Electronic Music and Instruments

Electronic music and instruments, with an incubation period of about forty years since their early beginnings, are now rapidly growing into a final commercial stage. During 1935 retail sales of these new musical instruments exceeded two million dollars in the United States alone. This paper presents for the first time in this country a review of traditional musical instruments, their advantages and limitations, additional principles which must be considered in creating, and controlling sounds to make music. The various principles for generating musical tones and for varying their musical character are described. The historical development of electronic music instruments are traced, and the most important modern instruments are described in some detail.