Sonic Writing: Technologies of Musical Expression, Notation and Encoding

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The practices of creating, sharing and listening to music are changing. New digital media recast age-old technologies and introduce new avenues of musical expression. This project uses the novel concept of 'sonic writing' to encompass the making of musical instruments, the design of symbolic musical notation and the invention and use of sound recording technologies. Under the rubric of 'sonic writing' the research will undertake the first media theoretical investigation into how new musical media can be genealogically traced from historical inscription practices. Such a wide-ranging approach to the analysis of musical media has not been developed until now.The project engages with the current pivotal moment in the music industry where a complete rethinking of established work practices and economic models is required. New instruments, notational techniques and media player technologies are emerging, representing an uncertain and fleeting technological situation where novelty and experimentation can be perceived to override concerns of sustainability and tradition. Whilst this transformation can be exciting, serious concerns are expressed by practitioners regarding the longevity and critical understanding of new musical work. This project will outline a clear vision and future direction for composers, performers and the wider industry in terms of compositional approach and technology design.The primary output of this research is a monograph to be published by Bloomsbury in the Sound Studies series. A detailed programme of events underpins the research for the book, designed to establish a new research agenda in music technology research, as well as providing the PI with a significant opportunity to develop and exercise leadership skills in the research field. The two-year research programme is split into four work packages, which map to the research and writing of respective chapters in the book:WP1 - Materialised Theories: Design Concepts in Musical InstrumentsWP2 - Abstracting Sound: Symbols and Process in Musical NotationWP3 - Encoding Sound: Phonography and Machine ListeningWP4 - New Musical Media: Writing Music with AlgorithmsEach work package is undertaken through a partnership with a leading international research institution, investigating a bespoke area of sonic writing where key activities provide the basis for research methods, knowledge exchange and dissemination. These include: - a residency- a symposium- two workshops- archival research- international conference- extensive literature reviewThe project will map new developments and clarify an increasingly complex media landscape. By building up a strong online presence - through a website, mailing list and social media - the project enables interested parties to participate in a dialogue and partake in well-documented activities and outputs. The project establishes a collaborative and open approach that invites people from diverse fields, from leading researchers or industry people to music software users or listeners, to discuss research and development in this rapidly changing field.For over 15 years, the PI has had an impactful career in developing free and open source musical software, publishing results widely in academic journals and conferences. He is the co-founder of the ixi-audio project, well known in the world of electronic music for its series of open source music software and knowledge exchange workshops in interactive sound programming. Building upon a strong network of academic partners and software users, this project will shape a new collaborative research agenda in the area of sonic writing, impacting on new music research and the future of sonic media. In alignment with the PI's past dissemination practices, this project will benefit other researchers, professionals in the music industry, aspiring younger musicians and the musically interested public.