Which sound sources can composers use to create electronic music?

Composers of electronic music utilize a diverse array of sound sources to create their works, ranging from natural sounds to those generated through complex technology. These sources include:

• Microphone-captured sounds: Composers can record and manipulate concrete, real-world sounds, including the human voice.12
• Electronic oscillators: These devices generate basic acoustical waveforms, such as sine, square, and sawtooth waves.13
• Synthesizers: Both analog and digital synthesizers allow musicians to design and "patch" sounds by combining elements like mixers, filters, and amplifiers.3
• Computer installations: Modern digital techniques allow for sophisticated sound synthesis, including the use of digital frequency modulation (FM) and the programming of mathematical equations to define vibrating objects like strings or membranes.2
• Amplified acoustic instruments: Instruments that produce sound mechanically or acoustically but rely on electrical amplification—such as the electric guitar—are also considered sources within the electronic medium.145

Ultimately, these resources provide composers with a spectrum of sound ranging from pure tones to random noise, allowing for the creation of "organized sound".2