August 28, 2007 at 02:59 | Posted in Musings, new york, Process oriented explanations | Leave a comment
Lately these things have happened:
I’ve been a consumer. I’ve spent money on goods lately. I’ve spent money that doesn’t immediately influence my survival; perhaps a secondary or tertiary influence on my survival.
I’ve been a bit less tidy at home.
I’ve parted ways with posessions of mine in an attempt to slim down tha amount of space that my property takes up.
I was part of an art show with some friends from Florida. It was a good look on all account.
I’ve been listening to tha carter 3 leak. Lil’ Wayne could creat–what I would consider to be–a hip hop artifact of massive quantity and quality.
I watched “2 days in Paris” today with Chris. It was pretty funny to me, perhaps because I have a girlfriend.
I’m starting a new job.
December 16, 2006 at 15:40 | Posted in communicative media, Documentation of things, Grad school update, new york, Process oriented explanations, the body, Things related to critical theory, Things related to John Cage | Leave a comment
Our conception of the sonic is a phenomenological feedback event, while our perception, as an event, is equally a perception of our own materiality and the materiality of the sonic. The conception of the auditized sonic always leads to its interface with usefulness, while the perception of the sonic always leads to either quantification or qualification. Perception is cartography of the self (both collective and singular, physical and metaphysical), and the space around the self. Perception is not a document of what exists; it is an event. Perception is the construction of what exists in terms of potentialities of usefulness; the perceived is of usefulness, and the unperceived is not. It could be said that perception leads to conception, but such a statement would not be true, only mythic.
July 22, 2006 at 12:36 | Posted in Musings, Performances/Exhibitions, Process oriented explanations, Things related to John Cage | Leave a comment
to quote Nas. I started a series of recordings today. This series of recordings is titled Quiet New York. As of right now this series consists of binaural sound walks taken at hours when the aural space of lower Manhattan is not so densely occupied.
More on the Body:
Even if one were to assume that the body constituted by one’s flesh, and the point to which that flesh extends into space, is the extent of the human body one then has to consider that the human body is merely an organ, so then what body is the human organ a part of? In this sense the human body is then a part of the Human Body: the entire collection of human bodies as a singular structure. The more egocentric our thinking, the smaller the body is, without doubt. But, when we can begin to think of our individual bodies as organs within a structure we are not so pejorative towards the unabsolute of the self-governance of the body, which I postulate to be the source of an inability to recognize the ‘larger’–to quote Fuller, “The precessional”–organizing principles and executive mechanisms of the Earth-Human life structure. When the body/self is constituted through a reductive means, that is the body/self is organized around the principle of an elimination of undesirable/inconceivable things as part of the body/self, it secedes to the point that there is no body; the structure of self cannot be maintained because self is reduced to the various bodily systems, which are reduced to the organs that compose those systems, et cetera. This notion is a wonderful way to trouble the notion that the borders of the realm of one’s skin constitute one’s body, except that it is usually employed in a manner to support a notion of self wherein the whole of existence is not reduced to nothing–without, within, and through the body, rather the whole of existence is reduced to the point of purported epidermal irrefutability; through reductive means one negotiates what is and is not self to the point that the desirable body/self remains, and thus the body is maintained, through further future reductions, to be that which one desires to be; the fetishized self that is the projected, and delimited manifestation of one’s desires, abstractions, and barrings.
February 16, 2006 at 05:21 | Posted in <i>A Contest is Eminent, communicative media, Documentation of things, Performances/Exhibitions, Process oriented explanations, Things related to John Cage | Leave a comment
So far these are the people that I know are playing: Zach M. (player1), Nelson H. (player2), Greg L. (player3), Melissa D. (player4), Adam P. (player5), and Zack J (player6).
Thus, I have six scores here on this page.
If other people are interested in playing, then those people should contact me so that I can prepare a score for them.
Key:
(The following symbols, which are used in the score, represent the volume setting for each instance of sound. Their values are relative in relation to the space in which the composition is performed: if the composition is performed in a busy park then the dynamic values should be adjusted accordingly, and likewise if the composition is performed in a public library.)
BA: This stands for Barely Audible. The player should focus on making their sound-source ride the fence between audible and inaudible. Do not be afraid about slipping into inaudibility. Picture, if you will, a one foot voice.
Q: This stands for Quiet. The player should focus on keeping the sound audible, but its presence should not be forwardly noticeable, also the player should not slip into inaudibility. Picture, if you will, a three foot voice.
A: This stands for Audible. The player should take care in not letting their sound source become intrusive. Although the sound should be audible, it should also be ignorable. Picture, if you will, a five foot voice.
>A: This stands for Barely Louder than Audbile. The player should at no point overwhelm the other sounds, or encompass the space with their sound source. This dynamic range should not be read as “as loud as I want.” This dynamic range falls far short of garnering all attention within the space. Picture, if you will, a clearly perceptible five foot voice in a room of five foot voices.
Brief Explanation:
Let’s look at player one’s first instance of sound to see what the score actually means. Player one’s first instance of sound is: 16’52” A. This means that for 16’52” player one will produce a sound with a dynamic value of audible as described above.
Player One:
A.–|16’52″O| A
B.–|6’08″i|
C.–|1’32″O| BA
D.–|1’32″i|
E.–|3’04″O| >A
F.–|3’04″i|
G.–|1’32″O| >A
H.–|1’32″i|
I.–|1’32″O| A
J.–|4’36″i|
K.–|1’32″O| Q
L.–|1’32″i|
M.–|1’32″O| Q
N.–|3’04″i|
O.–|6’08″O| A
P.–|1’32″i|
Q.–|3’04″O| >A
R.–|1’32″i|
S.–|1’32″O| BA
T.–|1’32″i|
U.–|6’08″O| Q
V.–|3’04″i|
W.–|4’36″O| BA
Player Two:
A.–|4’36″O| A
B.–|3’04″i|
C.–|6’08″O| A
D.–|1’32″i|
E.–|1’32″O| BA
F.–|1’32″i|
G.–|3’04″O| BA
H.–|1’32″i|
I.–|6’08″O| Q
J.–|3’04″i|
K.–|1’32″O| >A
L.–|1’32″i|
M.–|1’32″O| BA
N.–|4’36″i|
O.–|1’32″O| A
P.–|1’32″i|
Q.–|1’32″O| >A
R.–|3’04″i|
S.–|3’04″O| >A
T.–|1’32″i|
U.–|1’32″O| Q
V.–|6’08″i|
W.–|16’52″O| Q
Player Three:
L.–|1’32″i|
M.–|1’32″O| Q
N.–|3’04″i|
O.–|6’08″O| >A
P.–|1’32″i|
Q.–|3’04″O| A
R.–|1’32″i|
S.–|1’32″O| >A
T.–|1’32″i|
U.–|6’08″O| A
V.–|3’04″i|
W.–|4’36″O| BA
A.–|16’52″O| BA
B.–|6’08″i|
C.–|1’32″O| BA
D.–|1’32″i|
E.–|3’04″O| Q
F.–|3’04″i|
G.–|1’32″O| Q
H.–|1’32″i|
I.–|1’32″O| >A
J.–|4’36″i|
K.–|1’32″O| A
Player Four:
L.–|1’32″i|
M.–|1’32″O| Q
N.–|4’36″i|
O.–|1’32″O| BA
P.–|1’32″i|
Q.–|1’32″O| A
R.–|3’04″i|
S.–|3’04″O| BA
T.–|1’32″i|
U.–|1’32″O| Q
V.–|6’08″i|
W.–|16’52″O| >A
A.–|4’36″O| BA
B.–|3’04″i|
C.–|6’08″O| Q
D.–|1’32″i|
E.–|1’32″O| >A
F.–|1’32″i|
G.–|3’04″O| >A
H.–|1’32″i|
I.–|6’08″O| A
J.–|3’04″i|
K.–|1’32″O| A
Player Five:
E.–|3’04″O| >A
F.–|3’04″i|
G.–|1’32″O| BA
H.–|1’32″i|
I.–|1’32″O| A
J.–|4’36″i|
K.–|1’32″O| >A
L.–|1’32″i|
M.–|1’32″O| A
N.–|3’04″i|
O.–|6’08″O| Q
P.–|1’32″i|
Q.–|3’04″O| BA
R.–|1’32″i|
S.–|1’32″O| Q
T.–|1’32″i|
U.–|6’08″O| A
V.–|3’04″i|
W.–|4’36″O| >A
A.–|16’52″O| Q
B.–|6’08″i|
C.–|1’32″O| BA
D.–|1’32″i|
Player Six:
G.–|3’04″O| A
H.–|1’32″i|
I.–|6’08″O| Q
J.–|3’04″i|
K.–|1’32″O| A
L.–|1’32″i|
M.–|1’32″O| A
N.–|4’36″i|
O.–|1’32″O| A
P.–|1’32″i|
Q.–|1’32″O| >A
R.–|3’04″i|
S.–|3’04″O| Q
T.–|1’32″i|
U.–|1’32″O| BA
V.–|6’08″i|
W.–|16’52″O| Q
A.–|4’36″O| >A
B.–|3’04″i|
C.–|6’08″O| BA
D.–|1’32″i|
E.–|1’32″O| BA
F.–|1’32″i|
Please remember to bring a stopwatch so that you can time yourself. I will supply a hard-copy of the score for each player on the night of the performance.
February 6, 2006 at 14:59 | Posted in <i>A Contest is Eminent, Performances/Exhibitions, Process oriented explanations, Things related to John Cage | Leave a comment
The entire possible group of players(45) is divided into nine groups of five:
Group One:
Players 1,10,19,28,37
Group Two:
Players 2,11,20,29,38
Group Three:
Players 3,12,20,30,39
Group Four:
Players 4,13,21,31,40
Group Five:
Players 5,14,22,32,41
Group Six:
Players 6,15,23,33,42
Group Seven:
Players 7,16,24,34,43
Group Eight:
Players 8,17,25,35,44
Group Nine
Players 9,18,26,36,45
The groups are organized for dynamic reasons. Each group will follow the same temporal dynamic shifts.
The dynamic states are:
Barely Audible
Quiet
Audible Within the Sonic Context of the Location
Barely Louder Than Audbile
Any type of group instruction applies only to those portions that contain sound. The group settings are applied sequentially regardless of the order of the cells. The group settings will work differently for each player within the group i.e.; player one’s first sound cell is 16’52” of sound (cell A), and player ten’s first sound cell is 1’32” of sound (cell K)
February 2, 2006 at 16:56 | Posted in <i>A Contest is Eminent, Documentation of things, Performances/Exhibitions, Process oriented explanations, Things related to John Cage | 2 Comments
Here are the notations for each player. Please bring a stopwatch so that you can properly time your individual notations. It is neccessary that erach player have their own stopwatch, as each player’s notation is different:
Let ‘O’=sound, and “i”=silence. The composition is divided into twenty-three sections as denoted by the letters A-W.
Player One:
A.–|16’52″O|
B.–|6’08″i|
C.–|1’32″O|
D.–|1’32″i|
E.–|3’04″O|
F.–|3’04″i|
G.–|1’32″O|
H.–|1’32″i|
I.–|1’32″O|
J.–|4’36″i|
K.–|1’32″O|
L.–|1’32″i|
M.–|1’32″O|
N.–|3’04″i|
O.–|6’08″O|
P.–|1’32″i|
Q.–|3’04″O|
R.–|1’32″i|
S.–|1’32″O|
T.–|1’32″i|
U.–|6’08″O|
V.–|3’04″i|
W.–|4’36″O|
Player Two:
A.–|4’36″O|
B.–|3’04″i|
C.–|6’08″O|
D.–|1’32″i|
E.–|1’32″O|
F.–|1’32″i|
G.–|3’04″O|
H.–|1’32″i|
I.–|6’08″O|
J.–|3’04″i|
K.–|1’32″O|
L.–|1’32″i|
M.–|1’32″O|
N.–|4’36″i|
O.–|1’32″O|
P.–|1’32″i|
Q.–|1’32″O|
R.–|3’04″i|
S.–|3’04″O|
T.–|1’32″i|
U.–|1’32″O|
V.–|6’08″i|
W.–|16’52″O|
Player Three:
L.–|1’32″i|
M.–|1’32″O|
N.–|3’04″i|
O.–|6’08″O|
P.–|1’32″i|
Q.–|3’04″O|
R.–|1’32″i|
S.–|1’32″O|
T.–|1’32″i|
U.–|6’08″O|
V.–|3’04″i|
W.–|4’36″O|
A.–|16’52″O|
B.–|6’08″i|
C.–|1’32″O|
D.–|1’32″i|
E.–|3’04″O|
F.–|3’04″i|
G.–|1’32″O|
H.–|1’32″i|
I.–|1’32″O|
J.–|4’36″i|
K.–|1’32″O|
Player Four:
L.–|1’32″i|
M.–|1’32″O|
N.–|4’36″i|
O.–|1’32″O|
P.–|1’32″i|
Q.–|1’32″O|
R.–|3’04″i|
S.–|3’04″O|
T.–|1’32″i|
U.–|1’32″O|
V.–|6’08″i|
W.–|16’52″O|
A.–|4’36″O|
B.–|3’04″i|
C.–|6’08″O|
D.–|1’32″i|
E.–|1’32″O|
F.–|1’32″i|
G.–|3’04″O|
H.–|1’32″i|
I.–|6’08″O|
J.–|3’04″i|
K.–|1’32″O|
Player Five:
E.–|3’04″O|
F.–|3’04″i|
G.–|1’32″O|
H.–|1’32″i|
I.–|1’32″O|
J.–|4’36″i|
K.–|1’32″O|
L.–|1’32″i|
M.–|1’32″O|
N.–|3’04″i|
O.–|6’08″O|
P.–|1’32″i|
Q.–|3’04″O|
R.–|1’32″i|
S.–|1’32″O|
T.–|1’32″i|
U.–|6’08″O|
V.–|3’04″i|
W.–|4’36″O|
A.–|16’52″O|
B.–|6’08″i|
C.–|1’32″O|
D.–|1’32″i|
Player Six:
G.–|3’04″O|
H.–|1’32″i|
I.–|6’08″O|
J.–|3’04″i|
K.–|1’32″O|
L.–|1’32″i|
M.–|1’32″O|
N.–|4’36″i|
O.–|1’32″O|
P.–|1’32″i|
Q.–|1’32″O|
R.–|3’04″i|
S.–|3’04″O|
T.–|1’32″i|
U.–|1’32″O|
V.–|6’08″i|
W.–|16’52″O|
A.–|4’36″O|
B.–|3’04″i|
C.–|6’08″O|
D.–|1’32″i|
E.–|1’32″O|
F.–|1’32″i|
December 30, 2005 at 06:13 | Posted in Process oriented explanations | Leave a comment
A “How To” on Elapsed Isolationism
Elapsed Isolationism is a technique that can be employed through any medium, but for the purposes in this essay I will be describing its functions in the medium of sound.
EI is a static function that mimics the passing of time and/or the simultaneous transposition of alternate manifestations of a single event that allows for the exposition of specifics. Through EI the minute, benign, subtle, et cetera, of any event or object can be multiplied, magnified, and enhanced.
The implementation of EI is simple and requires nothing more than a sound source, a multi-track recording program, and a parametirc equalizer plug-in.
1.) Start with the Sound Source:
First acquire a sound source that has elements that you wish to isolate and enhance. I move to declare that the sound source should be one that is pleasing, but I only do so because I have personally used EI to create sounds that serve to quiet the mind through a sublime overwhelming. Obviously, if one wishes to use EI in order to create sounds that are of a different nature then it is only a matter of the sourcing of sound, and that, which is enhanced.
2.) Setting the Parametric Equalizer
I prefer to use a parametric equalizer with ten or twelve bands. Each band represents a point from which the sound envelope can be altered. With a ten-band equalizer ten points of envelope shift can be set so that the sound is either enhanced or diminished. The graphic equalizer operates off of a y-axis parameter wherein any band above or below zero on the y-axis causes a shift in the enhancement/diminishment of specific frequency ranges (the frequency ranges are displayed on the x-axis). The bands are not static and can be positioned at any point within the displayed frequency range; the more bands you have the more acutely you can manipulate sound.
Each band within the equalizer should have a toggle switch that moves between five different settings: Low Band Pass will implement a steep drop to the right of the band, High Band Pass will implement a steep drop to the left of the band, Low Shelf will make the equalizer flatten out to the right of the band, High Shelf will make the equalizer flatten out to the left of the band, and Neutral simply raises or lowers the equalizer depending on the bands position in accordance with the y-axis.
You will first create and save a set of envelopes that allow you to focus in on certain sounds within your sound source.
One of the envelopes should enhance a minute range of sound—you can do this by setting your leftmost bands to High Shelf, your inner left bands to High Pass, your central bands to Neutral, your inner right bands to Low Pass, and your outer right bands to Low Shelf. Bring all of the bands except for the central ones down as low as they will go on the y-axis, and as close to your central bands as possible on the x-axis. Raise your Neutral central bands up so that a minute frequency range is being amplified.
Additional envelopes are up to the user, just keep in mind that you are looking to isolate certain frequencies through enhancement/diminishment.
With the sound source running (if it is short set it to loop) open up your saved envelopes in the plug-in and begin moving them around until you find the sounds that you are looking for. When you have discovered a suitable frequency range mix the track down as a new track. Your newly mixed-down track will consist of the sound source with the equalization embedded. Mute the new track. You will now return to the sound source and utilize a saved envelope again. In the first step I do not recommend more than tracks of each envelope.
Once you have created a suitable amount of equalizer embedded tracks you should shift them so that they are slightly out of phase from one another; this ensures that any of the original linear aspects of the sound are diminished and allows for the sonic properties to become foremost.
With all of the tracks playing begin adjusting the panning so that the tracks are spread out in the stereo mix; by spacing the tracks out in stereo space you keep them from “mudding” each other and allow for a diverse clarity.
After the pans have been adjusted begin adjusting the volume of each track. You want the total mix to be as loud as possible without clipping, but each individual track should be as quiet as possible while maintaining clear sonic property. By keeping the individual tracks as low as possible you ensure the fidelity of the stereo panning, and keep sonic frequency separation at a higher rate than if each individual track were being played at a louder level.
Once you have all of your tracks set properly you will need to mix-down to a single track. This single track then becomes your initial sound source from which the alteration process departs again.
Continue the process, creating as many tracks as you find suitable, but keep in mind the smaller the increments you work in the better your results will be in the end. Don’t try to make everything happen in one pass, make each mix-down move closer to the projected intention incrementally. I suggest no less than seven mix-downs in order to produce quality results.
Not Bored in New York 