How did 20th-century composers combine music with film, tape, stereophonic sound, and computers?

In the 20th century, composers expanded the boundaries of musical expression by integrating new technologies into their creative processes, fundamentally altering the relationship between sound, performance, and media.1

Tape and Musique Concrète

Beginning around 1948, composers utilized magnetic tape recording to manipulate sound as raw material. In musique concrète, natural sounds were recorded, spliced, reversed, or altered in pitch and tempo to create artistic montages. Studios, such as the one in Cologne, later focused on synthesizing complex tones from electronic oscillators, which were then edited onto tape.23

Film and Multimedia

Music for film evolved from simple accompaniment to a sophisticated integration of sound and sight. Composers began collaborating with directors from a film's inception to create scores that functioned as an organic part of the narrative. Multimedia works also emerged, utilizing audiovisual techniques and electronic sound generation to replace traditional orchestras.451

Stereophonic Sound and Computers

Stereophonic sound systems utilized multiple channels to provide spatial realism, mimicking the acoustics of a concert hall. Simultaneously, computer music allowed composers to program mathematical functions to synthesize sound, offering unprecedented precision in controlling pitch, rhythm, and tone color.67