Contrasting Approaches: The Continued Relevance of Pre-recorded Live Electronics in Australian Music
Peter McNamara · Musicology Australia · 2016
As new technology has taken effect over the decades since the earliest electronic music was created, ‘real-time’ rather than ‘pre-recorded’ technologies have largely come to dominate the medium of ‘live electronics’. Yet despite the rapid developments of real-time and particularly ‘interactive’ technologies, many composers continue to use various forms of pre-recorded electronics. This article offers some explanations as to why this medium is still relevant for many composers and discusses a number of live electronic works written by the author and others. The advantages of pre-recorded, live electronic works and possibilities for allowing the performer(s) various levels of temporal freedom to interpret certain musical phrases and gestures freely is also discussed as an integral part of this medium.