liveelectronics

Live electronics refers to the on-stage practice of generating and processing electronic sound in real time during a performance, typically in combination with voice, acoustic instruments, or other electronic sources. It encompasses a broad range of approaches and aesthetics, from improvised texture to timbre-driven systems and interactive pieces.

Techniques and tools include real-time digital signal processing, synthesis, sampling, granular and spectral processing, feedback, and looping to shape timbre, pitch, rhythm, and space as the performance unfolds. Performers may improvise or follow a notated score, and may respond to other players, the room, or spectators.

Most setups rely on computer-based systems, often using software such as Max/MSP, Pure Data, SuperCollider, or Ableton Live with Max for Live, running on laptops or dedicated workstations. Hardware can include synthesizers, effects processors, loopers, and MIDI controllers, while sensors, contact microphones, or wind and breath controllers may drive parameter changes. Some works integrate live coding or reactive installations to expand the possible interactions.

Origins of live electronics trace to mid-20th-century electronic music studios, but on-stage practice became more prominent from the late 20th century onward as portable and accessible tools emerged. In performance, considerations such as latency, stability, and the coordination between electronic and acoustic elements shape the approach and sound.

The practice has influenced contemporary classical, experimental electronic, sound art, and related educational fields, and it remains a central area of music-technology research and performance.