Émergence du Son, Son d’Emergence. Essai d’épistémologie expérimentale par un compositeur

Abstract

Emergence of Sound, Sound of Emergence. This paper is in three parts. The first one introduces the notion of "sonological emergence” in the framework of a systemic perspective, following a radical-constructivistic standpoint. The secondo describes the main points in a compositional project, Ecosistemico Udibile (Audible Ecosystemics), consisting in a network of element processes capable of generating/ transforming/ destroying sound, working under real-time constraints, coupled with the space surrounding. The third part, articulates the auto-écoorganisation in the sonic network described, and advances some more general considerations of systemic and epistemologic kind. The discussion bears on the selfproducing (conditions of existence) and self-differentiating (conditions of form) elements in the process by which sound is produced, yielding into a generalisation of the music-theory notion of “ timbre”. The discussion also bears on how the systemic conditions (internal and external contraints, resources available in the environment) are dealt with in the real-time performance, when sound is recognized not only a “ energy” dimension (phisical substratus) but also an “ information” dimension (sound as interface, as regulator of system resonances). The notion of emergent sound, as emergent musical “ form”, is finally re-articulated in connection to the environment (space as the “ médium” or mileu of acoustical existence).

Algorithmic Composition by Autonomous Systems with Multiple Time-Scales

“…As for emergence, "musical form emerges from interactions composed at the signal level" as Di Scipio (2007) puts it concerning his own work. Indeed, this would be a good example of emergence independent of the observer and their reactions.…”

“…Agostino Di Scipio's description of his work on Ecosistemico Udibile is illuminating in this respect (Di Scipio, 2007). The description of the piece begins with a simple electroacoustic feedback loop from which the system grows by a process of accretion.…”

Theoretical Approaches to Musical Creativity: The Ubimus Perspective

“…Burtner (2005) explored the usage of synthesis techniques in external settings, coining the concept of socio-synthesis. Di Scipio (2008) employed the venue's acoustical properties to increase the available resources for performance-based compositional systems. Nance (2007) proposed the use of aural scores as a way to increase the openness of instrumental works.…”

Ecologically Grounded Creative Practices in Ubiquitous Music

“…Ecological modelling proposes creative heuristics – that is, decision helpers – that are based on the objects’ sonic behaviours in terrestrial settings (Keller 1999, 2000). These heuristics have been applied in sound synthesis (Keller and Truax 1998; Keller and Berger 2001; Burtner 2005; Di Scipio 2008), haptics design (Barrass and Adcock 2002; Castle, Adcock and Barrass 2002), interaction design (Keller et al 2002; Basanta 2010; Keller et al 2010; Keller et al 2011), instrumental composition (Nance 2007; O’Callaghan 2013), and environmental data extraction and sonification for artistic purposes (Barrett 2000; Opie and Brown 2006; Gomes et al 2014; Connors 2015). All these techniques make use of local resources providing open approaches to sonic organisation.…”

“…Burtner (2005) explored the usage of synthesis techniques in external settings as sources of creativity, coining the concept of socio-synthesis. Di Scipio (2008) employed a venue's acoustical properties to increase the available resources for performance-based compositional systems. Nance (2007) proposed the use of aural scores as a way to increase the openness of instrumental works.…”