Jean-Michel Jarre

A tape recorder. It is this device that served as the first electronic instrument to Jean-Michel Jarre : « My grandfather had given me a tape recorder and with my rock band, I recorded guitar solos that I was reversing, organ parts that I was slowing down. » Passionate about sound, the young Jarre applied to the Musical Research Group in 1968 : 200 candidates present themselves for 4 places. Jean-Michel Jarre passes the exam and joins the GRM, which is then the best school in the world concerning electro-acoustic music.

Trained by Pierre Henry and Pierre Schaeffer, Jean-Michel Jarre discovers an innovative approach to music at the time. Speaking of Pierre Henry, JMJ said : « He is the first, with Pierre Schaeffer, who said that the music was not only made of notes based on music theory, but sounds and that we could go out with a microphone and go record the sound of the rain, the sound of the wind, and make music out of it. »