ABSTRACT
This chapter is about the origin of sound signals and their various properties, from electronically generated waveforms to the capturing of acoustic sounds using microphones. The harmonics of a tone are responsible for creating timbre or tone color. Timbre is what distinguishes the sound of a violin from the sound of a piano, even though both instruments might be playing the same note. When building sounds using electronic music techniques, the composer is working with the naturally occurring harmonic spectrum of predefined waveforms. An understanding of the wave structure of sound led to a robust reassessment of tonal systems used by composers. The special nature of “electrical instruments” was that they provided total control over the principal components of sound. Natural sounds recorded using microphones and pickups are another common source of audio materials for electronic music composition. Microphones and pickups are two common methods of capturing sound for use in electronic music.
