electroacústico

Electroacústico is an adjective and noun used to describe sound or music produced or significantly transformed through electronic means, often in combination with acoustic sources. In music, the term encompasses works that use electronic sound generation, processing, sampling, or manipulation, frequently integrated with conventional acoustic instruments, field recordings, or environmental sounds. The result is typically a blend of electronically generated and acoustically sourced material.

The field emerged in the mid-20th century with the development of musique concrète in France, led by Pierre Schaeffer, which emphasized transforming recorded sounds, and with the evolution of electronic music in Germany and elsewhere, which explored synthetic sound generation. Over time, electroacoustic music broadened to include live electronics, computer music, and spatial diffusion of sound in performance spaces, as well as installation and sound-art practices.

Key concepts include acousmatic listening, where the source of sound is not visible; diffusion, the spatial distribution of sound through multiple loudspeakers in a performance, and live electronic processing, where musicians or technicians manipulate signals in real time. Techniques span tape manipulation, granular synthesis, spectral processing, digital signal processing, sampling, and synthesis, with tools ranging from synthesizers and samplers to digital audio workstations and immersive sound systems.

Prominent centers and institutions associated with electroacoustic research and composition include GRM (Groupe de Recherches Musicales) in Paris and IRCAM in Paris, among others. The term also serves as a broad category within contemporary music and sound art, covering traditional electroacoustic works, acousmatic music, and hybrid practices that emphasize electronic modification of acoustic sound.