Week 49 12/10/18

Mythology and folklore speak of music as a magical force.

Sounds associated with enchantment and sorcery are at a far distance from contemporary understanding, being associated with narratives of extraordinary events.  But there is more.

When music is central to tales of the strange and paranormal, attempts to evoke its nature falter.  It is invariably described as otherworldly, beautiful, mystical... and altogether unlike anything that would fit a modern definition of "music".  It defies memory of rhythm and melody, leaving only a deep, lasting impression of high strangeness.

The composer would do well who would evoke, and repeatedly express, this formlessness.

Ambimusica.com

Aural Synthesis

It is possible to manipulate sound as a creative individual would the various art media.

One might suggest, in a simplistic way, that it is possible to create a sound composition in the manner of an Impressionist, or in any form related to methods utilized in visual arts. This obviously demands a working knowledge of art, stylistic methods, and the production of sound.  Yet, unlike the classical Tone Poem, such compositions need not be dependent upon most elements of music, particularly the "popular" elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and so forth. Nor is it necessary that these pieces be Minimalist in nature or adhere to any type of Ambient style.

I choose to compose representations of sounds as they occur "in the wild", using an aural palette.

Ambimusica.com

Space Time Sound

Consider the surrounding environment a vessel.

Envision, generate the sonic palette, and compose according to the idea that it is the virtue of the vessel to be filled.   From these simple fundamentals, approach new sonic atmospheres. 

Ambimusica.com

Exercise VIII

Identify a continuous source of sound.

Give attention to the sound and the surroundings until no longer conscious of the sound.

Recognize, to the extent possible, the moment of becoming conscious of the sound again.

Analyze and note the differences in (1) the quality of sound and (2) the nature of subjective and objective perception each time the sound re-emerges into consciousness.

As in any exercise, make these steps habitual in the pursuit of creative, critical acumen.

Upheaval and Vision

It is nothing to bring about irrationality and chaos.

Only the most arduous efforts can focus and elevate aesthetic beauty out of disruption and turmoil, ignorance and evil.  But it can be done, and it has always been so.

Actionable Intent

For desired change to come into being, it must be created.

Therefore take action, regardless of scope or scale, and cause will yield effect.

Sound, Being and Place

Ideas and beliefs alter direct perception.

To the extent that culture and experience determine what is perceived, listening, for example, is limited to subjective preconceptions.

To hear the approach of the future, understand and act upon this knowledge.

Cut Cubist Paste

Space and time are malleable to the sound artist.

Things are happening there now that have already happened later here.  This is a recording,

Spatial Perspective

Encounter and absorb real auditory information within real environments.

Turn this process, rather than those associated with musical arrangements, into an organizational prototype for composition of sound.  The result is a tangible atmosphere developing in flux as aural imagery surrounding the percipient, whether listener or composer.

Contexts and Contents

Convert impressions of environmental sound elements into elements of composition.

Every setting is different and produces unique effects.  The sonic events produced in diverse settings, and those produced in the same settings on different occasions, offer practically infinite impressions that may contribute to any number of atmospheric compositions.

Engagement, Structured and Non-linear

Consider the shapes and intensities of sound waves along with the position of the percipient within the sonic field.

The perceptions of the stationary listener differ from those of the mobile one, for whom the totality of the listening experience undergoes change with movement.

The majority of musical performances and recordings are designed in terms of arrangements of direct, focused listening, including the free-flowing area of the dance floor.

Consider, conversely, recordings designed for the mobile listener, and sound performances structured for the mobility of both listeners and sound sources.

Living, Listening

Sound surrounds you now.

There is no silence; only listen, and hear.  Out of perception, bring forth expression.

Sound Forms in Motion

Things rise and fall, gather together, disperse, and reform as diverse elements come and go, bringing about changing atmospheres and conditions.

Listening perception in environmental or spatial contexts suggests arrangements of aural forms and events according to a different order than those structured in musical terms, reflecting separate and distinct aspects of beauty and interest as well.

Sensory Environs

Consider sound designs as stylized representations of reality, particularly the reality of the movement of consciousness and perception through the various atmospheres and events of the day.

The scattering of aural events might then serve as one model for sound composition, as variations of the emergence, clustering, and dispersal of diverse sonic forms could provide structure for others.

Musicality

In cultural terms, music encompasses various preferred sounds and styles of social groups, but no definition of music is all-embracing.

Thus the term "ambimusica", suggesting ambiguity as well as ambience.

I am interested in sound compositions that evoke aesthetic beauty in ways that, more often than not, tend to defy categorization as music, and that are intended to bring into being effects in opposition to those the standard elements of music-- rhythm, melody, etc.-- produce in the listener.

These pieces create atmospheric surroundings, offer immersion rather than distraction, and create conditions for clarity of thought as opposed to dominating the attention.

Perhaps this may be called music, but the full experience in repeated listening may be somewhat different than expected.

Atmosphere, Effect, Development

Within settings, variations in sonic dynamics are brought about by any number of environmental factors, including such elements as barometric pressure, wind direction, and changes in topography.

In transformational compositions, the composer chooses the extent to which direct influence upon sound and structure is desirable.  In directing the evolution of a work that reflects awareness of auditory imagery within a changing atmosphere, I seek the suggestion of impressions rather than predictable patterns while aiming towards a balance between the orderly and the apparently random.

The aim is to reveal, or bring to light, the authentic and effortlessly grasped aesthetic listening pleasure that may be found within a nonlinear aural dynamic or sound and tone collage.

Imaginative Variables

Environments contain unexpected elements that contribute to the atmosphere in unexpected ways.

In composition and experimentation, there are innumerable choices.  Each alters the total effect of the finished work irrevocably.  The extent to which the artist's sensibilities are manifest is also a choice, and my personal perspective is that the least interference results in the most compelling aesthetic result.

Each transformation ambient piece should be, more than a personal expression, an evocation for the listener's most desirable states of consciousness.

Opposing Forces

Dynamic movement begins.

Tones, lines, and clusters, lights and darks, the warm and the cool merge, coalesce, fragment, disperse.  The sounds are reflective of such events as atmospheric developments, air and ocean currents, cyclical patterns and unpredictable combinations of conditions.

Remaining constant, they continually change.

Sequences, Organization, Methods

With change as a constant, processes may lead in some scenarios, follow in others, toward any number of possible outcomes.

Sounds move in time in relation to other sounds as they are brought together, juxtaposed, removed, set in opposition to each other, fused, dispersed, repeated, and recombined.  The nature of the action is in some ways asymmetrical and in others a matter of aesthetic choice.

In their final recorded forms, works such as these have more connections in common with cubism, action painting, pop art, impressionism, and abstract expressionism than with generic musical styles.

The sound art and design under consideration here, like the aforementioned visual arts, suggests and rewards a change and renewal of perspective as well.

Sound Complexes

Aural constructions created individually in various forms combine in unique fashion to produce total effects that may be experienced in a vast multiplicity of ways.

Tones, note clusters, lines and dynamic densities interact in ways similar to the kaleidoscope or film collage, emerging, unwinding, dispersing and recombining forms that defy effortless recognition, predictability, and the auditory "hooks" that make disposable and ultimately boring generic sounds.

Repeated listening over the course of time offers continually fresh perspectives on works such as these. Recordings do not change, but awareness of their content, atmospheres, and moods, as well as the mental and aesthetic stimulation they provide, offer the listener continually interesting musical engagement that will not be dated or outmoded.