Inside Computer Music

Inside Computer Music is an investigation of how new technological developments have influenced the creative possibilities of composers of computer music in the last 50 years. This book combines detailed research into the development of computer music techniques with nine case studies that analyze key works in the musical and technical development of computer music. The book's companion website offers demonstration videos of the techniques used and downloadable software. There, readers can view interviews and test emulations of the software used by the composers for themselves. The software also presents musical analyses of each of the nine case studies to enable readers to engage with the musical structure aurally and interactively. Cover 1 Inside Computer Music 4 Contents 8 Acknowledgments 14 About the companion website 16 Technology and Creativity in Computer Music 18 Combining text and software to explore computer music from the inside 18 The pursuit of new perspectives in the analysis of electronic and computer music 20 Nine case studies from the history of computer music 25 1 John Chowning: Stria 32 Contexts for Stria 32 Max Mathews and the beginnings of software for computer music 32 Jean-​Claude Risset and timbral synthesis 40 John Chowning and the evolution of FM synthesis 42 Inside Stria 52 The golden ratio 54 Timbre and FM synthesis in Stria 55 The golden ratio in the context of FM synthesis 56 Stria’s synthesis algorithm 57 The shape of Stria 65 Conclusions 68 2 Barry Truax: Riverrun 70 Contexts for Riverrun 70 The birth and early development of granular synthesis 70 Inside Riverrun 88 Riverrun: Technique, form, and structure 88 Granular synthesis in Riverrun and the GSX system 90 Tape techniques 92 Spatialization in Riverrun 93 Sections and streams 93 Conclusions 99 3 Philippe Manoury: Pluton 104 Contexts for Pluton 104 First steps in the development of technologies for live computer music 104 The pioneering contributions of IRCAM 105 The development of the IRCAM 4X synthesizer 107 Philippe Manoury: The background to the composition of Pluton 114 Inside Pluton 122 The global form and materials of Pluton 123 Constitution of the digital environment for the performance of Pluton 125 Mapping the piano performance to the real-​time environment 132 The interactions between the piano and the computer through the musical work 135 Conclusions 142 4 Hildegard Westerkamp: Beneath the Forest Floor 144 Contexts for Beneath the Forest Floor 144 The World Soundscape Project and the evolution of soundscape composition 144 New directions in the development of the World Soundscape Project 149 Hildegard Westerkamp and her influences on soundscape composition 152 Inside Beneath the Forest Floor 159 Recording as part of the creative process 161 Field recording locations in British Columbia 162 The raw materials of Beneath the Forest Floor 162 Digitally processing the environmental sources 164 Assembling the processed sound files into premixes 170 The environmental materials through the structure of Beneath the Forest Floor 171 Conclusions 176 5 Francis Dhomont: Phonurgie 178 Contexts for Phonurgie 178 Background and early career 178 Musique concrète and the birth of Groupe de Recherches Musicales (GRM) 181 New directions for GRM: From analog to digital 186 The birth of SYTER 188 Dhomont, Quebec, and GRM 195 A final homage to musique concrète within Dhomont’s Cycle du son 196 Inside Phonurgie 197 The materials of Phonurgie 199 The sound sources 200 Processing the sound sources 202 The structure of Phonurgie 210 Conclusions 214 6 Trevor Wishart: Imago 216 Contexts for Imago 216 The Composers Desktop Project 216 The development of Sound Loom as a composing resource 222 Inside Imago 233 From a single source to a variety of processed sound files 234 Successive Sound Loom processes 235 Assembling the work 236 The Opening of Imago 237 The Gamelan section 242 The large-​scale structure of Imago 244 Conclusions 247 7 Jonathan Harvey: Fourth String Quartet 250 Contexts for the Fourth String Quartet 250 First steps exploring the possibilities of electronic and computer music 250 The IRCAM dimension 256 Inside the Fourth String Quartet 267 Inspiration and structure 267 Acoustic compositional techniques 270 Electroacoustic techniques 274 Performing the electroacoustic part of the Fourth String Quartet 284 Summary of the integration of acoustic writing and electronics 286 Conclusions 286 8 Cort Lippe: Music for Tuba and Computer 288 Inside Music for Tuba and Computer 304 General form and materials 306 The digital environment for the performance of Music for Tuba and Computer 307 Global control of the digital environment 319 Instrumental and electronic interactions through Music for Tuba and Computer 320 Conclusions 323 9 Natasha Barrett: Hidden Values—​The Lock 324 Contexts for Hidden Values—​The Lock 324 The early evolution of spatial technologies 324 The development of sound diffusion systems for performance 325 John Chowning 326 Surround sound techniques 328 Ambisonics 329 The IRCAM Spatializer (Spat) 333 Vector base amplitude panning (VBAP) 336 Natasha Barrett and spatial projection 338 Inside Hidden Values—​The Lock 346 The musical materials of The Lock 347 Barrett’s software environment for the playback and spatialization of materials 351 Three-​dimensional positioning and movements operated by IRCAM’s Spatialisateur 352 Spatialization and dramatization in the structure of The Lock 357 Conclusions 361 Conclusion 364 Notes 370 Bibliography 410 Index 422 Music,Genres & Styles,Electronic,Recording & Reproduction,Instruction & Study,Theory "This publication (the text and the software) aims to explore the relationship between new technical innovations in computer technology for music and the creative practice of composers employing these new techniques. It asks: does the new technology lead to new sounds and new ways of structuring music, and if so how? What are the creative options, sonic and structural, presented by new software and hardware? How can these be manipulated and shaped to form music? How have particular composers developed successful working methods in using this technology? To answer such questions a set of case studies have been examined in depth, specific works in which composers have adopted new techniques, whether developed by themselves or by others. Each of these works has been researched from a number of different perspectives: the technical and musical background, the technology employed in the particular work and, through music analysis, the musical outcome. Innovative approaches have been employed both in undertaking and presenting this research. On the one hand, it has been important to find appropriate ways of presenting the musical potential of what are often highly technical processes. On the other hand, it has been necessary to find ways of analyzing music that often evades even the most basic fundamentals of traditional music analysis: notes, harmonies, or instruments"-- Provided by publisher Inside Computer Music Is An Investigation Of How New Technological Developments Have Influenced The Creative Possibilities Of Composers Of Computer Music In The Last 50 Years. This Book Combines Detailed Research Into The Development Of Computer Music Techniques With Thorough Studies Of Nine Case Studies Analysing Key Works In The Musical And Technical Development Of Computer Music. The Text Is Linked To Demonstration Videos Of The Techniques Used And Software Which Offers Readers The Opportunity To Try Out Emulations Of The Software Used By The Composers For Themselves And View Video Interviews With The Composers And Others Involved In The Production Of The Musical Works. The Software Also Presents Musical Analyses Of Each Of The Nine Case Studies Using Software And Video Alongside Text To Enable Readers To Engage With The Musical Structure Aurally And Interactively. A ground-breaking investigation of how new technological developments have influenced the creative possibilities of composers of computer music in the last 50 years.