Computer code and digital instruments have been constantly changing the aesthetic, ergonomic, communicational and ethical aspects of musical practices since the turn of the third millennium, and these changes have been aided, to some extent, by the concept of hacking. Whilst the latter initially involved a series of activities linked to the world of computing, it has gradually infiltrated and determined the structure of endless fields, artistic creation being no exception.

The values that hacking conveys advocate both the reappropriation of mass-produced technological devices and the promotion of a type of freely accessible community expertise, as well as the pleasure of serendipity, misappropriation and manipulation. They ultimately underlie a form of discreet and diffuse social disagreement in response to a globalised and often normalised commercial and industrial culture. It is important, therefore, to understand the various forms that these approaches associated with hacking can take, be they fun, transgressive or optimising, within the modern musical sphere.

With this in mind, the symposium will look at the various guises that misappropriation and reappropriation can take where musicians are concerned, with regard to their equipment, training and the unification of musical communities through hacking and even the impact of the 'hacker' ethic in musical practices.

Finally, the Music Hack Day hosted following the symposium (10 and 11 November 2017 at the IRCAM) will offer a practical insight into the intensity and productivity of the approaches that fuel the music hacking industry.