer my research

question.



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would provide me with the necessary data required to describe the audience experience. I

observed elements such as body language, attention, reaction and involvement.

The observations were made at:

- ‘Chris Fraser’ at Epping Hotel, Epping NSW, 1st

August 2012;

- ‘Neon Stereo’ at Candy’s Apartment, King’s Cross NSW, 15th

September 2012;

- ‘Night Flight’ (Led Zeppelin Tribute Band) at Jack’s Bar and Grill, Erina NSW, 23rd

September 2012;

- ‘Mnemic’ at Gosford Youth Arts Warehouse, Gosford NSW, 25th

October 2012.

Validity

To ensure the validity of my research project, I have gathered information from reliable

sources of information. My interviews were conducted with a script of set questions so that

I could later group the information together. It also provided me with clear answers to

specific topics, so that I could easily compare answers between interviewees when

discussing results. To ensure validity, I have attended four varying concerts all relevant to

my research question. The focus on studying audiences in an objective manner and

observing the physical reactions supports my research.

Reliability

I have maintained reliability in my literature review by using a wide range of reputable

literary sources. My interviews were only conducted with those who are experienced and

knowledgeable in my topic.



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Triangulation

I used the process of triangulation when constructing my research paper, which helps to

ensure the validity and reliability of my project. Triangulation is the process of using three

methodologies to examine data and strengthen interpretations of the data. Using three

different research methods reduces the potential for biases.

Conclusion

By using the process of triangulation and ensuring validity and reliability within my research,

I was able to collect a strong amount of useful and reliable information to learn more about

the history of my topic and the opinions of knowledgeable people in the chosen field. The

next chapter is the results chapter and features the findings from the interviews and

observation conducted.



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- ‘Night Flight’ (Led Zeppelin Tribute Band) at Jack’s Bar and Grill, Erina NSW, 23rd

September 2012;

- ‘Mnemic’ at Gosford Youth Arts Warehouse, Gosford NSW, 25th

October 2012.

Below, results of the interviews and observation have been collated to show the relevance

of the results to the chosen research question. There are two main focuses of the research

question in which the information was categorised into:

- The Development and Trends of Electronic Music

- The Personal Experience of the Audience

Results

The Development and Trends of Electronic Music

Development of Technology

On the question of whether technology has become easier to use and if it has provided an

advantage, Dass responded “Yes, definitely. Technology has become so easy for anyone to

use.” He then continued to describe his experience studying at SAE Sydney, “many of the

students were not musically trained, but had programs like Logic, Ableton, Cubase, Fruity

Loops and could perform electronic dance music just by having basic music knowledge and

knowing how to remix a song or to put together sounds that sounded good with the help of

a strict tempo.”



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Similarly, Kendall noted “When I first started out, I could only afford a really basic set up

where it was pretty much two CD players and a crossfade, along with a few effects like filters

and panning…I think the technology is always growing, but the real importance is the

accessibility of the higher range products and recording software, which have become more

and more affordable.”

Advantage of Electronic Music over Non-Electronic Music

Kendall believed there was an advantage for electronic music, noting “I think there is a slight

advantage in that there are more avenues for electronic music to be played, but I think that

both have those challenges where it is hard to find gigs without a reputation…”. Dass

opposed the idea of there being an advantage, stating “No, I don’t believe there is an

advantage as such, both types of music provide many opportunities.”

Effects of Electronic Music and Technology on the Live Scene

On the question of how electronic music has aff ected the live scene, Rollinson replied “ As

far as bands go, electronic music is present to some degree in almost every band.”

“The live scene has become smaller but I don’t think electronics has played a role in this.

Recorded music such as in clubs, bar s, discos, plus pokies and trends have all played a part.”

“I think the influence of dance music has played a role in changing many live bands, many

current bands have an 80’s influence but also show awareness of remix techniques and

techno music.”



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Audiences that listen to electronic styles of music tend to relate more to the atmosphere

that’s created.”

Dass held a similar opinion, explaining “I think people generally respond to music which

sounds similar to what they expect from the recording, or what is normally acceptable of

their genre.” He also stated that “For electronic dance music, I think the driving rhythm of

the beat is what people respond to. Experimental electronic music would be something

completely different.” Rollinson also mentioned the rhythm’s influence on audience

reactions as he described “…dance music can be more hypnotic and tribal than rock, etc.”

Observation of the audience at ‘Night Flight’ included much of the audience sitting around

bar tables with beers and wines. There were approximately 30 audience members and the

demographic was mostly above 40 years of age. There was noticeable tapping of feet,

nodding of heads and few audience members were singing along to the band and imitating

the band. There was applause and cheers after each song.

The observation of ‘Mnemic’ consisted of an audience of approximately 50 people with a

variety of ages. The majority of the audience were standing either against the side walls, the

front barrier or the back wall. There were some audience members that stood and watched

with little physical movement, some were standing and nodding their head and tapping

their feet. There were several members who were participating physically through

noticeable ‘headbanging’, and several members who were ‘headbanging’ and moving their

whole bodies exceptionally. There was also applause and cheers after each song.

The observation made at ‘Neon Stereo’ consisted of an audience of approximately 50-60

people, and the age demographic would have been ranging from approximately 18 to 35

years of age. A majority of people were dancing and participating in enthusiastic physical

movement. Some members showed more emphasis on moving arms and singing along.



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The Effects of the Development of Technology

By examining the effect that the development of technology has had on music, Hiller et al

(2010) questioned “whether live electronic music is really an advance or a reversion to a

more primit ive state of the art…” . Hiller et al (2010) also described live electronic music as

“the enhancement of the timbre of familiar instruments, rather than music conceived totally

in terms of electronic media”. Dass noted that “Technology has become so easy for anyone

to use”, explaining that live electronic dance music could be performed “ just by having basic

music knowledge and knowing how to remix a song or putting together sounds that sounded

good with the help of a strict tempo.”

Kendall believed that the growing accessibility of technology had the largest impact, stating

that “technology is always growing, but the real importance is the accessibility of the higher

range products and recording software, which have become more and more affordable.”

This opinion is supported by Korney, Machlis (2007), explaining that “The affordability of

digital synthesizers and personal computers and their ability to communicate with one

another allowed for a digital revolution to promote electronic music.”

Rollinson described the effect that technology and electronic music has had on the live

scene, noting “ As far as bands go, electronic music is present to some degree in almost every

band.” This view was supported by observation at two live non-electronic music concerts;

‘Night Flight’ and ‘Mnemic’. The observation showed that electronic processing had a

significant impact on the performance, using effects mainly on guitar and vocals such as

equalisation, delay, reverb, chorus, phaser, distortion, wah-wah. Along with this, there was

also use of amp-modelling at ‘Mnemic’ and the use of a synthesiser at ‘Night Flight’.



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Rollinson also described the influence of electronic music on non-electronic music,

explaining “The influence of dance music has played a role in changing many live bands;

many current bands have an 80’s influence but also show awareness of remix techniques

and techno music.”

Advantage of Electronic Music over Non-Electronic Music

Forney, Machlis (2007) noted that elements of electronic music such as MIDI and computer

music have had a significant impact on the possibilities for composition and performance,

noting that “MIDI allows synthesisers to communicate not only with one another, but with

other devices such as computers, signal processors, drum machines, and even mixing

boards.” Apel (1972) believed that electronic music motivated composers and performers to

“realise with maximum precision the demands of a new musical syntax…of which goes

beyond the capabilities of the performer.” The results from the interviews were

inconclusive, as the responses were divided as to whether electronic music had an

advantage or not over non-electronic music.

Effects of Electronic Music and Technology on the Future of Music

Kendall explained that technology would continue to have a significant influence on music in

the future, stating “The connection that people have with technology these days makes it

easier for people to have that same connection with music.” Dass also believed that

electronic music would continue to be prominent in the future, noting that electronic music

would develop “as sub-genres develop and technology continues to grow.” Rollinson noted

that new technology would develop to “ produce new sounds or manipulate old sounds, and

musicians or music producers will use them in an effort to appear ’cutting edge’, and the



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best sounds or ideas will be taken up by others.” Rollinson compared the future of music to

“science research” .

Rollinson explained the effect for non-electronic music, noting “acoustic and electric

instrument based music has always progressed by raiding traditional or folk music from

around the world, so this will probably continue; as well as making use of new technology in

recording and playing.” Rollinson also noted the impact on musicians and performers “Many

young musicians, not knowing that some music is constructed in a sequenced way, have

produced interesting ways of playing by attempting to emulate computer based rhythms

and phrasing.”

The Personal Experience of the Audience

Audience Reactions to Music

Thompson et al (2005) explains that emotional content is in integral component to live

music performance, noting “ All listeners are highly sensitive to emotional meaning in music

and performers use a variety of techniques to express such meaning.” He also believed that

elements of music are manipulated to affect the audience’s experience, explaining

“Qualities of music such as tempo, loudness, consonance, mode, and melodic contour

provide basic acoustic signals of emotion that can be understood by listeners from an early

age.”

Rollinson noted his experience of audience reactions and the impact electronic music has

had on the audience experience “In Australia, dance music has opened up people to non-

white music such as funk, world music, reggae, ska, etc. It has probably loosened society up

to a degree as many more people dance in a less structured way as used to be the norm.”



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Thompson et al (2005) explained the balance of aural and visual expression varying between

genres, noting “ Aural and visual modes of expression are also dependent on the musical

genre, with some genres emphasizing visual modes of expression more than others.” Bahn et

al (2001) described the differences of visuals between electronic and non-electronic music

“Historically, the body has played only a minor role in the creation and performance of

electronic music.” Bahn et al also noted “these performance issues have often led to

exaggerated gesture along with extreme amplification to create exciting connections…This

creates a musical/social context that is inherently and intentionally presentation (rather

than process) oriented.”

Kendall noted that “Listening to bands and singers, the audience wants to connect with the

person on stage, and they react from that energy. Audiences that listen to electronic styles of

music tend to relate more to the atmosphere that’s created.”

Observation at electronic music concerts, ‘Chris Fraser’ and ‘Neon Stereo’, supports

Kendall’s view and showed that atmospherical visual elements such as lighting were the

dominant feature of the visual performance, although at both concerts there was physical

movement as well as hand and facial gestures from the performer. The non-electronic music

concerts, ‘Mnemic’ and ‘Night Flight’ showed more emphasis on physical movement of the

performer(s), hand and facial gestures, verbal audience communication, and

communication between the performers.

Observation of the audience reaction showed a variety of audience reactions. At ‘Night

Flight’, the audience was mostly seated and there were feet tapping, and nodding of heads

and a few of the audience members were singing along. At ‘Mnemic’, audience members

were standing and participation varied from little physical movement to enthusiastic

physical movement, including tapping feet, nodding heads and ‘headbanging’. Both concerts

featured applause and cheers after each song.



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Observation at ‘Neon Stereo’ showed a majority of people dancing with some emphasis on

moving arms and singing along. There were occasional audience cheers during specific

sections of songs and at the end of some of the songs. Observation at Chris Fraser showed

the same type of participation but a smaller percentage of people being involved physically.

There was little applause and cheers at the concert.

Future Trends of Audience Reaction

Thompson et al (2005) held the opinion that “visual aspects of music remain critical in live

performance, but the facial expressions, hand gestures, and other movements of performers

are gradually being diluted or even replaced by other kinds of visual information that are

presented in popular music experiences.”

Rollinson noted that audience reactions would change, stating “all forms of music change

and mutate and reactions change.” Dass agreed with this observation, noting that “the

change of reaction will be due to style and genre changes that will occur in the future.”

Conclusion

The literature review, interviews and observation have all contributed to a contribution to

knowledge on the topic of the trends of electronic music and the personal experience of the

audience. Analysing the results from these methods enabled me to form a knowledgeable

response to the research question.



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Chapter Seven –

Conclusion

Research Question


Research Methods

The research methods used include a literature review, interviews and observation. The

three methods provided useful and reliable information regarding the chosen topic. The

information was reliable because of the wide range of reputable literary sources used,interviews with knowledgeable and experienced people in the field, and observation of a

range of audiences.

Data Collected

The literature review was split up into headings and subheadings and into two main fields

- The History and Trends of Electronic Music

- The Personal Experience of the Audience

The history of electronic music developed as a form of experimentation throughout the 19th

and 20th

Century as instruments were invented to integrate electronics. The information



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collected refers to the experimentation throughout the beginnings and the early 20th

Century. The sources also explore Post World War II experimentation in Europe and U.S. and

the use of electronic music in a contemporary sense with the use of synthesisers and MIDI.

The literary sources on audience experiences explore the history of audience experiences,

how they have changed because of musical changes and techniques by the performer to

connect with the audience.

The interviews I conducted were also focused in these areas. Regarding the history and

trends of electronic music, I questioned the effect of development of technology, the

advantage of electronic music over non-electronic music, the effects of electronic music and

technology on the live scene, and future effects of electronic music. The next set of

questions regarded the audience reactions to electronic music, the differences in reaction

between electronic and non-electronic music, visual connections and future trends of

audience reaction.

I observed two varying non-electronic music concerts and two varying electronic music

concerts, to gain an understanding of the audience reactions at each venue and help

support my findings from the literature review and observation.

Literature Review and the data collected

The literature review and the interviews provided strong information from a variety of

sources about the history and the trends of electronic music. The information I found from

each method was very useful and the method findings supported each other. The literature

review information I found featured a broader range of historical information, whereas the

interviews provided specific information regarding the trends of electronic music and

audience experience. The data collected from the observations and interviews helped to

provide some insight to how electronic music affected live music.



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Data Analysis


Through the results of my research methods, I discovered that the technology has had a

large impact on the development of electronic music through the growing technology and

the affordability and accessibility of this technology, although it is questionable as to

whether the revolution of electronic music is an advanced progress of music or that which is

primitive. Electronic music has had a large impact on the music industry and the live music

scene, and is evident in much non-electronic music. Elements of electronic music such as

MIDI and computer music have provided a compositional advantage to process limitless

sounds and reach beyond the capabilities of the performer. I also found that technology will

continue to grow and experimentation will lead to new sounds and exploration of sub-

genres and many musicians will be influenced by these trends.

The Personal Experience of the Audience

I found that elements of music are manipulated to alter the audience’s experience, and that

a variety of techniques are used to manipulate elements to emphasis emotional meaning toconnect with the audience. Electronic music has enabled audiences to become more open

to foreign music, and audience reactions were generally genre specific, because listeners are

paying attention to different elements for one style of music to another. Electronic dance

music places a strong emphasis on rhythm and atmosphere.

There is a balance between aural and visual modes of expression which varies between

genres. Electronic music places more emphasis on visual presentation of atmosphere and

aural amplification, to compensate for the minor role that performance visuals have.



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Conclusion


The information gathered from the literature review, interviews and observation have led

me to the conclusion that trends in electronic music have affected the way that

performances are presented with the intention of connecting with audiences through

means of emphasis on enhanced visual techniques. There are similarities between

performance techniques such as emphasising emotional points in music and to an extent,

the performer’s physical gestures.

The differences are that there is a difficulty to connect to an electronic music performer in

the same way that an audience connect with a non-electronic music performer, because the

non-electronic music performer can easily emphasise the creation process of sounds. The

electronic music audience is more concerned with the atmosphere, created by light shows

and dark lit rooms, driving rhythms and intense amplification.

Personal experiences of the audience will always vary from genre to genre because listeners

react in a specific way to certain aural and visual techniques which are acceptable to thechosen genre. Electronic music influences unique audience experiences for the genres that

it relates to, because the performance process is unique from many other styles of music.



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References

‘Electronic Music’ 2012. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online, 2010; Lejaren Hiller, Melissa

Albert, Alison Eldridge, Chelsey Parrott-Sheffer, Grace Young, Retrieved 21 March 2012,

from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/183823/electronic-music

‘Harvard Dictionary of Music’ 1972, Willi Apel, President and Fellows of Harvard College,

U.S.A.

Electronic Music Historical Overview, 2012. Electronic Music Historical Overview. Accessed

26 September 2012 from http://www.indiana.edu/~emusic/elechist.htm

‘Four Criteria of Electronic Music’ Karlheinz Stockhausen May 1972 Lecture to Oxford Union.

Accessed 26 September 2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIPVc2Jvd0w

‘Lecture to University of Michigan’ 2002. Richie Hawtin. Accessed 26 September 2012 fromhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUb-nKE_eO8&feature=relmfu

‘ A History of Electronic Music Pioneers’ 1992. David Dunn. Ars Electronica; Lins, Austria

‘Seeing music performance: Visual influences on perception and experience’ 2005. William F.

Thompson, Phil Graham, Frank A. Russo; Ryerson University

‘The Enjoyment of Music: Tenth Edition’ 2007. Kristine Forney, Joseph Machlis; New York

‘Electronic and Experimental Music: Technology, Music and Culture’ , 2008, Thom Holmes,

New York



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Interface

-

A common point or boundary between two things or subjects

Loudspeaker

- An apparatus that converts electrical impulses into sound, typically as part of a

public address system

‘Musique Concrete’

- Electronic music which is composed using instrumental and natural sounds and

then altering these sounds in the recording process

Ondes Martenot

- An electronic keyboard instrument in which the frequency of an oscillator is

varied to produce separate musical notes

Oscillator

- A circuit or instrument for producing an alternating current or voltage of a

required frequency

Protocol

- A set of rules or procedures for transmitting data between electronic devices



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Reverberation

- A repetition of a sound resulting from reflection of sound waves

Sawtooth Wave

- (A Waveform) Having an amplitude that varies linearly with time between two

values, the interval in one direction often being much greater than the other

Serialism

- A method of composition, whereby all parameters of musical composition (such

as pitch, duration and dynamics) are controlled and ordered specifically

Sine Wave

- A curve representing periodic oscillations of constant amplitude as given by a

sine function. Also called ‘Sinusioid’

Square Wave

- Based on its visual resemblance to a square; A periodic wave that varies abruptly

in amplitude between two fixed values, spending equal times at each

Synthesiser

- An electronic instrument, usually played with a keyboard, that generates and

modifies sounds electronically and imitates other musical instruments



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- A method of composition whereby all 12 chromatic notes are used in a specific

order, determined by Twelve Tone rows. All chromatic notes are played in the

specific order and there are transformations where the pitch material can be

transposed, retrograded or inverted

Waveform

- A graphic representation of the shape of a wave that indicates characteristics of

frequency and amplitude

Well-Tempered Scale

- A Musical scale formed by dividing the octave into 12 equal intervals

Definitions from Collins Australian Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, The Oxford

English Dictionary, The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, The Princeton

University Dictionary, The Harvard Dictionary of Music.



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you were a rock band, you didn’t use electronics etc. If you were a synth based band you

usually would be anti-guitar and certainly would not consider ever having a guitar solo,

or play anything with a traditional guitar style such as strumming, etc.”

4. Do you use any elements of electronic music in your performances or

compositions? (eg. Synthesiser, sampled sounds, etc.) If so, do these elements

form a significant, moderate, or minimal part of your sound?

“I definitely use in recording, such as looping, audio editing, effects, sampling. Live,

mainly just effects.”

5. How has electronic music as a style of music affected the live music scene?

“As far as bands go, electronic music is present to some degree in almost every band. The

live scene has become smaller but I don’t think electronics has played a role in this.

Recorded music at clubs, bars, discos, plus pokies and trends have all played a part. I

think the influence of dance music has played a role in changing many live bands. Many

current bands have an 80’s influence but also show awareness of remix techniques and

techno music.”

6. Have you seen any positive or negative trends for which venues non-electronic

music can play to?

“It seems that the more pop music becomes dance oriented, the alternative bands often

react by getting ‘heavier’. The art -pop bands just seem to embrace the dance trends and

make use of them in a quirky way. “



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7. How does this compare to the trends for which venues electronic music can play

to?

“Dance music does much the same thing in reverse by taking trends from pop and rock

and adding dance rhythms.”

8. Has electronic music affected the skills of musicians? If so, is this in a positive or

negative way? Or both?

“It has had its affect. Many young musicians, not knowing that some music is

constructed in a sequenced way, have produced interesting ways of playing by

attempting to emulate computer based rhythms and phrasing.”

9. What do you think the initial reaction to early electronic music was like?

“People always react in one of three ways:

1. Embracing new technology and ideas as a way of achieving new pathways.

2. Automatically rejecting anything new or different to what they have grown up with.

3. Not being interested or even caring.”

10. How has the development of electronic music affected the way audiences react to

music?

“In Australia dance music has opened up people to non-white music such as funk, world

music, reggae, ska etc. It has probably loosened society up to a degree as many more

people dance in a less structured way as used to be the norm. “



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11. Do you think audiences react differently between performances that are

electronic to those that are non-electronic?

“Hard to say, but dance music can be more hypnotic and tribal than rock etc.”

12. Do you think this difference or non-difference will change with the future

development of electronic music?

“Yes, because all forms of music change and mutate and reactions change.”

13. In regards to visual performance techniques, are there any of these techniques

which prove the most effective in influencing the audience’s experience? Eg. facial

expressions, body gestures, light shows, pyrotechnics? How do the techniques

compare?

“I think these techniques can enhance the experience, but the music should be capable of

setting the mood by itself to make it a positive experience.”

14. How do you think the trends will change for electronic music in the future?

“It’s a bit like science research; some people will come up with new technology to

produce new sounds or to manipulate old sounds and musicians or music producers will

use them in an effort to appear ‘cutting edge’ and the best sounds or ideas will be taken

up by others.”



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15. How do you think the trends will change for non-electronic music in the future

“Hard to predict but so far, acoustic and electric instrument based music has always

progressed by raiding traditional or folk music from around the world, so this will

probably continue, as well as making use of new technology in recording and playing.”

16. How do you think people will try to make audience connections in the future?

“Same as now but technology can give us close up vision, more detailed sound

reproduction, wireless technology could mean that everyone could be wearing

headphones, or implants, and the room itself could be silent. This could mean that a

huge concert could be held anywhere, at any time of day or night, even outside, without

disturbi ng anybody else close by.”



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“No, I don’t believe there is an advantage as such, both types of music provide many

opportunities.”

5. How much of an impact does electronic technology impact on your work as a

sound engineer?

“It has had a great impact on my work. Everything can be recorded and processed

digitally now which takes hours off of tedious work, and I can edit any number of

things in the studio in a matter of seconds.”

6. Does the continued growth of electronic music impact on the work you are getting

currently with studio work and live work?

“I don’t believe it has much of an impact for the live work that I get, because the

electronic element is minimal. I don’t believe electronic music as a style is impacting

on my work as an audio engineer, but definitely the developing software and

technology, as well as and the possibilities of working electronically has had an

impact.”

7. As a performer, do you deal with much electronic music?

“I like to compose electronic dance music, but I have never performed electronic

music. When I perform to audiences, I prefer to play real instruments with a band

situation. I have logic on my computer and I will sit there for hours and compose

music, because there are hundreds of sound samples and so many possibilities of

what can be done on the program.”



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8. As technology develops, has the technology become easier to use and has

technology provided an advantage?

“Yes, definitely. Technology has become so easy for anyone to use. When I was

studying at SAE in Sydney, many of the students were not musically trained, but had

programs like Logic, Ableton, Cubase, Fruity Loops and could perform electronic

dance music just by having basic music knowledge and knowing how to remix a song

or to put together sound s that sounded good with the help of a strict tempo.”

9. How do you think technology will affect the future of music, in terms of the

industry, performer and audience?

“Not really sure, but I guess there will be even more DJ’s and experimental electronic

music performers and composers as sub-genres develop and technology continues to

grow. I don’t think audience perceptions will change much at all; audiences are pretty

open to the idea of electronic music in today’s society. I think electronic music will

stay prominent in the pop music industry too because a lot of pop music already uses

elements of electronic music.”

10. Do you think technology will affect the skill level of musicians?

“I don’t think it will affect the skills of musicians, because they already know how to

play their instruments, but I believe it will affect people’s enthusiasm to learn

instruments for the first time, where some might give up and decide to learn how to

use the music software instead.”



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11. Do you think the future of electronic music will create more jobs?

“I don’t believe it will create more jobs; electronic music is already very strong in the

industry.”

12. Do you think audiences react differently between performances that are electronic

to that of which are non-electronic?

“Yes, because these different styles of music require different ways to relate to an

audience. Not all electronic music relates to the audience in the same way. For

electronic dance music, I think the driving rhythm of the beat is what people respond

to. Experimental electronic music would be something completely different. I think

people generally respond to music which sounds similar to what they expect from the

recording, or what is normally acceptable of their genre. There are a lot of bands that

use electronic music such as synthesisers and electronic effects, but I think it is the

sounds that are being produced and how well they fit with the style of music that the

audience will react to.”



“Yes, but I believe that the change of reaction will be due to style and genre changes

that will occur in the future.”



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14. Will the impact of technology affect the activity of traditional musicians in a

positive or negative way?

“I don’t think technology will have much of an impact on traditional musicians;

traditional musicians aren’t really concerned with technology and they will probably

record and perform in a traditional sense. I think there would only be minor

developments in technology that would affect traditional musicians, such as

improvements to instrument hardware, and improvements to microphone polar

patterns.”



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Appendix Four –

David Kendall

1. When did you start DJ’ing to audiences?

“I started making mixes of my music around 2002, and I started performing my mixes

to friends at parties whenever I could. Then I went looking for gigs by asking anyone

at nightclubs around Sydney if they needed a DJ to fill in a slot, and so I got my first

opportunity playing early nights, around 9pm usually in nightclubs in Kings Cross.”

2. When you started performing, were there many opportunities for gigs?

“Not really, I really had to make connections with people to be able to get

opportunities. Like I said, I would have to contact nightclubs in order to be able to

play my set, and even then it was very occasional that I would get gigs and they

would be at the times that no one else wanted to play. You almost have to be

annoying to get a call back.”

3. How does this compare to now?

“I’ve got regular spots on gigs on the weekends and throughout the week and better

time slots, so it definitely has gotten better. I think it really helped to play those the

gigs no one else wanted because I was building a reputation as reliable and as a DJ

who could get people dancing, which is really what they want to see. They want to

see people through the doors and having a good time, otherwise you wouldn’t get

hired.”



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4. Do you find that there is an advantage for either performing electronic or non-

electronic music?

“I think there is a slight advantage in that there are more avenues for electronic

music to be played, but I think that both have those challenges where it is hard to

find gigs without a reputation, and you’ve got to go searching and call everyone you

can for that first opportunity.”

5. In your time performing, have you found that audiences have become more

involved in participation, or less?

“Yes I think so, but I think that I’ve learned a lot more about the kind of music people

want to hear at certain venues. There have been times I’ve tried to play trance songs

and no one wants to dance along but then I’ll throw in a remix of a popular song and

suddenly there are people moving.”

6. Do you think you would still be performing live music if you didn’t have access to

musical electronic equipment?

“No, I wouldn’t. I can’t play any instruments and I don’t think I could learn. I was

inspired by DJ’s like Armin van Buuren and DJ Tiesto. They made me want to perform

as a DJ and eventually I want to be performing to the larger audiences and with

largely my own material.”

7. Do you think the development of DJ technology will make you a better DJ?

“Yeah I think so. When I first started out, I could only afford a really basic set upwhere it was pretty much two CD players and a crossfade, along with a few effects



10. Do you think the future of electronic music will create more jobs?

“Yes, I think there will be more jobs in the field of electronic music. I think

experimental electronic music will probably stay around the same, but I think

electronic pop and dance music and will continue to grow.”

11. Do you think audiences react differently between performances that are electronic

to that which are non-electronic?

“Yeah, I think it’s a completely different atmosphere. I think both audiences will react

to something catchy, but the music is different, and audiences are listening for

different things to react to. I think visually it is very different. Listening to bands and

singers, the audience wants to connect with the person on stage, and they react from

that energy. Audiences that listen to electronic styles of music tend to relate more to

the atmosphere that’s created.”



“I’m not really sure. I think there will always be a separation between electronic

music and non-electronic music, but I think they will become more and more

integrated into each other.”

13. Will the impact of technology affect the activity of traditional musicians in a

positive or negative way?

Research & Critical Method II

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