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Daphne Oram - An Individual Note of Music, Sound and Electronics

Description:

Daphne Oram (1925–2003) was one of the central figures in the development of British experimental electronic music. Having declined a place at the Royal College of Music to become a music balancer at the BBC, she went on to become the co-founder and first director of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Oram left the BBC in 1959 to pursue commercial work in television, advertising, film and theatre, to make her own music for recording and performance, and to continue her personal research into sound technology – a passion she had had since her childhood in rural Wiltshire. Her home, a former oasthouse in Kent, became an unorthodox studio and workshop in which, mostly on a shoestring budget, she developed her pioneering equipment, sounds and ideas. A significant part of her personal research was the invention of a machine that offered a new form of sound synthesis – the Oramics machine.

Oram’s contribution to electronic music is receiving considerable attention from new generations of composers, sound engineers, musicians, musicologists and music lovers around the world. Following her death, the Daphne Oram Trust was established to preserve and promote her work, life and legacy, and an archive created in the Special Collections Library at Goldsmiths, University of London. One of the Trust’s ambitions has been to publish a new edition of Oram’s one and only book, An Individual Note of Music, Sound and Electronics, which was originally published in 1972. With support from the Daphne Oram Archive, the Trust has now been able to realize this ambition.

An Individual Note is both curious and remarkable. When commissioned to write a book, she was keen to avoid it becoming a manual or how-to guide, preferring instead to use the opportunity to muse on the subjects of music, sound and electronics, and the relationships between them. At a time when the world was just starting to engage with electronic music and the technology was still primarily in the hands of music studios, universities, and corporations, her approach was both innovative and inspiring, encouraging anyone with an interest in music to think about the nature, capabilities and possibilities that the new sounds could bring. And her thinking was not limited to just the future of the orchestra, synthesizer, computer and home studio, but ventured, with great spirit and wit, into other realms of science, technology, culture and thought. An Individual Note is a playful yet compelling manifesto for the dawn of electronic music and for our individual capacity to use, experience and enjoy it.

This new edition of An Individual Note features a specially commissioned introduction from the British composer, performer, roboticist and sound historian Sarah Angliss.
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About the Author

Daphne Oram (1925–2003) was instrumental in the development of British experimental electronic music. Starting as a music balancer at the BBC, she later became co-founder and first director of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Oram left in 1959 to pursue commercial work, to make her own music and continue researching sound technology. In a former oasthouse in Kent she developed pioneering equipment, sounds and ideas, most famously her Oramics machine – an audio-visual synthesizer.

Reviews:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quirky and inspiring book

g.b. · 20 November 2018

A book on music that's not just about music - this work genuinely made me think about how music interacts with the musician and the world at large, a most inspirational book that I will return to many times :)

5.0 out of 5 stars As Above So Below

S. · 7 December 2016

Excellent, unique perspective from one of Britain's greatest (and currently woefully underrecognised) composers. Oram was a one off, whose abilities and innovations are only in recent years coming to light (not just as the co-founder of the BBC Radiophonic workshop, a pioneer of drawn sound synthesis but also as a scholar and a consummate composer across a number of styles and mediums). This republication is a beautiful edition, in hardback that really does justice to her ideas and writing - it includes a number of beautiful archival images that the original did not, and has beautiful design and typesetting throughout - highly recommend this, for anyone with an interest in music of any type, Daphne Oram was a one off and this book is a must have!

Five Stars +

j.s. · 26 May 2022

Oram was a visionary

Amazing publishing

A.カ. · 8 January 2021

Beautifully printed and bound. The content is equally amazing. I can recommend this without reservation.

Fascinating insight into an extraordinary mind

A.J.L. · 20 February 2025

Part musical memoir and part philosophical treatise, this is a fascinating book that covers the extraordinary life of Daphne Oram, one of the pioneers of electronic music. A must read for anyone interested in the genre and experimental music in general.

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Daphne Oram - An Individual Note of Music, Sound and Electronics

Product ID: K1910221112
Condition: New

4.8

AED16285

Price includes VAT & Import Duties
Type: Hardcover
Availability: In Stock

Quantity:

|

Order today to get by 7-14 business days

Delivery fee of AED 20. Free for orders above AED 200.

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Imported From: United Kingdom

At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.

BOLO is not an authorized or official retailer for most brands, nor are we affiliated with manufacturers unless specifically stated on a product page. Instead, we source verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.

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While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.

Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.

BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.

All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.

All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.

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Visit the Anomie Academic Store

Daphne Oram - An Individual Note of Music, Sound and Electronics

Product ID: K1910221112
Condition: New

4.8

Daphne Oram - An Individual Note of Music, Sound and Electronics-0
Type: Hardcover

AED16285

Price includes VAT & Import Duties
Availability: In Stock

Quantity:

|

Order today to get by 7-14 business days

Delivery fee of AED 20. Free for orders above AED 200.

Returns & Warranty policies

Imported From: United Kingdom

At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.

BOLO is not an authorized or official retailer for most brands, nor are we affiliated with manufacturers unless specifically stated on a product page. Instead, we source verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.

Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.

If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.

Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.

All product information, images, descriptions, and reviews originate from the manufacturer or from trusted sellers overseas. BOLO is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an authorized retailer for most brands listed on our website unless stated otherwise.

While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.

Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.

BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.

All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.

All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.

Description:

Daphne Oram (1925–2003) was one of the central figures in the development of British experimental electronic music. Having declined a place at the Royal College of Music to become a music balancer at the BBC, she went on to become the co-founder and first director of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Oram left the BBC in 1959 to pursue commercial work in television, advertising, film and theatre, to make her own music for recording and performance, and to continue her personal research into sound technology – a passion she had had since her childhood in rural Wiltshire. Her home, a former oasthouse in Kent, became an unorthodox studio and workshop in which, mostly on a shoestring budget, she developed her pioneering equipment, sounds and ideas. A significant part of her personal research was the invention of a machine that offered a new form of sound synthesis – the Oramics machine.

Oram’s contribution to electronic music is receiving considerable attention from new generations of composers, sound engineers, musicians, musicologists and music lovers around the world. Following her death, the Daphne Oram Trust was established to preserve and promote her work, life and legacy, and an archive created in the Special Collections Library at Goldsmiths, University of London. One of the Trust’s ambitions has been to publish a new edition of Oram’s one and only book, An Individual Note of Music, Sound and Electronics, which was originally published in 1972. With support from the Daphne Oram Archive, the Trust has now been able to realize this ambition.

An Individual Note is both curious and remarkable. When commissioned to write a book, she was keen to avoid it becoming a manual or how-to guide, preferring instead to use the opportunity to muse on the subjects of music, sound and electronics, and the relationships between them. At a time when the world was just starting to engage with electronic music and the technology was still primarily in the hands of music studios, universities, and corporations, her approach was both innovative and inspiring, encouraging anyone with an interest in music to think about the nature, capabilities and possibilities that the new sounds could bring. And her thinking was not limited to just the future of the orchestra, synthesizer, computer and home studio, but ventured, with great spirit and wit, into other realms of science, technology, culture and thought. An Individual Note is a playful yet compelling manifesto for the dawn of electronic music and for our individual capacity to use, experience and enjoy it.

This new edition of An Individual Note features a specially commissioned introduction from the British composer, performer, roboticist and sound historian Sarah Angliss.
Read more

Review

Select Guide Rating

About the Author

Daphne Oram (1925–2003) was instrumental in the development of British experimental electronic music. Starting as a music balancer at the BBC, she later became co-founder and first director of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Oram left in 1959 to pursue commercial work, to make her own music and continue researching sound technology. In a former oasthouse in Kent she developed pioneering equipment, sounds and ideas, most famously her Oramics machine – an audio-visual synthesizer.

Reviews:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quirky and inspiring book

g.b. · 20 November 2018

A book on music that's not just about music - this work genuinely made me think about how music interacts with the musician and the world at large, a most inspirational book that I will return to many times :)

5.0 out of 5 stars As Above So Below

S. · 7 December 2016

Excellent, unique perspective from one of Britain's greatest (and currently woefully underrecognised) composers. Oram was a one off, whose abilities and innovations are only in recent years coming to light (not just as the co-founder of the BBC Radiophonic workshop, a pioneer of drawn sound synthesis but also as a scholar and a consummate composer across a number of styles and mediums). This republication is a beautiful edition, in hardback that really does justice to her ideas and writing - it includes a number of beautiful archival images that the original did not, and has beautiful design and typesetting throughout - highly recommend this, for anyone with an interest in music of any type, Daphne Oram was a one off and this book is a must have!

Five Stars +

j.s. · 26 May 2022

Oram was a visionary

Amazing publishing

A.カ. · 8 January 2021

Beautifully printed and bound. The content is equally amazing. I can recommend this without reservation.

Fascinating insight into an extraordinary mind

A.J.L. · 20 February 2025

Part musical memoir and part philosophical treatise, this is a fascinating book that covers the extraordinary life of Daphne Oram, one of the pioneers of electronic music. A must read for anyone interested in the genre and experimental music in general.

Similar suggestions by Bolo

More from this brand

Similar items from “Dance”

Share with

Or share with link

https://www.bolo.ae/products/K1910221112