Re: [microsound] Why are noises popular

[emanuele de raymondi <ederaymo2@xxxxxxxxx>]

I believe that the answer to your question is quite complex and should
be approached from several different angles.

For one thing, noise offers a very broad palette of  physiological
effects on the listener
for a composer to explore It goes from extremely painful to highly
pleasurable as many kinds of white noise are, for instance the ones
produced by rain,
waves, several species of insects.
In this aspect, noise is really not that different from other more
traditional elements of
music, such harmony, rhythmic patterns or orchestration: techniques
for manipulating
the listener into certain states of mind.
This is a strictly musical approach, which has been rejected by many
sound artists who
explore noises as part of sound matter itself, free from specific "intention".

There are of course many other aspects to explore.
Historical ones : Noise as a revolutionary statement against
late-romanticism in early 20th century
(Russolo, Varese, Antheil, the "Rite of Spring"..
Socio-political ones (I suggest the writings of Attali),
Philosophical (Cage, mabye Noise was important to him as a "yin yan"
opposite to Silence?)

I guess my point is that you are entering an incredibly vast subject
and the possibilities for research almost endless.
As a starting point I suggest you the excellent book "Audio Culture,
Readings in Modern Music", edited
by Christoph Cox and Daniel Warner, in particular the first chapter
features wonderful essays by some
of the musicians and thinkers I mentioned above and many more.

As far as the "Glitch" definition, it  generally describes a fairly
diversified set of electronic music procedures
and aestethics that started in Europe in the early nineties. The album
"un peu de neige salie" by Bernhard Gunter
(1993) might be considered one of the early examples of the genre.
I suggest you to explore the releases of labels such Mille Plateaux,
Mego and raster-noton and the work of
PanSonic, Ryoji Ikeda, Oval, Carsten Nicolai/Alva Noto, Fennesz,
Matmos, Cascone and others.

"Glitch music" certainly did not invent noise. If anything it was a
reaction to some much "noiser" types of
underground styles of the eighties such Industrial and, well...Noise music.

Check out the work of Merzbow.

Noise has also influenced many rock musicians since Hendrix and the
Beatles, Punk Rock, Sonic Youth and Post-Rock.
Not to mention free-jazz improvisers...Cecil Taylor...Albert Ayler...

The usually hyper melodic guitarist Pat Metheny has released a rather
interesting "noise-guitar" album called
"Zero Tollerance for Silence".

But again I feel like I keep just scratching the surface of a giant
mountain here!

No, I do not think Reich, Riley, Ligeti, and Nancarrow have much to do
with glitch either...it is misleading.

Good luck...


emanuele







On Wed, Mar 5, 2008 at 12:40 PM, js-alexander <craftid@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hello all, I am writing for a seminar on the glitch aesthetic, and I want to
>  explore the reasons "why" noises etc are a valid source material for music.
>
>  My research has pointed me towards who and where glitch began, specifically
>  in terms of the digital era (one can trace its legacy far beyond the
>  invention of computers), and I am partly inspired by Cascone's "aesthetics
>  of failure", with the idea of a post-digital artist.  I am interested in
>  hearing what others, especially those deeply involved in the creation of
>  glitch, have to say on why they compose with the sounds they do?  Why are
>  you inspired to use such sounds, and why do you think others enjoy hearing
>  them and please be as academic/philophical as you like.
>
>  Cheers.
>
>
>  --
>
>  Johnny.
>

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