Oscar Alvarez Sound Arts Year 2

In this session I explored the GRM Spaces plugin within 8 channel fully for the first time. By developing an understanding of the various spacial parameters of the software, the aesthetic possibilities of the sound system’s format became apparent – as well as the practical challenges I may face.

I listened to examples of compositions designed for a spacialisation setting and began thinking about sound in relation to the X, Y and Z axes. I also considered speaker placement and the way in which quieter or louder instances within the space can emerge as both a source of inspiration and a challenge to consider.

My score for the upcoming Multi-Channel Playback.

As described in the image, I intend for the installation to possess a hazy quality in which (dependant on ones position within the space) certain ‘ghost notes’ or ‘ghost melodies’ may appear to be perceived – as though one were attempting to recall the sounds of half-forgotten memory.

Here, William Basinski’s ‘Disintegration Loops’ and the ambient-drone music of Chihei Hatekeyama are primary sources for my sonic palette- vast swathes of rich, foggy sound, containing the faintest traces of melody.

This session was my first encounter with a sound system larger than stereo, and upon hearing examples composed for multiple channels, I was immediately filled with inspiration about how I could adapt and convert my current sound into something with much more ‘physicality’.

As a long time fan of his work, I began to research the various sound installation works of Viennese musician ‘Fennesz’. The particular piece I have included in this post is ‘The Last Days of May’ in which he describes the intent of the music within the installation space as “meant to blend into everyday soundscapes and occasionally stand out”.

This reflects my own personal philosophy when approaching this upcoming work – one of rich yet unintrusive sound, cohesively residing alongside whatever audio may occur in its vicinity as though it were an improvisational flair.

I began to consider the relationships between sound and moving image, including the roles and unique interplay the two mediums possess.

For the sessions creative exercise, I ‘mapped out’ on paper the sound of a nearby environment, in this case, the fountains outside the campus building. Through this, I started to review the way in which I understand sound to exist in a physical space – constantly in flux, fading and rising in a blurred urban cacophony. To charter effectively the way in which sound moves and dissipates led me to observe my surroundings in a way I hadn’t for a long time. To my surprise, even amongst the business of such an environment there were instances of sporadic musicality.