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A collection of man-made 'music' and the machines behind it
As technology became a part of modern life in the 19th century, an increasing amount of scientific study led to breakthroughs in electronic sound engineering -- often as a byproduct of other research. Humans became enamored with the crystalline clarity of these exotic machine-borne tones and as the technology matured, so did the range of output. Electrically powered machines were recreating the sounds of traditional instruments and even mimicking human speech. Once computers arrived, the possibilities seemed boundless as software for composing and performing electronic music were developed. Below, we've gathered together a few pioneering moments that've helped shaped our electronic soundscape. So listen and learn.
Time Machines: Dial-a-tune
Welcome to Time Machines, where we offer up a selection of mechanical oddities, milestone gadgets and unique inventions to test out your tech-history skills. This invention brought streaming music to New York City's early adopters around the turn of the 20th century. Mark Twain, who was among the first to have a personal telephone line installed, was an avid supporter of the service, which provided the crystalline clarity of electrically generated music delivered into his own home on the telephone wire. Head on past the break to find out the full story.
