Spectromorphology

Spectromorphology is an approach to sound materials and musical structures which concentrates on the spectrum of available pitches and their shaping in time.

The concepts and terminology of spectromorphology are tools for describing and analysing listening experience. The two parts of the term refer to the interaction between sound spectra (spectro-) and the ways they change and are shaped through time (-morphology). The spectro- cannot exist without the -morphology and vice versa: something has to be shaped, and a shape must have sonic content. Although spectral content and temporal shaping are indissolubly linked, we need to conceptually to be able to separate them for discursive purposes - we cannot in the same breath describe what is shaped and the shapes themselves.

Each component of the term belongs to other disciplines (visual, linguistic, biological, geological), which is fitting since musical experience radiates across disciplines.

A spectromorphological approach sets out spectral and morphological models and processes, and provides a framework for understanding structural relations and behaviours as experienced in the temporal flux of the music. (Sources - Denis Smalley (1986). Spectro-morphology and Structuring Processes, in Simon Emmerson, ed. The Language of Electroacoustic Music. Basingstoke: Macmillan. Denis Smalley (1997). Spectromorphology: Explaining Sound-shapes. Organised Sound Vol. 2, No. 2. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.)

Spectromorphologie

La spectromorphologie est une approche du matériau sonore et des structures musicales étudiant le spectre des hauteurs disponibles et son évolution dans le temps.

Les concepts et la terminologie de la spectromorphologie sont des outils pour la description et l'analyse des expériences d'écoute. Ces deux derniers éléments se réfèrent à l'interaction entre le spectre (spectro-) du son et son évolution ou sa forme dans le temps (-morphologie). Ainsi, le spectre ne peut exister sans la morphologie et vice et versa : tout son doit avoir une forme et toute forme doit avoir un contenu sonore. Toutefois, bien que le contenu spectral et l'évolution temporelle soient indubitablement liés, nous avons besoin de concepts permettant de les séparer afin de les décrire - nous ne pouvons pas décrire en même temps ce qui est formé et la forme elle-même.

Puisque la spectromorphologie rayonne à travers d'autres domaines, chaque composant de cette théorie appartient à d'autres disciplines (visuelle, linguistique, biologique, géographique) et les adapte à l'expérience musicale.

Une approche spectromorphologique vise à étudier les processus et les modèles spectraux et morphologiques en produisant un modèle pour comprendre les relations et les comportements structuraux expérimentés dans la perception temporelle du flux musical. (Sources - Denis Smalley (1986). "Spectro-morphology and Structuring Processes", in Simon Emmerson, ed. The Language of Electroacoustic Music. Basingstoke: Macmillan); Denis Smalley (1997). "Spectromorphology: Explaining Sound-shapes". Organised Sound Vol. 2, No. 2. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.)

Spettromorfologia

La spettromorfologia considera il materiale sonoro e le strutture musicali dal punto di vista delle spettro, delle altezze disponibili e dell'evoluzione temporale del suono. I concetti e la terminologia della spettromorfologia sono strumenti utili per la descrizione e l'analisi delle esperienze di ascolto. Questi elementi si riferiscono all'interazione tra lo spettro del suono (spettro) e la sua evoluzione o la sua forma nel tempo (morfologia). Lo spettro non può esistere senza la morfologia e viceversa; ogni suono deve avere una forma, e ogni forma deve avere un contenuto sonoro. Tuttavia, benché siano collegate, le due dimensioni nella teoria devono essere separate in modo da poter essere descritte. La spettromorfologia presenta elementi appartenenti a varie discipline (visive, linguistiche, biologiche, geografiche) e le adatta all'esperienza musicale.

Un approccio spettromorfologico mira a studiare i processi e i modelli spettrali e morfologici producendo un modello per comprendere le relazioni e le componenti strutturali sperimentate nella percezione temporale del flusso musicale. (Fonti - Denis Smalley (1986). Spectro-morphology and Structuring Processes, in Simon Emmerson, ed. The Language of Electroacoustic Music. Basingstoke: Macmillan); Denis Smalley (1997). Spectromorphology: Explaining Sound-shapes. Organised Sound Vol. 2, No. 2. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press).

Spektromorphologie

Spectromorphology is an approach to sound materials and musical structures which concentrates on the spectrum of available pitches and their shaping in time.

The concepts and terminology of spectromorphology are tools for describing and analysing listening experience. The two parts of the term refer to the interaction between sound spectra (spectro-) and the ways they change and are shaped through time (-morphology). The spectro- cannot exist without the -morphology and vice versa: something has to be shaped, and a shape must have sonic content. Although spectral content and temporal shaping are indissolubly linked, we need to conceptually to be able to separate them for discursive purposes - we cannot in the same breath describe what is shaped and the shapes themselves.

Each component of the term belongs to other disciplines (visual, linguistic, biological, geological), which is fitting since musical experience radiates across disciplines.

A spectromorphological approach sets out spectral and morphological models and processes, and provides a framework for understanding structural relations and behaviours as experienced in the temporal flux of the music. (Sources - Denis Smalley (1986). Spectro-morphology and Structuring Processes, in Simon Emmerson, ed. The Language of Electroacoustic Music. Basingstoke: Macmillan. Denis Smalley (1997). Spectromorphology: Explaining Sound-shapes. Organised Sound Vol. 2, No. 2. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.)

Espectromorfología

La espectromorfología es un abordaje de los materiales sonoros y las estructuras musicales que se concentra en el espectro de las alturas disponibles y su modelado a través del tiempo.

Los conceptos y la terminología de la Espectromorfología son herramientas para describir y analizar la experiencia de escucha. Las dos partes del término se refieren a la interacción entre espectro sonoro (espectro-) y los modos en que estos cambian y son modelados a través del tiempo (-morfología). El espectro- no puede existir sin la -morfología y viceversa: se le debe dar forma a algo, y la forma debe tener un contenido sonoro. Aunque el contenido espectral y el modelado temporal están indisolublemente unidos, necesitamos ser capaces de separarlos conceptualmente con propósitos discursivos -no podemos describir a la vez a lo que se da forma y a las formas mismas.

Cada componente del término pertenece a otra disciplina (visual, lingüística, biológica, geológica), lo que es apropiado, dado que la experiencia musical atraviesa múltiples disciplinas.

Un abordaje espectromorfológico propone procesos y modelos espectrales y morfológicos, y provee un marco de trabajo para entender las relaciones estructurales y los comportamientos tal como se experimentan en el fluir temporal de la música.

(Fuentes: Denis Smalley (1986). Spectro-morphology and Structuring Processes, en Simon Emmerson, editor. The Language of Electroacoustic Music. Basingstoke: Macmillan; y Denis Smalley (1997). Spectromorphology: Explaining Sound-shapes. Organised Sound Vol. 2, No. 2. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press)

References

Ferreira G. (1997) A Perceptual Approach to the Analysis of J. C. Risset's Sud: Sound, structure and symbol
Fischman R. (1997) Analysis of Crosstalk: A work by Michael Vaughan
Harchanko J. (2003) Spectro-morphology and Structure. An Analysis of Gilles Gobeil's Le Vertige Inconnu
Kendall G. S. (2006) Juxtaposition and Non-motion: Varèse bridges early modernism to electroacoustic music
Landy L. (2007) Understanding the Art of Sound Organization
Menezes F. (1997) To Be and Not To Be: Aspects of the Interaction Between Instrumental and Electronic Compositional Methods
Patton K. (2007) Morphological notation for interactive electroacoustic music
Rudi J., Bernardini N. (2002) Compositional Use of Digital Audio Effects
Rudy P., Gates P. (2005) Spectromorphology Hits Hollywood: Morphology, Objectification and Moral Messages in the Sound Design of ‘Black Hawk Down’
Smalley D. (1982) Problems of Materials and Structure in Electro-Acoustic Music (part 2)
Smalley D. (1982) Problems of Materials and Structure in Electro-Acoustic Music (part 1)
Smalley D. (1986) Spectro-morphology and Structuring Processes
Smalley D. (1991) Spatial Experience in Electro-acoustic Music
Smalley D. (1992) La musica elettroacustica può essere analizzata?
Smalley D. (1993) Defining Transformations
Smalley D. (1995) La spectromorphology: une explication des formes du son
Smalley D. (1996) La spettromorfologia: una spiegazione delle forme del suono.
Smalley D. (1997) Spectromorphology: Explaining sound-shapes
Smalley D. (1999) Établissement de cadres relationnels pour l'analyse de la musique postschaefferienne
Thoresen L., Hedman A. (2007) Spectromorphological analysis of sound objects: an adaptation of Pierre Schaeffer's typomorphology
Truax B. (1982) Timbral Construction in Arras as a Stochastic Process
Vaggione H. (1996) Articulating Microtime
Whalley I. (1999) Beyond Pitch/Duration Scoring: Towards A System Dynamics Model Of Electroacoustic Music
Wyatt S. A. (1999) Investigative Studies on Sound Diffusion/Projection
Young J. (2002) The Interaction of Sound Identities in Electroacoustic Music
Young J. (2004) Sound Morphology and the Articulation of Structure in Electroacoustic Music