Special Sub-Topic: OHM: The Early Gurus of Electronic Music Click Here To Play: OHM: The Early Gurus of Electronic Music

What type of music did most of the early musicians in the collection set out to play?

Classical. Many of the first musicians in the field were simply trying to play classical pieces, using the first in the wave of electronic devices, such as synthesizers and theremins. The experimental spirit inspired later musicians to branch out into other genres.

What item used by Pierre Schaeffer helped him create sound loops?

The bossed groove recorder. Schaeffer was able to loop part of the sound from a record groove, instead of letting it play all the way around as normal. He used this effect to create dramatic changes in timbre. Every DJ since then probably owes him a debt of gratitude.

What is an ondes martenot?

An early keyboard, popular in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s. The ondes martenot was a keyboard. It used a ribbon and a ring to change pitch.

How many pages were supposedly in the score for John Cage's "Williams Mix"?

500. The actual score has never been printed, but Cage's plans for it called for half of each page to be given over to space for the tape to be laid out, and 'recipes' to be provided for cutting the tape. Although Cage did record the piece, nothing else connected to "Williams Mix" could be called conventional.

From what did Steve Reich get the idea for his piece "Pendulum Music"?

Twirling a microphone around his head. He liked the "whoosh" sound the microphone made. The piece was first performed at the Whitney Museum in New York City, in 1969. Assisting Reich were artists Bruce Neuman, Richard Serra, Michael Snow and James Tenney.

What does the title mean, in Terry Riley's song "Poppy Nogood"?

It is a phrase his daughter used to say when she was little. When Riley's daughter Colleen was very young, she used to call him "Poppy." If she was mad, she'd throw in "no good." Riley performed the piece accompanied on stage by mimes, dancers and a light show.

What phenomenon was Charles Dodge trying to recreate when he worked on the song "He Destroyed Her Image"?

A voice clearly saying words. Dodge said he was trying to reproduce the feelings of separation and confusion found in the poem on which he based the song. He used changes in pitch to do this.

What did artists Robert Ashley, Gordon Mumma, David Berhman and Alvin Lucier form in 1966?

A loose-knit 'group' called the Sonic Arts Union. David Behrman called them "an anthology rather than a band." The four shared gear, but never played on stage in a 'team' lineup. Instead, they played one after the other.

What did Maryanne Amacher display in the background during stage performances of her song, "Living Sound, Patent Pending"?

DNA photos and other scientific diagrams. She said it was meant to reflect the themes of the music, such as rebirth, genetics and identity. Amacher noted that the piece anticipated the rise of the computer age and "emerging media."

What was added to the "OHM" box set in a 2006 re-release?

A DVD of live footage and interviews. The DVD presented a total of over two hours of footage. Included were early video clips, interviews and animation.