Composing Music for Acoustic Instruments and Electronics Mediated Through the Application of Microsound

Abstract

This project seeks to extend, through a portfolio of compositions, the use of microsound to mixed works incorporating acoustic instrument and electronics. Issues relating to the notation of microsound when used with acoustic instruments are explored and the adoption of a clear and intuitive system of graphical notation is proposed. The design of the performance environment for the electroacoustic part is discussed and different models for the control of the electronics are considered. Issues relating to structure and form when applied to compositions that mix note-based material with texture-based material are also considered. A framework based on a pure sound/noise continuum, used in conjunction with a hierarchy of gestural archetypes, is adopted as a possible solution to the challenges of structuring mixed compositions. Gestural and textural relationships between different parts of the compositions are also explored and the use of extended instrumental techniques to create continua between the acoustic and the electroacoustic is adopted. The role of aleatoric techniques and improvisation in both the acoustic and the electroacoustic parts are explored through adoption of an interactive performance environment incorporating a pitch-tracking algorithm. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of real time recording and processing of the electronic part when compared with live processing of pre-existing sound-files are discussed.