Ende Tymes V Festival of Noise and Abstract Liberation
Non-representational Spatial Sound Composition
A workshop by Daniel Neumann
Description:
This is a 2 day workshop (with presentation days following after) catered to sound artists, noise producers, composers of electronic and electro-acoustic music, as well as experimental musicians and sound designers, that want to deepen their practice and explore spatialization as a creative element.
The workshop will give a historical overview on the subject with some technical background and explore aesthetics and techniques for spatialization. Listening will be practiced as a phenomenological activity: the listener immersed in inner spaces / distance and continuity / sound as intersubjective space. A central question thereby is how to dramatize the distinctions between interior, exterior, and interior beyond the exterior space?
Personally, as a sound artist as well as a professional live sound engineer, I understand a loudspeaker in a certain space as an instrument, as my main instrument. The speaker is the resonating exciter - like a string; and the space is the resonator - like the wooden body of a violin for example. And the immense space of the Knockdown Center will give us a lot to work with!
As indicated in the title, with this short workshop I want to develop a counter-concept to the common understanding of spatial sound as this typical surround sound, that represents a certain studio-made spatiality and claims transferability - in cinema for example, where you have an apparatus of reproduction that allows to ensure and repeat a certain experience in many different locations world-wide. In exchange though, these techniques require to compromise and to standardize, and often rely on extremely expensive technologies.
Now, for my workshop I'm more interested in exploring spatialization, sound projection and interaction with architectural spaces as an open and creative individual activity. Summarized, I'd say the workshop is about how to play the space-speaker-instrument.
The workshop concludes with a group presentation of short pieces developed by the participants. Those will be presented as part of the Ende Tymes Festival on Saturday May 16 and Sunday May 17 at the Knockdown Center.
Requirements:
- some prior experience in electro acoustic composition, or sound art installation
- it is encouraged to bring a small selection of existing sounds or ideas for instruments that you want to work with
- laptop or other playback devices, or instruments
- headphones, so you can occasionally work by yourself and make adjustments
- some ideas about compositional approaches and a strong desire for experimentation
Schedule:
Day 1, Thursday May 14 2015
Two 90 minute sessions, plus individual consultations
2pm: Session 1a) Introduction
- participants welcome, short intro
- historical overview, some listening
4pm: Session 1b) Techniques and Aesthetics
- demonstrations and discussion of various approaches
- developing first ideas
afterwards or in the morning: 1c) Individual consultations to map out ideas for each participant. There may be some homework. Collaboration is allowed!
Day 2, Friday May 15 2015
Two 90 minute sessions, plus individual consultations
2pm: Session 2a) Experiments in the group
- implementing ideas from participants
- developing spatial gestures
- group discussion
4pm: Session 2b) Continuing of 2a)
- preparing presentation
afterwards: 2c) Individual consultations
- rehearsals as needed
- preparing presentation
Day 3 & 4, Saturday May 16, Sunday May 17 2015
Public presentation of the pieces as an installation program and further discussion of the works.
Time: 2-6pm
There will be a reception.
Fee:
By donation: $25 with festival pass, $60 without. Payment can be made in cash, or via Paypal and Venmo to dn@danielneumann.org
To sign up please send payment to dn@danielneumann.org, or write an email to info@danielneumann.org with the subject line: "Non-representational Spatial Sound Composition Workshop at Ende Tymes"