Abstract
Corroded Wires is the second of a cycle of short electroacoustic works — the first, Study in Steel, was premiered in November 2022 — all exploring the sounds and uses of metal.
Corroded Wires:
Wires under tension, holding our structures, routing our circuits, joining us. Processes of corrosion, the dirtying of surfaces, a taste of acid; but also joy in the imperfect. A dramatic arc drives through the transformations, counterpoints and convergence, and their uncoupling.
Despite its dark undercurrents, the work uses a playful collision of techniques. There are materials from a synthesis system I coded for inner glitching and algorithmic trajectories; ‘analogue’ modular synthesis; recordings of live instruments with found tunings; creative abuse of a commercial virtual piano; a hybrid overtone / Zarlino temperament, and its dissonant shadows; crunchy distortions; a nod to Steve Reich; and an array of ad hoc and improvisatory tools. The piece also has a lot of spatial behaviour composed-in, exploring the art-music application of Dolby Atmos (a technology more familiar from movie theatres and TV soundbars).
Corroded Wires:
Wires under tension, holding our structures, routing our circuits, joining us. Processes of corrosion, the dirtying of surfaces, a taste of acid; but also joy in the imperfect. A dramatic arc drives through the transformations, counterpoints and convergence, and their uncoupling.
Despite its dark undercurrents, the work uses a playful collision of techniques. There are materials from a synthesis system I coded for inner glitching and algorithmic trajectories; ‘analogue’ modular synthesis; recordings of live instruments with found tunings; creative abuse of a commercial virtual piano; a hybrid overtone / Zarlino temperament, and its dissonant shadows; crunchy distortions; a nod to Steve Reich; and an array of ad hoc and improvisatory tools. The piece also has a lot of spatial behaviour composed-in, exploring the art-music application of Dolby Atmos (a technology more familiar from movie theatres and TV soundbars).
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Size | 5 min |
| Publication status | Published - 2025 |
Keywords
- composition
- acousmatic music
- spatial audio
- synthesis
- musical computing