Laptop Music and Related Activities
Peter Manning · Oxford University Press eBooks · 2013
The development of the laptop computer as a portable alternative to the desktop PC proved particularly attractive to computer musicians, who in turn developed ensembles, including laptop orchestras, that explored a variety of performing techniques including machine-assisted composition and improvisation. Building upon pioneering work carried out during the late 1970s by the League of Automatic Composers using early microcomputers, these ensembles, having initially embraced MIDI-based technologies during the 1990s, expanded to include live signal processing during the early 2000s, using software such as Max/MSP. Parallel interests in live performance emerging from the popular music sector led to a productive intersection of practices, embracing practitioners from different musical backgrounds. The significance of these developments provides a fascinating perspective on an important area of computer music that continues to grow in its significance