Electroacoustic Music

Ways of Reading. Visual Music Course Development at OCADU

by Robert Appleton

Ways of Reading. A course at OCAD University conceived and taught by Robert Appleton using sound, text and image.

Shamanic diffusions: A technoshamanic philosophy of electroacoustic music

by Jon Weinel

Forthcoming in Sonic Ideas/Ideas Sonicas

Electroacoustic music affords the possibility of creating journeys through non-realistic or illusory spaces, through... more Electroacoustic music affords the possibility of creating journeys through non-realistic or illusory spaces, through the use of sonic materials.  This article proposes the application of the concept of ‘technoshamanism’ as a principle for composing and performing electroacoustic works of this type.  I shall commence by examining the use of the term ‘technoshaman’ in relation to psy-trance culture.  Through consideration of Rouget’s (1985) definitions of ecstasy and trance, I will discuss the relationship of psy-trance culture to Rouget’s definition of trance.  From this position I shall then propose the use of electroacoustic music in relation to Rouget’s definition of ecstasy.  This will enable me to define ‘shamanic diffusions’ as an opposing technoshamanic approach to that which is used in psy-trance.  Under this discussion, electroacoustic music will be considered as an ecstatic technology.  I shall then conclude with some comments and speculation regarding how this concept may be useful as an approach for the composition and performance of electroacoustic music.  For example, in various composed works I have used altered states of consciousness and hallucinations, as a principle for the design of sonic materials and musical structure.  Through the course of this article then, I will describe a conceptual model through which to consider electroacoustic composition and performance.

Altered states of consciousness as an adaptive principle for composing electroacoustic music

by Jon Weinel

PhD Thesis

The aim of this research was to use altered states of consciousness (ASCs) as an adaptive principle for composing... more The aim of this research was to use altered states of consciousness (ASCs) as an adaptive principle for composing electroacoustic music, in which common features of the ASC experience provide a basis for the design of sonic material and inform the structural design of corresponding musical sections. Various cultures throughout history have sought to undergo visionary journeys using hallucinogenic plants and drugs. In many cases these experiences have been used as a basis for the creation of art, literature and music. Informed by a survey of relevant work, this practice-led research develops a compositional process for creating electroacoustic music that is based upon hallucinogenic perceptual states. Though situated within the electroacoustic idiom, the work also draws significantly upon Western psychedelic culture and electronic dance music. The output is a creative portfolio containing a series of musical compositions, software and video. This supporting commentary describes the compositional processes in detail, and it is hoped that it will be of interest to other creative practitioners dedicated to exploring this theme in music and other mediums.

Ανάμεσα Σε Φύση Και Πολιτισμό: Συνθέτοντας (σ)το Ηχητικό Τοπίο Στον Αργολικό Κάμπο

by Olga Touloumi

In and Out of the Sound Studio conference on gender and technology

by Andra McCartney

Report on the In and Out of the Sound Studio conference, held at Concordia University in July 2005. Includes bio, abstracts and discussion. Some abstracts in English, some French. Mike Alleyne | Michele Anderson | Diane Ballon | Wende Bartley | Katherine
Binns | Hannah Bosma | Éveline Boudreau | David Cecchetto | Owen
Chapman | Sylvie Chenard | Andrea-jane Cornell | Shelley Craig | Elizabeth
Curry | Stacy Denton | Marcelle Deschenes | Beverley Diamond | Shona
Dietz | Chantal Dumas | Jennifer Eisler | AnneMarie Ennis | Victoria Fenner |
Chantal Francoeur | Michelle Frey | Anna Friz | Lisa Gasior | Mark Harris |
Mara Helmuth | Randolph Jordan | Kathy Kennedy | Lara Kohl | Jessica
Landry | Chantal Laplante | Diane Leboeuf | Charity Marsh | Andra
McCartney | Cherie F Moses | Michelle Nagai | Kip Pegley | Claire Piché |
Hélène Prévost | Sam Routley | Anna Rubin | Jacky Sawatzky | Karen
Sunabacka | Charlotte Scott | Oana Spinu | Rae Staseson | Nancy Tobin |
Barry Truax | Karen Vanderborght | Marian van der Zon | Doug van Nort |
Ellen Waterman | Hildegard Westerkamp | Airi Yoshioka | Andrea Young

In and out of the sound studio conference

In and Out of the Studio took place at Concordia University in... more In and out of the sound studio conference

In and Out of the Studio took place at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec from July 25-29, 2005. The conference brought together independent artists, professors and students from across Canada, the United States and beyond to deliver papers, give lectures and perform their work. The event included a number of concerts featuring the participants, as well as a keynote address by Hannah Bosma, a researcher of women and electrovocal music in the Netherlands. The conference was part of the In and Out of the Sound Studio multimedia project, headed by Concordia professor Dr. Andra McCartney.

The In and Out of the Sound Studio project aimed to establish a greater sense of community among women sound producers separated by geographic space, occupation or disciplinary boundaries, and aimed to make the working methods and philosophies of women sound producers accessible to emerging and established artists, as well as scholars in the fields of communication studies, women's studies, cultural studies, media studies, and music. The conference was held in cooperation with SSHRC, the NFB, CIAM, Studio XX, CKUT, and the SAT.

Imposing a Networked Vibrotactile Communication System for Improvisational Suggestion

by Lauren Hayes

Hayes, L. & Michalakos C. 2012. Imposing a Networked Vibrotactile Communication System for Improvisational Suggestion. Organised Sound 17(1). Cambridge University Press.

This paper describes the implementation of NeVIS, a local network system that establishes communication between... more This paper describes the implementation of NeVIS, a local network system that establishes communication between individual performers, as well as between laptop and performers. Specifically, this is achieved by making use of vibrotactile feedback as a signalling tool within an improvisational setting. A discussion of the current developments regarding the use of networks within improvisation is presented, followed by an outline of the benefits of utilising the haptic feedback channel as a further sensory information pathway when performing digital music. We describe a case study of the system within the context of our computer-mediated improvisational duo Můstek, involving piano, percussion and live electronics. Here, a cueing system or framework is imposed over the improvisation and is transmitted directly to the skin of the performers via tiny vibrations. Additionally, performers may make use of simple vibrotactile signals to enhance traditional visual cues that are often employed within performance. A new work, Socks and Ammo, was created using NeVIS, and was presented at various international conferences and festivals. We also tested the system itself within a group of postgraduate researchers and composers. Qualitative evaluation of the musical outcomes as experienced both by the performers and by the listeners at these events is offered, as well as implications about the nature of collaborative music-making.

Surface Tensions: Dynamics of Stria

by Kevin Dahan

Electroacoustic Music: Overcoming Analysis Paralysis

by Kevin Dahan

Proceedings of the ICMC 2011 Conference

Directionality in Electroacoustic Music

by Kevin Dahan

Proceedings of the EMS 2012 Conference

Composing Alongside Paradoxes

by Hanns Holger Rutz

published in: EXPLORE DREAM DISCOVER—Peninsula Arts Contemporary Music Festival, Plymouth 2012.

The essay outlines the thoughts around which the fixed media electro-acoustic composition 'Leere Null (2)' is... more The essay outlines the thoughts around which the fixed media electro-acoustic composition 'Leere Null (2)' is centered. It proposes the idea of 'programmed time', a time which exists as trace regressing from "the piece", preceding it and re-entering into it in the performance.

Real Time Custom Spatialisation Patch for a large dimension and non conventional area

by Rafael Subía

Different sound spatialisation tools and methods have flourished and been perfected over the years. Conventional... more Different sound spatialisation tools and methods have flourished and been perfected over the years. Conventional methods are used in typical closed music spaces. Richard Moore’s “Space”, Michael Gerzon “Ambisonics” or even traditional “Equal power panning” have all been designed for a closed location with a sweet spot where the listener is placed. However, what to do when a different area other than ordinary music spaces need spatialisation? This paper describes how the spatialisation patch for Buenos Aires Sonora’s “Oi(r) el Ruido” intervention to the (45 x 15 meters) Argentinian Bicentennial Pavilion was cre- ated. How the method was picked out and how it was implemented in Pure Data (PD).

A ESPECTROMORFOLOGIA COMO DISCURSO: CONSIDERAÇÕES ACERCA DA OBRA TEÓRICA DE DENIS SMALLEY

by Maurício Perez

Este projeto de pesquisa teve como objetivo a compreensão da obra teórica do compositor Denis Smalley, a fim de... more Este projeto de pesquisa teve como objetivo a compreensão da obra teórica do compositor Denis Smalley, a fim de investigar as possibilidades do uso da teoria espectromorfológica como ferramenta de organização discursiva para a Música Eletroacústica de vertente Acusmática. Para tal propósito, este trabalho desenvolveu-se em três etapas. Primeiramente, selecionamos os textos do autor que tratam especificamente sobre a teoria espectromorfológica e os inter-relacionamos, buscando compreender como Smalley concebe o discurso musical em sua poética espectromorfológica. Posteriormente, visando verificar como a teoria de Smalley pode ser aplicada como ferramenta composicional no que tange à organização do discurso, fizemos a análise de uma peça acusmática sob os preceitos do autor e, como última etapa, propomos uma organização discursiva influenciada pelas ideias de Smalley.

Happy New Era. Graphic Design in the 21st c. Robert Appleton. Zhuangshi Magazine, Tsinghua University, 2012

by Robert Appleton

ELECTROACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE INTERFACES THAT LEARN FROM THEIR USERS

by John Levack Drever

2005: 'Electroacoustic Performance Interfaces that Learn from Their Users', collaborative paper with Andrés Melo & Geraint Wiggins, Proceedings, International Computer Music Conference, 2005, Barcelona, ICMA, San Francisco. (refereed)

VIVO (Video Interactive VST Orchestra) and the aesthetics of interaction

by Fabio Paolizzo

Published in SSSP 2010 - conference proceedings.

The research is drawn across the fields of musicology, composition and software development with the aim of achieving... more The research is drawn across the fields of musicology, composition and software development with the aim of achieving a collective intelligence and self-awareness through self-reflection in interactive music. The present study recognises that for a collective self-awareness to occur through self-reflection in music, specific structures of interrelation have to be adopted, which may enhance the human agent’s awareness of the own self as related to the machine. These structures are then implemented in a piece of software. Specific art projects are designed along the investigation to finally test/improve the framework through art practice. The art works spanned the disciplines of music, dance, theatre/performance, film-making, net-art, sport/music interactive public art. The implementations include: a module for adaptive video tracking that is derived from the feedback loop of action/perception (Vaggione 2001); an adaptive graphic score which is designed upon a previous multi-modal comparative analysis (Impett 2001); a dynamic host for audio software, where the concept of open content is merged within the dynamic orchestration model (Paine 2004). The piece of software, which provides outcomes that are informed by these structures, is VIVO. This software musical instrument is able to generate an adaptive musical answer to reflect the agents’ behaviour by controlling external audio-plug-ins (VST, DirectX, AU). The paper illustrates its main features, the theories behind the implementations and the partial evidence that was gathered from tests, which are still in progress, within specific art projects.

Tiny Jungle: Psychedelic Techniques in Audio-Visual Composition

by Jon Weinel

Forthcoming, proceedings of the International Computer Music Conference (ICMC 2011).

Tiny Jungle (duration 7:10) [1] is a psychedelic audio- visual montage, with a soundtrack based upon electroacoustic... more Tiny Jungle (duration 7:10) [1] is a psychedelic audio- visual montage, with a soundtrack based upon electroacoustic music and late 1990s drum and bass. This work forms part of my research regarding ‘Altered states of consciousness (ASCs) as an adaptive principle for composing electroacoustic music’. According to Heinrich Klüver [2] and Timothy Leary [3], ASCs such as those induced by mescaline may commonly result in the perception of visual patterns of hallucination, cryptic symbols, perception of cellular or atomic forms, and strange journeys or narratives. Tiny Jungle uses these ASC features as a basis for the composition of sound and video. Visual material for this piece was created through a montage of animated hand-drawn artwork, 3D graphics and material created using a specially designed Max/MSP/Jitter tool that produces stroboscopic visual material in real-time. The combination of music and moving images is intended to construct a narrative that conveys psychedelic experiences. In this paper I will discuss the development of Tiny Jungle from concept to realisation, with emphasis on the development of visual material and a brief overview of the soundtrack. It is hoped to thereby stimulate thought for audio-visual practitioners on compositional techniques based upon ASCs and audio-visual montage techniques involving hand-produced artwork and real-time methods.

VIVO (Video Interactive VST Orchestra): an interactive and adaptive musical instrument for self-reflection in music

by Fabio Paolizzo

published in 'The International Journal of the Arts in Society'

The aim of the research is to create a software musical instrument that allows for an aware exploration of the self,... more The aim of the research is to create a software musical instrument that allows for an aware exploration of the self, through self-refection in music. The investigation is interdisciplinary and operates across the fields of musicology, software development and composition. The study focuses on specific logics of compatibility between human agents and technology. These are then implemented, at the design stage, in a software tool. Finally, the piece of software is tested within art projects to validate the implementations or to correct the theoretical assumptions and, therefore, to further improve the framework. This software musical instrument is VIVO (Video Interactive VST Orchestra). This paper illustrates the main features of VIVO, the theories behind the implementations and the evidence that was gathered from tests within two specific art projects.

Ethical questions about working with soundscapes

by Andra McCartney

Keynote presentation at World Forum for Acoustic Ecology conference in Koli, Finland, June 2010. A shorter version of this paper has been published in the Soundscape Journal.

When soundscape composers, documentarians and artists work with soundscapes, they are expressing relationships to the... more When soundscape composers, documentarians and artists work with soundscapes, they are expressing relationships to the place of work and its inhabitants and visitors, to the sounds listened to, recorded from or projected into the place, and to the audience of the work. Each time a soundscape composer designs a soundwalk or a theatre piece, an installation or broadcast work, relationships with the world are expressed through how the maker treats the place, the sounds and the audience. Does the maker want to reveal particular sonic aspects of the place as it is, as it used to be, as it might be? Does the composer want to create an ideal place through sound and if so, what are the characteristics of this imaginary place and what ideas and values inform this utopic creation? How does the composer treat the sounds? How prominent are the composer’s treatments in relation to the sounds originally heard in that place, and what are the characteristics of this electroacoustic ecology? What are the dominant and masked sounds in the piece and how do they interact? What connections are there in the work between what is heard in the piece and the place of recording? Does the maker imagine the audience as deafened into numbness and needing to be awakened to true listening by the composer or soundwalk leader’s approach to the soundscape? Do we imagine the listener is ignorant and needing enlightenment? Do we think of the listener as possessed of original and unusual ways of listening, contributing to an expanded awareness of how to work with soundscapes? What are the ethics of this expression, and how are these ethics informed by underlying ideologies of sound, of sound production, and of sound ecology?

Innovation, Interaction, Experience and Imagination in Computer Music Education

by Alessandro Cipriani

Co-authored with Maurizio Giri - Published in Proceedings of the International Computer Music Conference 2011, University of Huddersfield, UK, 2011

This paper presents the “Electronic Music and Sound Design” project, which explores innovative solutions for teaching... more This paper presents the “Electronic Music and Sound Design” project, which explores innovative solutions for teaching computer music, especially as regards the theory and practice of sound synthesis, signal processing and sound design. The project uses integrated and interactive self-learning envi- ronments, leading the user on a journey from novice to expert thanks to the interaction between theory and practice, experience and imagination. A number of activities (replacing parts of algorithms, comple- ting unfinished algorithms, correcting algorithms with bugs, interactive sound-building exercises and reverse engineering) help lead the user to what Joel Chadabe terms 'predictive knowledge' — the ability to intuit what will happen to a sound before you take a specific action to modify it. The authors’ ap- proach involves interactions between the perception of sounds and the knowledge and skills deriving from studying the theory and performing the practi- cal activities, as well as fostering the user’s own individual creativity.

A Clarineta na Contemporaneidade: técnicas expandidas e performance eletroacústica

by Anselmo Guerra

ALMEIDA, Anselmo Guerra, BATISTA, Cleuton N. A Clarineta na Contemporaneidade: técnicas expandidas e performance eletroacústica. In: XVII Congresso da ANPPOM, 2007, São Paulo. Anais do XVII Congresso da ANPPOM - CDROM. São Paulo: UNESP, 2007. v.1. p.1 - 8

Veja no Youtube, OrganWren, para Clarineta e Suporte Fixo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D09kIQn0vqQ

RESUMO: O objeto de estudo desta pesquisa é a performance da clarineta na contemporaneidade, focalizando as técnicas... more RESUMO: O objeto de estudo desta pesquisa é a performance da clarineta na contemporaneidade, focalizando as técnicas expandidas e composições eletroacústicas que envolvem o instrumento. A fundamentação teórica é buscada em autores como Ronald Caravan, Gerald Farmer, Michèle Gingras, Phillip Rehfeldt, onde podemos encontrar ferramentas metodológicas para análise e performance de obras de compositores que trabalharam com tais técnicas. Esse caminho percorre objetivos complementares: a formação de repertório e sua performance musical, e a incorporação deste conhecimento no processo didático do instrumento.
PALAVRAS-CHAVE: performance musical; técnicas expandidas; clarineta.

ABSTRACT: The object of study of this research is the contemporary performance of clarinet, focusing the expanded techniques and electroacoustic compositions that involve the instrument. The theoretical foundation is searched in authors as Ronald Caravan, Gerald Farmer, Michèle Gingras, Phillip Rehfeldt, where we can find methodological tools for analysis and performance of scores of composers who had worked with such techniques. This way covers complementary objectives: formation of repertoire and its musical performance, and the incorporation of this knowledge in the didactic process of the instrument.
KEYWORDS: musical performance; expanded techniques; clarinet .