The History Of Electronic Music
'55
Bebe and Loius Barron create the first pure electronic soundtrack for the film "Forbidden Planet". This makes the film even today a little bit modern.
'64
Dr. Robert Moog develops and sells his first Moog-Synthesizer. That was the beginning of a permanent electronically revolution.
'68
Walter Carlos (picture) publishes Switches-On Beach. In this album he plays the work of Johan Sebastian Bach in an electronically way.
'70
The English Rock trio Emerson, Lake & Palmer get on stage wired in the cable chaos of their giant, hard to play Moog-Synthesizer
'71
The invention of the Mini-Moog changes the Rock-music. The Chemical Brothers, The Orb, Kraftwerk, Han Hammer, Nine Inch Nails, Vince Clarke, Gary Numan, Rick Wakeman, 808 state, Bushflange, Chick corea and Herbie Hancock are even today moog-fans and have composed many songs with this instrument.
'71
His first electronic Nr.1 Hit Popcorn from Hot Butter. Until today this song has been remixed by Jean-Micheal Jarre (alias Jamie Jefferson), Alphex Twin and a few more musicians.
The History Of Electronic Music
'73
Pink Floyd releases Dark Site of the moon. The musicians used the traditional Rock-instruments and VCS3-Synthesizer. The album was damn successful. Until 1988 it was in the TOP 100 of the US-Charts. As long as no other album.
'75
Kraftwerk release Autobahn. For this record the band offered a Mini Moog that costs as much as a small car in this time.
'76
Oxygéne of Jean-Michel Jarre is published. The record is sold eight million times. A few years Jarre is the king of esoteric Electro-Music.
'77
Giorgio Moroder (creator of "Munich Sound") produce in an in electric way Feel Love with the analogue voice of Donna Summer.
'80
On the picture you can see the Roland TR-808. It is a drumcomputer that is from the beginning on rather old. But a cult device. Herbie Hancock and Afrika Bambaataa work with it. In the same year the Fairlight music computer (an early version of the sampler) is released. Yello and The Art Of Noise produce music with this instrument.
'81
The Hip-Hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa uses a sampler instead of a turntable first time.
'82
Little, cheap Casio-Keyboards conquers the rooms of million children and the charts: Da Da Da of the Trio is played with the Casio and becomes a success in Europe.
'83
The Roland TB-303 arrives at the market. It is a often copied - but never reached Mini-Bass Synthesizer with integrated sequencer. Originally conceived as a Bass accompaniment for entertainers. This concept did not work and the TB-303 becomes the standard instrument for Acid-House. (1987: Phuture : Acid Trax). Originally sold for a price of 400 dollars, today up to 2000 dollars. The midi-system (Musical Instrumental Digital Interface) is being introduced and launches the electric music production into a new area. No drumcomputer, synthesizer and sequencer of different companies can be combined.
'84
After the C64 (a cheap homecomputer with a good soundcard) the Atari ST is released. It becomes a favorite tool for techno producers. Mostly because of his midi support.
'91
New hardware does not arrive in the 90ts What now counts are further development of details and new software. Everything becomes cheaper and easier to use. Technomusic develops from a Underground clubmusic to a main music trend of this century. DJs like Sven Väth and Westbam become Pop stars.
'92
"Timestretching" allows that digital saved samples sound natural in other pitches and don't sound like quiking mice or grumbling giants. (Snap: Exterminate, 1992 or Inner City Live, Goldie)
'94
The internet allows the producers of electric music a brand new structure of communication. Software and samples can be exchanged easily. The revival of analog devices starts.
'96
Electronic Dancepop thrust aside conventional music out of the charts. Pure dance productions of Robert Miles, Scooter and Prodigy dominate the Top Ten.
'98
MP3 (a new compression format for music files) allows amateur (also professional) to publish their own music on the internet. The music industry is afraid of avoids of the copyright and search for new, copy protected "Music-On-Demand" formats (e.g. Liquid audio) Artist like Public enemy or the Beastie Boys are constrained to remove mp3 files from their homepages. The music industry is afraid of going down.
'99
The use of the guitar is a conscious statement for "traditional values" of the Popmusic - like the Synthesizer was a statement to the future in the year 1981. The Revolution ends, the electronic gain the victory.
