The making of the exhibition Fabriques du son numérique, or how sound synthesis was developed in France during the 1970s by François-Xavier Féron Where, when, and how were the first computer music pieces produced? Who are the pioneers of French-style digital sound? As part of the RAMHO project (An Oral History of Musical Research and Musical Acoustics in France), which is based on both archival research and the collection of oral testimonies, the exhibition Fabriques du son numérique aims to retrace the developement of computer music in France during the 1970s.

In the second half of the twentieth century, musical practices were totally transformed by the emergence and democratisation of techniques in the analysing, synthesising and processing of sound, and by increased scientific knowledge on sound phenomenon. Musical acoustics, computer music and what is called, more generally, musical research – in combination with the integration of new technologies into music – have led scientists and musicians to collaborate within new kinds of institutions and to develop new tools, knowledge and expertise. The RAMHO project (An Oral History of Musical Research and Musical Acoustics in France) is based on both archival research and the collection of oral testimonies. It focuses on the origins of these research centres – many of which were created in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s – and the way in which the links between science and arts were developed. We therefore focus on developments of digital sound synthesis in France. Where, when, and how were the first computer music pieces produced? Who are the pioneers of French-style digital sound? During this presentation, we will first describe the RAMHO project and give a preliminary assessment. Then, we will show how it led to the exhibition Fabriques du son numérique conceived as an extension of the conference Musiques de synthèse: la French touch des années 1970, held on June 3 and 4, 2025, at the Maison des Sciences Humaines et sociales Paris Nord as part of Ircam Manifeste festival.