This paper critically reviews the history of programming languages for
music by referring discussions from sound studies, aiming to describe
this history decoupled from computer music as a genre/community. The
paper focuses on the universalism around Pulse-Code Modulation (PCM) and
Unit Generator concept established by MUSIC-N family, which actually
made lineage of role between composer and scientists which tends to turn
composers into consumers. The paper concludes that programming languages
for music developed after the 2000s function as a means of presenting
alternatives to the often-invisible technological infrastructures
surrounding music, such as formats and protocols, rather than solely
aiming to create novel musical styles.
