The interaction of sound identities in electroacoustic music.

Abstract

Electroacoustic music technology allows for the creation of distinctive ‘hybrid’ interactions between sounds, since features defining the identity of one sound object (such as dynamic profile or spectral envelope) can be fused with or imposed on those of another. The spectromorphological features of a sound that remain invariant or recognisable through transformation of this kind are termed the idio-morphology, while the characteristics superimposed on the sound are termed the exo-morphology. This paper emphasises the interaction of sound and transformation processes in these terms, as well as the potential for processes of sound transformation to generate distinctive morphological identities. The material presented here represents the initial expression of an approach to composition based on commonly used digital signal processing tools. Emphasis is placed here on perceptual criteria that are of relevance to the composer’s utilisation and control of signal processing routines, and which ultimately may provide useful perspectives on more widely applied music analysis.