Graphic Score

Following the idea of creating a composition that evokes abstract images similar to visual art, I thought about the possibility of creating some sort of visual score to guide myself through the performance. As discussed in part one, I attempt for this composition to apply visual aesthetic characteristics, for example exploring forms as colour, texture and tone in a sonic form. I concluded that to properly achieve this I would have to guide myself visually with something, not necessary with a score or an alternative graphic score, but with an image that allows me to translate its character in to sound. After my recent new practice in analogue black and white photography, I thought of the idea of using my own pictures and colour them through sound. My theory consist revolving the idea that when I use the black and white picture to create my performance, I’ll manage to pair vision and sound in my mind, creating and altered state of consciousness that will transform my approach when performing. This exercise in essence is an attempt to generate synesthesia in the listener. Synesthesia is a neurological condition in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway (for example, hearing) leads to an automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway (such as vision) (Psychology Today, 2022). My hypothesis is that the audiovisual interaction will help the sound provoke abstract messages and images in the listener, and hopefully induce as state of calmness and peace. This new approach made me rethink what form would my sound piece take, I could use the pictures only as a creative aid for me when performing, or I could show the audience a small clip of the picture so they can associate with the music. The following are the pictures I took and that I will use as a graphic score.

Environment is the recurring theme with these photographs. I chose to photograph locations instead of objects with the purpose of documenting sceneries. It could function of a sort of map that provokes my self memories of such environments. The black and white aspect of the pictures shifts the focus towards texture and tone. Both because of the textural characteristic of the pictures and the environmental theme surrounding them, they work quite well for me to use as canvases, and colour them with sound.

Because of my recent class in practice based research, it made me question myself if somehow this performance in a way had a research purpose. As discussed before I have build up in my head a methodological procedure, where I seek to provoke in my self and the listener synesthesia, with the purpose of expanding the composition aesthetically and to explore if it’s a resource for inspiration. When planning this composition it never came to my mind that I was undertaking a research, but as the idea developed I concluded that I structured everything in a manner to get a result from an experiment. Even though at this point I have to admit that my creative sonic piece has become a research, I refuse to formally address and analyse the results of the outcome. As with my original concept, I want the piece to be as abstract as possible, allowing a discoverability in the listener. If I decide to formally present a conclusion or analysis to the outcome of the research, the aesthetically properties of the piece will diminish in importance, and thus attention will be drawn away from abstractness.

To clarify why this creative sound work will be a performance instead of a composition, the live aspect of the performance will give the opportunity to any type of error or failure. As seen in the practice based research lecture, failure is a key element of research as it shapes the creation of knowledge. If I compose the piece instead of performing it, the form of it will be consolidated in to a singular perfect state, taking away the research and analytical factors that failure comes with.

Form

The final form of the creative sound work will consist of a 10 minute performance, recorded in a single take next week in the performance lab. Each picture seen above will represent a quarter of the time of the composition. I’ll use the pictures as score to structure the different sections of the composition. My hand-in is going to be a 10 minute video portraying the pictures and my performance, every 2 and half minutes the picture will change announcing the next section of the composition.