Mogućnost da se zvuk zabilježi je često povezana sa proizvodnjom elektronske muzike, ali nije potpuno neophodna. Najstariji poznati uređaj za snimanje zvuka je bio "fonoautograf", kojeg je 1857. patentirao Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville. Mogao je vizuelno da zabilježi zvuk, ali ga nije mogao reprodukovati.
Thomas A. Edison je 1878. patentirao fonograf, koji je koristio valjke slične Scott-ovom uređaju.
^"The stuff of electronic music is electrically produced or modified sounds. ... two basic definitions will help put some of the historical discussion in its place: purely electronic music versus electroacoustic music" (Holmes, Thomas B (2002), Electronic and Experimental Music: Pioneers in Technology and Composition (Second ed.), London: Routledge Music/Songbooks).
^"Electroacoustic music uses electronics to modify sounds from the natural world. The entire spectrum of worldly sounds provides the source material for this music. This is the domain of microphones, tape recorders and digital samplers … can be associated with live or recorded music. During live performances, natural sounds are modified in real time using electronics. The source of the sound can be anything from ambient noise to live musicians playing conventional instruments" (Holmes, Thomas B (2002), Electronic and Experimental Music: Pioneers in Technology and Composition (Second ed.), London: Routledge Music/Songbooks).