After reading up on Brian Eno and his tape loops and generative compositions I was curious to read into Musique Concrète and understand some of the techniques that go into cutting tapes and creating compositional pieces with sound.
What we shall be dealing with is the use of recorded sounds, ‘musical’ or otherwise, which by the composer’s manipulation are sifted, altered, superimposed, edited, etc. to become a new creation justifying the title of the music. Many readers will know that the correct title for this is musique concrète and that it was invented by Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Henry in the 1950s. The term ‘concrete music’ was originally coined to distinguish it from electronic music, in which the source of sounds is the oscillator or wave generator, a purely electronic device whose signals only become sound when fed through loudspeakers.
This historical context and definition of the act gave me defined uses and explanations on how to use this medium.
Now we must consider the characteristic features of sounds, with special reference to those aspects the composer will wish to control. The chief features are pitch, duration, timbre and volume, and the reader will be interested to learn that the tape composer can alter any of these factors at will, within limits, with regard to any recorded sound.
I have a 4 track cassette tape machine which also has three tape speeds. I want to experiment with the recordings from Stava Hill, changing pitch, duration, timbre and volume. Compose a music concretè piece?
I hope that the reader will become more and more interested in the sounds he hears around him every day, and will eagerly examine them for their intrinsic interest and individual character
I think I already have this quality based on sound walks and studying sound arts, my appreciation for ordinary everyday sounds has enhanced since starting this course. I’ve experienced this when speaking to friends that think it’s strange that I like the sounds I do. Now how do I create compositions with these interesting sounds? To see potential beyond the accurate representation of it?
What are the results of reverse play? Obviously, the events on the tape will come out in the reverse order, but an even more interetesting effect is the reversal of attack and decay. Where fading sounds or distinct room resonance are involved the sound is often almost unrecognisable because a crescendo comes from nowhere and is suddenly cut off at its loudest. The piano now sounds like an organ, and cymbal crashes and triangle pings are like well, you’ll have to hear them. Most sounds are changed somewhat, except long ones, which change hardly at all.
I didn’t consider the idea of reverse play with tape machines and how to use the envelope of the sound differently in reverse. I’ll try this as well when composing later.
These exercises interested me, can we compose with a story in our heads? This reminds me of Alex Delittle and his visiting practitioner lecture where he mentioned that he worked with architects to redesign Leeds town centre into a more green and open environment. He was tasked with creating the idea of what that city centre would sound like once the work was done. This has similar ideas but more fantasy? Can I create an ideal soundscape of Stave Hill?
This last quote was with loops and tape loops, an interesting exercise I want to attempt.
I think this book did help me see tape composition in a new light, again perhaps my work won’t end up being quote-for-quote music concretè but inspired definitely. As well as using similar techniques within my work that I’ve learnt here. Taking a bit of everything that I’ve researched. I guess the next step is to create some cassette loops stuff and compositions with sounds and field recordings.