Why is electronic music considered a technique rather than a single musical style?

Electronic music is considered a technique rather than a single musical style because it refers to the use of electronic processing and equipment to create or modify sound, rather than a specific set of aesthetic or stylistic conventions.1

As a technique, it encompasses any music involving electronic means—such as recording, editing on tape, or using loudspeakers for reproduction—where the composer anticipates this processing as part of their musical concept. Because this approach can be applied to a vast array of genres and experimental works, it yields diverse results in the hands of different composers.1

While a specific style (like techno) may rely on synthesizers and drum machines to achieve a signature sound, electronic music itself is a broader category of composition. It is defined by the interaction between the composer and the electronic medium, ranging from serious concert pieces and film scores to popular music, rather than by a unified sound or stylistic identity.12