Will to Hear

Listen with intent.

Observe surroundings, hear what is present, absorb and realize reality through perception, and do so in order to be more alive, and more human.

Intrinsic Connections

Sounds acquire associations, and these are developed in the course of listening experiences.

Yet, given their value, these associations alone do not provide breadth and depth in absorbing the reality of sound.  This subjectivity must be set aside and perceptivity developed, along with moral reason and the aesthetic sense, for one's consciousness of the meanings inherent in sound to evolve.

Light, Sound, and Darkness

Vibrations strike the ear, are interpreted and given meaning.

But this presumes an aesthetic sensibility, and a grasp of moral reason beyond subjective bias and emotion.  Otherwise there is merely transient attitude, and the sounds of impermanence.

Waveflow

For the contents of consciousness to have value and meaning, there must be self-reflection.

This is a matter of individuality, distinct from the kind of social experience and responsibility imposed by subjection to immediacy, or the instantaneous direct "involvement" technology engenders, and with it, incomprehensible & disconnected imagery, noise, incoherence, and instability.

From the viewpoint of artist as composer, I am interested in sound works that contribute to changes in the listener's consciousness that are conducive to clarity and perceptivity, and the creation of aural environments that open, rather than manipulate, one's state of mind.

Media and Nothingness

Representations are true to the phenomena of existence, or they are false.

There is only one choice for the artist, that between appearances and realities.

Motive, Media, Meaning

Generic music presents a constant reworking of patterns, arrangements, and motifs.

In time, the listener recognizes the moribund nature of these forms, and they become devalued.

For the composer, this means an evolution of perspective and the will to develop divergent means to aesthetic expression through sound.

Establishing and Altering Settings

Manipulation of setting establishes and develops tone and mood.

On stage, setting is created by selections of visual imagery, objects, and backgrounds; in films this is accomplished through contrived interior scenes and lighting, or against landscapes according to various conditions. In literature, verbal description places the scene in the mind's eye through sensory imagery.

Yet the greatest impact on any setting, whether or artfully arranged or simply natural, is sound.  This is particularly true of the personal environment, in which mood and tone reflect individual interests and choices. Thus the composer should neither underestimate the power of the aural palette, nor be less than judicious in its applications.

Distance, Depth, Complexity, Simplicity

Aural atmospheres are composed as depictions of sounds and their spatial relationships.

My compositional methods are predicated upon the interactions of tones, lines, and patterns as they are ordinarily perceived by the listener in the course of everyday events.  Though artificial, these sonic environments function in the manner of those that occur naturally in diverse settings, placing no more demands upon the listener than the waves by the seashore or the wind through rose bushes.

One may listen to such works with both active and passive perceptivity, that is to say, with the inner ear of consciousness and imagination.

Psyche and Civilization

The character of artistic works mirrors the consciousness of the artist in the context of social, cultural, and historical forces.

As peculiar compositions, I do not believe my works are in opposition to the frenetic sturm und drang often associated with contemporary life, but reflect, to the contrary, small advancements in the art of listening that are complementary to the continuing progress of cultural and technological experience.

Sound and Being

Cultural attitudes shape perception in multifarious ways.

Since social groups direct and are directed toward ideas and expressions, the arts may be seen to reflect acquiescence or opposition to these views.  Nonetheless, the way of the artist is not always one of engagement with the temper of the times, and the peculiar forces that shape creative vision may be altogether removed from affairs and questions in common currency.

From this perspective, i.e. that of artist as composer, sounds, tones, and the spirit of the work must emanate from direct experience and be advanced with aesthetic purpose toward their ultimate forms.

Connectivity III

Sound engages direct perception, and both composer and listener are conscious of its effects.

Aural atmospheres provide a sense of space that may be discerned physically, emotionally, and intellectually, which is not often the case with musical works in the form of songs and instrumental pieces that fully arrest and dominate listening attention.  In simple terms, a finely designed, deftly rendered sound environment extends the aesthetic pleasure of listening in ways that linear music does not, yet still functions as an artistic form and expression.

Time Must Have A Stop

Contradictions define themselves.

It is not "limits" that hinder vision, but the lack of them that renders choice futile.

Gesture and Flux

The reality of cultural expression is continuous change.

Even so, artistic choices remain those related to color, tone, mood, composition, atmosphere, movement, and all the other elements that delineate and expand upon emotions, ideas, and the representations, whether abstract or concrete in nature, of the facts of existence, the human condition, and the peculiarities of imagination.

Nothing else is more critical in terms of aesthetic expression-- neither the extravagances of the artistic ego nor the passionate impulses of social communities can make false works ring true.

Speculation Regarding Rhythm

A stranger passes through the street, nodding to some inner rhythm, and disappears from view.

Is the stranger conscious of the movement and the sound pattern, fixed in memory, that sets the physical motion in place?  What is its origin and nature?  Is it a good, bad, or indifferent thing?

How long has this aural illusion circulated in the stranger's consciousness?  How often do these patterns emerge, to play themselves out in the course of the day?  How widespread, then, is such experience?

What is the meaning?  Might it be a reflection of attitude, mood, or intent?  Can it not possibly be a mechanism through which self-reflection is stifled, and the voice of conscience stilled?  Or is there meaning at all?

Elevation or Decline

To be conditioned to experience sound in rigid forms is to lose touch with perceptual awareness.

By this I mean that the sensations of sound lose breadth, depth, and nuance.  A "sameness" of texture, tonal quality, and stylistic formula pervades the listening experience, and the ability to distinguish between the finely wrought and the merely competent is stultified.  Essential sounds of the surrounding world, with the exception of undesirable noises, are dimmed, such that they may even go unnoticed in the scheme of things.

Having experienced the joy of music and the beauty of sound, the faithful listener will find such a state of affairs unacceptable.  The composer would do well to accept the challenge of not only restoring a fullness of auditory awareness, but of improving upon the art of listening itself, and moving beyond the conformity of expression that diminishes listening pleasure.

The Art of Sound

It reflects the way of nature and the human world.

Elusive, it cannot be followed.  It fills the silent spaces, yet reveals silence.  It surrounds without drawing notice to itself, emerges, evolves, and dissipates.  Listen, and its imagery is heard in the inner ear.

Aural Transformations

Consider simple expressions of perception.

If the composer strives to set aside, to the extent possible, expressions of ego and emotions, yet chooses to represent the atmospheric sounds of desirable environments with aesthetic care, the "human touch" remains light, though present, offering the listener a heightened sense of beauty through sound as an experience worth sharing in and of itself. The artist is present, but does not impose upon the listener.

Culture and Purpose

A simple thought: music can be more than diversion and distraction.

There is music for the dance floor, church, concert hall, bar, coffee house and grocery store.  There are personal listening devices that plug directly into the ear.  At home and at work, there is music.

But considering its purposes, one must return to entertainment and, at times, escape, usually from the pressures of the day.  Music takes hold of the attention, and the listener is absorbed by rhythm, melody, harmony, percussion, and dramatic effects.  For some, these are the absolutely essential elements of musical merit, the raison d'être of music itself.

For some, but not all.

Music has its place, yet the art of sound can be more than this, as an enhancement to contemplative thought and a compliment to aesthetically pleasing surroundings.  Rather than demand the listener's focus, the composer would do well to work against the grain of musical excess and creatively evoke atmospheres that liberate thinking and elevate state of mind.

Auditory Fatigue

Nearly everywhere, at any time, music is playing, but no one is listening.

Recorded music saturates, but does not fill, atmospheres.  No matter its original intention, narrative, or mood, it is reduced to clutter masking silence, or noise demanding attention.  Whether drowning conversation or acting as a palliative for disquietude, such music is out of place, and at times a sign of general malaise or cultural disorder.

The listener is more than a simple consumer of cultural artifacts and their imitations.  These settings, and the people within them, call for aesthetic sound compositions that enhance cultural environments and personal perspectives.

Turn

Within and without one may find answers, and more questions, but much is a matter of individual choice.

Perceptual awareness conveys sensory imagery, and the mind brings reason and experience to bear upon the impressions.  It is no difficult matter to sustain what is good, avoid what is not, and reserve judgement on the rest.  Rather than create distraction, bring to light that which is real.

Organic and Artificial

Follow sounds to their respective sources.

Humming of electric wires, breezes through treetops; presences in the natural human world. If such sounds are not those of music, surely they are not far removed.

Flow, Circulation, Involvement

Observe with care.

Subtle variations in sound evince changes in the surrounding atmosphere.

Sense and Sensation

The art of the narrative may reveal mysteries, or conceal them.

For those who choose to experience the fullness of the world of experience, the language of understanding is difficult, and, some will say, unnecessarily complex.

Yet, its complexity must be in inverse proportion to the simplicity it makes clear.

Causation

Certainty regarding the nature of reality yields particular expectations of experience.

Such certainty defies the rapidity of change, and expectations are constantly unraveling.  Ideas set in motion in past centuries move toward resolutions not yet imagined.

The expressions of artist and composer do not always reflect and support the ideals and fashions of the present day; according to their individual perspectives, the past and future are unfolding together, and thus their peculiar expressions are constantly changing and emerging.

Auditory Observation

Pause and take note of irregular sounds.

Cognizant of the formations of sound outside the scope of mundane events, one one gains awareness of their multifarious aspects, increasingly becoming conscious of the fact that these aural phenomena are not as rare as they might initially seem.

What is rare is the ability to discern their presences within the common noises of the day.

Light and Tone

Sounds, and the effects they produce, vary in intensity and may be interpreted differently from one setting to another.  Though the effects are not as pronounced, the same is true for artistic visual representations.

Additionally, as variation in lighting of scenes and objects produces aesthetic and emotional reactions in the visual arts, so tone color, acoustic clarity, and the character of aural images may be designed to evoke impressions that contribute to the poetic meanings of sound productions.

Beat Time, Wind

Art's origins and endings are those of perception, imagination, and expression.

The young are assembled, then taught how to shake rattles, slap sticks and pound cans in unison, opening the doors of rhythm.  As rhythm excites and holds sway, to dominate and define emotional connections to sound, less attention is given to the myriad ways sounds become manifest through other processes of culture and nature.

But as perception and imagination will not be limited, so will expression bring forth reflections upon other forms of sound, and other ways of listening.

Anywhere

Settings dominated by noise hinder clarity of perspective, jarring the most even-tempered nature.

It is not necessary or desirable to shut out the world; what is prudent and essential is to restore and sustain a sense of balance and equanimity in one's life and surroundings.

This process, too, is an art.

Moments of Clarity

Instances of direct perception may take place in any setting, without the necessity of preparation.

It is as if, while engaged in the business of life, the world of external reality suddenly presents itself to the senses and demands acknowledgement, in full, of being, in and of itself.

Any art may serve as the medium through which such experiences become real.  The art of sound lends itself to evolving atmospheres that are conducive to evoking, and sustaining, such insight and awareness.

Recognition

Voices, machines, the auditory phenomena of nature and cultural activity are familiar to the listener.

The argument might be made that we are more intimately acquainted with the sonic properties of recorded music and speech than with the aural qualities of our own environments, the unintended consequence of advancements in sound reproduction over the past century.

For listener and composer, such a proposition implies the necessity for contemplative experience with regard to perceptual awareness, and the need for listening, and hearing, with the inner ear.

Depth, Distance, Shape

The vantage point is a hillside looking down upon a river some two hundred yards below, and above the treeline.

A steady and prolonged gust of wind blows between the riverbanks, from the water level to upwards of the treetops, a vast current of rushing air, approaching in the distance, following the flow, and fading down the distant waters like the passing of a ghost train, almost visible, vaguely palpable, then gone away, a thing alive, a living sound.

The composer would do well to bring the merest reflection of such an experience into being.

Impression to Expression

Sensory perceptions take place sequentially, within the limits of time and space.

But the mind is not so restricted, and the imagination may conceive extraordinary possibilities.

Consider a painting that represents a subject from numerous perspectives and according to differing qualities of light simultaneously.  It is nonetheless a representation of reality, and reflects the artist's aesthetic sense, as can sounds arranged in nuanced, unified compositions that represent elements of changing, evolving environments.

Such works in sound may strike the ear, in comparison with other musical compositions, in ways similar to those that cubist landscapes appear to the eye, that is to say, as somewhat uncanny in contrast with "realistic" paintings or photographs.

Their strange familiarity, and even their beauty, invite a change of viewpoint and attitude in regard to the art of listening.

Consciousness and Purpose

As the mind may be improved through effort and experience, so may the sensory perceptions be refined.

Challenging literature enhances reason; analytic thought is rewarded, over time, by intuitive grasp of ideas, insight into events, and clarity in understanding character as well as the human condition.

Vision and hearing are sharpened by attention to nuance and detail, as are all the senses. When due consideration is given to contemplative and aesthetic pursuits, self-discipline and equanimity in active life are preserved and strengthened.

When the arts elevate and support the activities of everyday life, the individual thrives, and the culture may do so as well.  In times when the situation is otherwise, personal responsibility sustains, even as the world at large is diminished.

The Turning Wheel

Boethius (480- 524 A.D.), author of the Consolation of Philosophy, viewed music as art.

These compositions reflect the idea that we hear with the mind as well as with auditory perception, and that within this inner ear we listen in much the same way as we view art, in a contemplative state of mind and being.  Being capable of hearing much more than merely those things that assault the senses and dominate the attention, I’m interested in creating on the other end of the spectrum, and these works attest to that fact.

Pressure, Clarity, Flux

Extravagant cultural structures exist for purposes of defining and influencing collective understanding.

Diverse subjects, and especially those connected to the arts, politics, religion, media, and social relationships, are continuously under the critical scrutiny of various specialists in related fields and disciplines.  These observers wield extensive and powerful influence, certainly, but their authority dissipates over time in the face of change.

When creative perspectives change over time, essential artistic representations of reality reflect the ideas and theories of forward-thinking, risk-taking individuals. Their impact is far reaching, and should not be underestimated.

Along the Course of Ideas

A thousand observations trace a stream of thought.

Developed throughout are propositions concerning sound as an art medium, sound forms contra music, consciousness informed by the auditory sense, the contrasting natures of hearing and listening, the aesthetics of sound manipulation, peculiar perspectives on ambient music and pop culture, and among other thoughts, the concepts of moral reason, the permanent things, and the good.

Interestingly, from the point of view of composer and listener, any of these notes may be accessed at random and combined to further suggest ever-expanding concepts as well as larger, perhaps more valuable, questions.

Intent, Opposing Conditioning

Simply put, the experience of sound involves varying degrees of subjective attention.

Hearing demands little conscious effort; listening may be refined into a powerful skill, a true art.

Shapes and Gestures

Sound fills physical and temporal spaces.

The listener responds according to temperament and individual aesthetic sense, and, as is generally the case with musical compositions, in rapport with widely ranging sensibilities.

But there are contrasts between music for stylistic expression and atmospheric sound compositions, namely the purposes and sonic effects of each.  One dominates attention (and this is the case with a number of ambient forms), while the other enhances state of mind and being.

Connect and Disconnect

Observe those so dependent upon technology for communication they cut themselves off from the outside world.

This is clearly an effect of continuous, selective absorption of information through various electronic media, a diminishing of consciousness reflecting subjection to immediacy, the instantaneous direct involvement and vicarious participation in representations of culture interconnected media systems afford. The individual accustomed to such constant, passive stimuli is rendered insensible, to some extent, to direct perception and communication.

Rather than contribute to the stultifying effects of scenarios like these, I am interested in developing artistic compositions in sound that direct the percipient toward full and heightened awareness and experience.

Form, Reason, Insight, Expression

Consider the sine qua non of moral reason to existential matters. Still, its limits are clear.

The essential nature of intellect and the capacity to grasp the nature of reality through thought and evaluative judgement can hardly be overstated, but there is no doubt that conscience, intuition, and direct perception advance awareness and understanding beyond linguistic apprehension.

Well-balanced aesthetic sensibility reflects as well as appreciates this contrariety in both means of knowing and ways of articulating artistic perspectives.   For the artist as composer, this balance is the nexus of meaning within the work.

Art and Action

One muses, one gives due consideration to ideas, thinks creatively, and communicates.

Environments conducive to contemplative thought allow free reign of imagination and conscious focus of attention, so atmosphere can make a vital contribution to such things as problem solving, analysis and evaluative work, conversation, and reading. The aforementioned activities, being essential to any information-based culture, require the vitality of sound compositions that specifically enhance state of mind and critical thinking.

The composition and production of music serve innumerable purposes, yet most are directly related to entertainment and diversion.  Increasingly, the evolution of culture will demand changes in the arts of sound to accommodate that progress, and the art of listening will change accordingly.

Reflections and Shadows

There are schools of thought that consider disorder and distracted states of mind to be cultural norms that an unspecified "we" must acclimate ourselves to in order to cope with contemporary reality.

Supercilious posturing and rationalizations concerning failures of self-possession and restraint aside, it remains for the artist to counter untenable views and simplistic visions by example.

Works representing clarity of consciousness and moral reason afford far greater understanding than argumentation and debate allow.  One capable of original thought will exercise that ability.

Waiting

Abandoned military vehicle parked at the edge of the woods, seen across an open field.

Suddenly, perspective changes; senses are heightened, and sounds of whippoorwill and insect appear very clear and close.  Yet nothing extraordinary is taking place, beyond a quickening of consciousness.  A zone is crossed and a transition from one state of being to another occurs.

Men appear in service uniforms, place surveyor's tools in the back of the vehicle. The engine engages; sound of approach.  They wave.  Friendly.  They drive away; the sound of the motor recedes down the road.  Now crickets, tree frogs, perhaps.  Rustle of leaves.  Distant drone of air traffic.

Conversation turns to other things, and sounds go unattended.

Such is one example of the manner in which sounds may be perceived with altered awareness; when listening attention turns to sound settings that contrast with the paradigms of music and expectations are set aside, the peculiar force of auditory perception is enhanced in striking ways.

Imagery in Consciousness

Sound is ephemeral, but leaves lingering impressions.

In its familiar forms, sound is structured to seize and hold attention, and is thus focused on patterns played out in time as a vehicle for expression of idea and emotion, whether simple or sophisticated, utilizing the same elements of music.

Lay aside these common elements, and observe how formlessness in sound liberates thought and feeling, releasing awareness within atmospheres conducive to contemplative activities.

Regard and Response

Experience of art entails engagement with its scope, content, detail, and meaning.

Perception encompasses wide ranges of attention, from general awareness to intense focus. For the artist as composer, this occasions a broad range of colors from the palette of sounds, transformative manipulation of diverse sonic elements, and designs to beguile the discriminating listener, one who has grown increasingly bored with bombast and orhwurm.

Presences

Sounds communicate the essences of reality.

Consciousness, perspective, sensory impressions, ideas, and emotions informed by sounds convey, in turn, experiences to the individual and the culture at large.  Always in flux, the myriad attributes of these experiences, both personal and social, reflect states of being and of civilization as well. For the artist as composer, every contribution is one of practically unlimited meaning,

Artificiality and Detachment

Pop culture, like any other, has periods of vitality and decline. Historically, prolonged decline foreshadows extensive change.

Conversely, at a distance from the vicissitudes of popular attention, music composed to enhance clarity of perception engages emotional balance and intellectual vigor.

Terra Incognita

Think in linear terms and move accordingly.

Predictability has its virtues, depending on outcomes and goals.  Methodologies and techniques, for example, are crafted to assure specific outcomes that can be reproduced.

If, on the other hand, it is necessary to set aside the given in order to reveal unknown possibilities, there will be no advancement without acceptance of risk, and linear thought is an obstacle to be overcome.  This is a choice among many the artist must make in pursuit of aesthetic integrity.

Projection of Imagining

Somewhere in time past, something is happening that directly impacts the moment now.

Even in the moment now, it can be heard in time future, with the will to listen to the inner ear.

Visual Sounds, Sonic Symbols

Imagery shares like qualities in visual and aural forms.

Subtlety, color, brightness, shading, and tone quality are important to both visual and auditory perception, enhancing clarity of understanding and experience of life as well as art.

Such appreciation cannot be overemphasized; to recognize and absorb aesthetic beauty is essentially human, and to lose sense of it tends toward individual and cultural decline.