Music programming

This article describes a process of composing music using technical devices, often exclusively digital. Program music, on the other hand, describes (instrumental) compositions with the aim of supporting or evoking the listener's idea of ​​a very concrete image. A music program is also not to be confused with a concert program .

Technical equipment of a recording studio, here with Nuendo 6 as an example

DAW example Ardor

Example of a drum pattern created with Logic Pro

Composition options in Cubase 6

Music programming , usually just referred to as programming in a clearly musical context such as the liner notes of an album , is a form of modern music production and performance with the aid of electronic devices such as a sequencer . These devices are supposed to produce the sound of musical instruments, usually in this way countless different instruments can be simulated simultaneously or alternately with just a single electronic device, either true to the original or with any distortion. Programming has been used in a large part of electronic music as well as hip-hop since the 1990s. The technology is also increasingly being used in modern pop and rock music in many regions of the world, occasionally even in jazz and modern classical music (e.g. film music ). In the 21st century, entire styles of screamo and metalcore music are based on music programming, these are referred to as crunkcore or electronicore.

If the programming activity is used like a job title (mostly programming anyway and not e.g. programmer ) - for example in the credits of an album together with the songwriters / composers , sound engineers and music producers - the person in question was usually responsible for the preparation of digital base tracks entrusted. This means that she usually composed a musical basis with the help of a DAW , a drum computer , a synthesizer or the like, possibly just a drum rhythm, a bass line, first chord sequences or even a melody. Building on a large number of such basic tracks, the actual composition then begins; they only serve as an aid to later stimulate or maintain creativity. Later on, individual parts or the entire track can be discarded, changed as required, or replaced or supplemented by just playing in real instruments.

The practice of using basic tracks is also related to the fact that the use of studio space during the composition process makes sense, especially when several composers are working together (e.g. a band), in order to be able to implement ideas quickly and professionally record them, but at the same time the fees are mostly high. A good workflow in the studio is therefore important and the programming of a basic track can, if necessary or desired, be done comfortably and inexpensively from home or on the road months in advance with suitable software and / or hardware.

For example, if a band does not have the money for the engagement of a large orchestra or the corresponding studio fees, a musician or composer entrusted with the programming can also compose individual instrumental tracks or even entire songs completely digitally in addition to the design of basic tracks. This is also used, for example, in the composition of epic film music, especially when extraordinary sounds are to be created (from particularly rare instruments, oversized orchestras with several hundred players or individual tones / instruments with deliberate unnatural distortion).

See also

• Technical equipment: digital audio workstation , drum computer , groove box , synthesizer
• Technology: MIDI
• Techniques: Sampling , Sequencing , Algorithmic Composition

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Collins, N., McLean, A., Rohrhuber, J. & Ward, A. (2003), "Live Coding Techniques for Laptop Performance", Organized Sound 8 (3): 321-30. doi : 10.1017 / S135577180300030X

literature

• Chris Dobrian: Music Programming: An Introductory Essay . Claire Trevor School of the Arts, UC Irvine . 1988.