Idiosyncratic approaches to electronic music-making through mobile technologies

Abstract

This paper examines the transformative impact of mobile technologies on electronic music-making, highlighting how portable apps and hardware enable idiosyncratic approaches beyond traditional live and studio setups. Drawing on the authors’ extensive experience within and beyond Clan Analogue—Australia’s longest-running electronic music collective—the research contrasts conventional configurations with innovative mobile instruments and apps. By analysing a range of tools, from budget-friendly synthesisers to advanced smartphone and tablet apps, the paper explores how mobile technologies foster new creative possibilities. Using qualitative methods, the authors integrate personal experiences and a broad examination of music equipment to investigate the setting-based mobile music creation model, which emphasises the influence of location and time on the creative process. Case studies illustrate how mobile technologies support music-making in diverse environments, encouraging flexible, spontaneous composition and live audience interaction. Findings demonstrate that mobile devices challenge standardised setups in education and performance, enabling more personalised, improvisational, and adaptive practices, which can incorporate live audience interaction. This shift points to more fluid and individualised forms of musical expression, redefining traditional paradigms in electronic music.