Remember our last sit together in front of the cozy stove where we were listening to the crackles of the fire? Was there anything special about it, and if yes, what could it be?
Well, I believe, it has to do with the predictability of the sounds:
When sounds are talking in a strict language, like we have seen in the “We will rock you” example, where you can be absolutely sure about the next scheduled sound meeting every (a little bit more than the) 88th of a minute (the meter of 88 beats per minute) – then let’s call this a solid state of matter.
Then, there is music where sounds meet in a manner, that the next sound appearing can clearly not be predicted in any way despite its occurrence within a certain sound territory which was decided upfront, like in this example from John Cage "Music of Changes" – let’s call this a gaseous state of sound relationships, where sounds are really free to swirl around, at least based on our common human perception.
Now, you guessed it already: Why shouldn’t we consider the crackles, snaps and pops of our fireplace somewhat in between, somewhat predictable, and somewhat not – meaning, after a certain time there HAS to be another loud snap, and here it comes! – and call this therefore a fluid state of sound meetings?
Bear with me. We have seen in the last – ‘Varifications‘ 2.0 – blog entry, that these sound connections can transform their characteristics within a relatively short period of time and therefore leading our hearing, emotions and energies quite significantly, if we are willing to let them take us with them. Remember this chain of examples from the last blog entry?
Now, should these ‘fluid’ connections, these flowing energies, be all based on ‘snaps‘ and ‘pops‘?
Of course not.
Here are a few more examples. Hope you will enjoy exploring this new collection of #freesoundspirations.
And trust me on that one – each of them deserves lots more of explanation and exploration, at least a blog entry of its own (like the ‘crackled’ one). Stay tuned! And if you like, let us know about your own ideas, or what also could be added to the list.
1 – Overlaid Repetitions (REP)
Repeating sounds who meet in various speeds may generate interesting rhythms in between (click the image to get an idea).
Musical Example:
Beginning of Black Sonata, Spotlight 1, starts with the synchronized repetition of a triad (like Beethoven’s "Waldstein" sonata) before spreading into independent overlaid repetitions.
2 – Pendulum Sounds (PEN)
A tremolo with alternating sounds can be used quite dynamically.
Musical Example:
Continuation of the Black Sonata, Spotlight 1, while transforming the idea of blending various tones and harmonies within the pentatonic scale in a zipped manner.
3 – Pointed Beats (POI)
Did you ever think that our human heart beat could be one of the reasons for the popularity of the Blues rhythm?
Musical Example:
Album for the Youth, Revolution 1, has a base rhythm who ‘translate’ the older Blues-like stable rhythm from the Beatles into a continuous floating one, like a real heart beat that moves slower and faster – all the time.
4 – Syncopic Rhythms (SYN)
Shifting accents within a field of recurring rhythmical values creates a lively tension.
Musical Example:
Part of Black Sonata, Spotlight 2, uses syncopic rhythms that are continuously changing their accents.
5 – Rotated Morphs (ROT)
This is related to morphing, where certain figures slowly melt from one into the other.
Music Example:
This piece from the White Sonata, Giocoso, is completely made out of morphing figures.
6 – Motivic Series (MOT)
Speech-like pattern are often the basis for melodic expression.
Musical Example:
Subject of 1st Movement, string quartet “The Emperor’s Wardrobe”, exposes various speech-like motifs that are in fact extracted from a German spoken phrase.
7 – Figurative Encounters (FIG)
Figurative variations can melt into one structure through smart synchronizations.
Musical Example:
Oireca Symphony, 1st Movement, during exposition woodwind and trumpets share the same chord while playing all different complementing melodies which creates a play of dazzling colors.
8 – Vectorial Sequences (VEC)
Directional sound sequences can be used like ‘brush strokes’.
Musical Example:
Flying Carpets 8 is based on a continuous line of vectorial sequences throughout the whole piece.
9 – Linked Vectors (LNK)
Directional sound sequences can be interlinked on each musical parameter differently.
Musical Example:
This piece from the White Sonata, Espressivo, is completely made out of vectors that interlink dynamic and articulation vectors simultaneously in two lines, while the pitch for both is linked in harmonic intervals.
10 – Markow Lines (MAR)
Up and down movements vary each time thus creating overarching lines.
Musical Example:
The chord progression in the beginning of the Black Sonata, Spotlight 2, is driven by a simple Markow chain – n steps forward, n steps backward, all the time changing.
11 – Index Modulations (IDX)
Moving irregularly back and forward on a sound sequence creates flexible almost 'dancing' repetitions.
Musical Example:
Portraits of a Woman, Sirenes, uses a Markow chain index modulation simultaneously for three sound levels of a spoken German phrase ‘Schau mal die Wiese’.
12 – Window Operations (WIN)
Moving boundaries of sound clips result in a certain kind of interconnected pattern, like in a kaleidoscope.
Musical Example:
The complete composition of Flying Carpet 12 is based on multitimbral window movements. You will always hear various little parts remaining in each progression of the musical text.
13 – Echoed Layers (ECH)
Sound echo conditions may change dynamically like a room with moving walls.
Musical Example:
The whole accompaniment of the virtual singer in ‘Glass Onion’, Album for the Youth, is based on echo treatments, varying in intensity and speed, including the coda made of orchestral classical instruments.
14 – Crackle Patterns (CRA)
Many low profile sounds are mixed with few louder ones (see also the last blog entry).
Musical Example:
In the middle of the exposition of the Piano Concerto, 1st Movement, crackle patterns are used all over the place (piano, woodwinds, strings).
15 – Serial Distributions (DIS)
Sound sequences can be based on sophisticated conditions of progression.
Musical Example:
The fourth movement of Noise Symphony, Fractal, explores water sounds in vast distributions of processed sound variations.
About state of matter in general
More information about the 'three states of matter of musical sound conversations' can be found in The Magic E@r, chapter 3.9, "Sound Alchemy"