All thumbs are fingers but not all fingers are thumbs; nevertheless, all music is sound art but not all sound art is music.

Right now I choose to define sound art as the creation or refinement of a noise, melody, arrangement, instrument, soundscape, or dialogue that is meant to evoke a specific or personal emotion from an individual or audience. Sound art can be presented through song, installation, sound design, or even nature. The possibilities within sound art from my knowledge seem to be both limitless and undefinable. Anything that is meant to be listened to is sound art.

Another thought that correlates to what defines sound art is what defines music. Alongside my current view of sound art, I believe music is simply sound that is organised by human intelligence; intervals, time, and arrangements. Music can also be correlated to a story or something that is organised in order to convey an idea or specifc emotion. The line between sound art and music seems to be thin, however, I believe it is important to make an effort to avoid defining either concept with too many rules or restrictions.

In spite of my premature definition, I hope that my view and perspective on sound art is questioned and developed in this course through practice, collaboration, and discussion.

(Despite the simplicity of the definition above, here is an image of a machine that can make relatively complex sounds. One of John Frusciante’s modular synth rigs. Photo Credit: Ryan Hewitt).