‘Sonic Talisman No. 1’ is a sound work that projects my perspective on sound through the modern definition of the talisman, and how it relates to providing a sense of ease. I use field recording and tracking instruments to meditate in my compositional process. I engulf myself in the world that forms through the medium, and I can only relate this compositional process to meditation. This sound piece is an abstract representation of talismans I have collected throughout my life, and the sound is meant to illustrate their role. Providing comfort in artistic imagery, the contemporary perception of the talisman is derived from its use in Ancient Greek, Latin, and Arabic cultures. 

My creative work, ‘Sculptural Talisman No. 1’ is a sonic representation of how I believe sound acts as material in mediating the relationship we hold between the physical world and the psyche. As it relates to my relationship with sound, I utilize the medium as a means of expressing reactions to both events and resonating feelings in my daily life. In an expansion to my research, I believe sound holds a new material context in contemporary art practices due to the accessibility to sound technologies, and the freedom in sound technologies available. Sound and music is utilized as a means to cause change or establish and enhance specific emotional states, much like a talisman. A talisman is defined as an object that effects change at a distance by means of its visually apprehensible form. The modern talisman has been more specifically acknowledged as a small object held by an individual, specifically with a moral, religious, or personal connection to that individual. I believe sound, whether solely absorbed or absorbed and composed by an individual holds this same stance. 

For my creative work, I have composed a musical piece that is improvised around F# major 7 and G# minor 7 reflective of my perspective towards the effects of sound on the psyche. The piece is a sculpture, layered components that are individually crafted to complement each other both aesthetically and to ease whatever state I find myself in, whether it may be content, reflective, anxious, sad, ecstatic, or upset. 

I approached the composition by layering in individual improvised recordings. The chord progression was based around F# major 7 and G# minor 7. I recorded the piece using an SM57 dynamic microphone and DI inputs from a guitar cab simulator. In recording, I used a Fender Stratocaster, a Fender Jazz bass, a guild dreadnaught acoustic guitar, a Moog sub 25 synthesizer, and a few analog and digital effects pedals. The approach to this recording is reflective of the research I have conducted on sound and perception of environment. I approached this composition as if I were constructing a space, and the movement within the recording feels more natural than structured.

– RESEARCH PROJECT AND CREATIVE WORK –

26/04/2024

For the Element 1 section of my submission for Contemporary Issues in Sound Art, I am exploring the relationship between sound and sculpture and how our perception of material is influenced and shaped through sound. Specifically focusing on the role sound plays in creating a sense of space and emotion alongside sculpture, I will examine and analyze this field through the lenses of both acoustic ecology and film sound studies.

To practice within these developed ideas and exemplify the phenomena around the depth sound illustrates that I am producing a creative work alongside this research for the element 2 submission. The creative work will be a sculpture with a soundtrack, acting as both a physical and sonic representation of the depth that surrounds texture in material and texture in sound produced when married together. The premise for the sculpture is to highlight the beauty in simple materials when conveyed through complex textural patterns used in modern architecture. The materials used will be mundane and accessible, however, the score of the work will act as paint to convey an environment that engulfs the sculpture.

30/04/2024

In my final brief for my element 1 submission I have focused my research onto analyzing the specific role of sound in the sculptural and sonic works of artists Zimoun, Susan Phillips, and Robert Morris. My research and perspectives utilize ideas from acoustic ecology and film sound studies, as well as through the persepctives of composers such as Pierre Schaeffer who highlight acousmatic sound in their practice.

The essay is an interdisciplinary examination of how orchestrated and natural sound impact our perception of environment, whether imagined or physical. My wiritng is also focusing on the concept of perceptual fidelity introduced by James Lastra and how the approach of orchestrating sound directly amplifies the presence of an audience in an environment.

For the creative work, I am using sound as a physical medium and composing a piece that is reflective on the role sound plays in my own life. Specifically in how I use sound to convey feeling and sculpt environments around the realm of my psyche. The work was originally intended to also have a sculptural element, however, in using the title ‘Sonic Talisman’ I feel that it is necessary to convey the physicality of sound in isolation rather than placed alongside another medium.

In this excerpt from the book Organised Sound published by the Cambridge University Press and written by Jonty Harrison, Harrison explores the factors that surround and make up sound diffusion. Sound diffusion, is initially defined as the real-time control of the relative levels and spatial deployment of sound during performance or playback. This concept is a contentious issue in electroacoustic music and this article explores the factors that define and affect this perception and occurrence of sound diffusion.

The excerpt introduces this concept by expanding on perspectives around the creation and perception of sound in music and composition. An important note that defines the perspective of the composer in this realm is, the encoding of ideas into a notation in the score is usually done without direct recourse to the actual sound but relies on the composer’s memory or imagination. In an expansion of the role of sound as it pertains to the idea, allowing for one’s imagination and memory allows for the incorporation of personal perspectives and characteristics to somewhat morph the sonic realities of tone and timbre as it pertains to a specific instrument. Conversely, the analysis of active listening as it pertains to music, entails many processes, one of the most important for making sense of a piece is segmentation. This is when the brain identifies and separates a musical piece, identifying objects and units of the musical flow. Denis Smalley identified this occurrence as ‘spectro-morphology’ (1986).

In electroacoustic music, space has been allowed to participate in defining gesture to a degree impossible in instrumental music, as manipulation of the acoustic components can change their relationship to the space they are present in. Feedback, modulation, harmonic incorporation, and amplification all affect the diffusion in a particular space.

Circling back to the role of composition as it relates to sound diffusion and electroacoustic music, the understanding of if something ‘works’ or ‘sounds right’ a compostion requires no further justificationin in that the compositional speculation has been proven through experimentation.

The concepts identified and expanded on in this article are contributing to my perspecitve on the topic I am researching for my element 1 and 2 submissions for this module, all pertaining to the audio visual contract as it pertains to sound in film and sound alongside material works.

The article, ”Perceiving Voices in Contemporary Art: An Auditory Exploration of Image, Sculpture, and Architecture”, by Merrilee Wolsey published in August 2008, is an investigation into recent developments of sound in contemporary art, surrounding image, sculpture, and architecture. This is an attempt to further understand the interpretation of contemporary art through sound, parallel to the incorporation of sound in contemporary art as well.

The article introduces the role of sound from the invention of the phonograph in 1877, by Thomas Edison, leading into the emphasis on fidelity and the drive to improve the quality in capturing sound as close to the original source as possible; the collective focus in fidelity. Merilee Wolsey also introduces the question of the importance of listening to visual art to complete the perception of pieces. This may relate to the environment or internal composition.

Three works are examined in the article which exemplify how sound continues to be important through contemporary art practices. The first work is ‘La voie lactee’ by Genevieve Cardieux. It is a work in image, presented on a billboard installation. The second work is ‘Elixir'(2004) by Myrian Laplante which is a sculptural installation that examines body and space. Finally, Jane Cardiff’s video walk ‘Conspiracy Theory’ (2002) is an architectural examination. All works investigated in this article were chosen for how they address the idea of sound in the material world and the complex issues that arise in the process of examination. The role of voice is a central theme, as well as the role of the relationship between Michael Chion’s ideas towards sound and image.

Following the lecture from 26 February 2024 led by Berk Yagli, his approach in analyzing acousmatic music from the perspective of perception rather than composition drove me to delve into my approach and relationship with the term. On of the key takeaways from this lecture was the perspective towards acoustic sound focusing on the use of material as the source

In my own practice and interest, I relate the term to Pierre Schaeffer’s initial utilization of the word in reference to an auditory situation. Sound which is heard without seeing the root or cause of its source. Beginning with the radio, telephone, and television, it generally relates to the situations that arise in audio-visual works such as film. As it relates to film, I associate acousmatic soun to nondiegetic sound as well. Sound that is perceived by the viewer, but not by characters in the dimension of the film. Musical accompaniment is the primary example, allowing for the progression and depth of emotional contexts to occur alongside characters and situations.

In an effort to demonstrate my musical approach for creating an acousmatic soundscape for a nondiegetic context, I manipulated field recordings from the underground and created rhythmic loops with them. The result is a breath that hints towards having musical qualities but allows for space and an indirect sense of what is creating the sounds prevalent.

Currently, my element 1 and 2 submissions for the Contemporary Issues in Sound Arts module will be based around an exploration of the situation and role of material, image, and process in art alongside sound; both in relation to the environment in an artwork is presented in and sonic interpretations of the material work itself. In my practice, I utilize sound to convey and explore deeper meaning alongside imagery, whether performative or responsive. In this exploration, I will research and interpret how other artists incorporate the effect of sound alongside their own works. I will also delve into my own use of sound in responding to and interpreting material works of art.

This exploration is an expansion around the relationship between sculpture and physical material in art as well as my perspective on the evocative nature of sound, especially in relation to the role of the film score. This will be demonstrated through researching and referencing other artists’ works and expanding on the sensory, individual, and cultural perceptions of artworks.

Currently, I am reading a thesis written by Merrilee Wolsey and published for their master’s degree at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Similar to the research that I am doing for this unit, the thesis ‘Perceiving Voices in Contemporary Art: An Auditory Exploration of Image, sculpture and Architecture’ explores this relationship between sound and material artworks.