Electronic music: new ways to play

Music synthesizers and computers can produce almost any sound imaginable, but for a long while only keyboardists could directly control their expressiveness. But now a new breed of digital controllers-some of which trace their roots to the turn of the century-lets you fiddle, drum, blow, or even dance your way into electronic soundscapes. The author discusses electronic keyboards, percussion interfaces, stringed instruments, interfaces for wind instruments, and noncontact interfaces. The the on-line version of IEEE Spectrum boasts over 20 video and sound files from around the world, displaying the controllers in use. It even includes a Web page where any number of people on the Internet can make music (of a sort) at the same time.