This paper critically reviews the history of programming languages for
music, distinct from computer music as a genre, by drawing on
discussions from sound studies. The paper focuses on the universalist
assumptions around pulse-code modulation and the Unit Generator concept
established by the MUSIC-N family, which established a lineage of role
between composers and scientists which tends to turn composers into
consumers. The paper concludes that programming languages for music
developed after the 2000s present alternatives to the often-invisible
technological infrastructures surrounding music, such as formats and
protocols, rather than solely aiming to create novel musical styles.
