[1] Music programming is the process in which a musician produces a sound or "patch" (be it from scratch or with the aid of a synthesizer/sampler), or uses a sequencer to arrange a song.
Music coding languages are used to program the electronic devices to produce the instrumental sounds they make.
The breakthrough technologies such as the unit generator, which acted as a building block for music programming software, and the acoustic compiler, which allowed "unlimited number of sound synthesis structures to be created in the computer", further the complexity and evolution of music programming systems.
Artists who used this kind of technology include J. J. Cale, Sly Stone, Phil Collins, Marvin Gaye, and Prince.
Other technologies such as the phonograph, tape-recorder, and compact disc have enabled artists to create and produce sounds without the use of live musicians.
These different programs are called digital audio workstations (DAW) and are used for editing, recording, and mixing music files.
Most DAW programs incorporate the use of MIDI technology, which allows for music production software to carry out communication between electronic instruments, computers, and other related devices.