Morphology of the Amorphous: Spatial texture, motion and words

On reflection upon my own experience as a composer in theory and practice, I find that terms not only define but also propose. In finding words for spatial texture, I have discovered that spatial texture itself is always proposing: motion of sound suggests texture of space. The texture of space creates an elusive materiality. Form is no better than formlessness

Topographic Synthesis: Parameter distribution in spatial texture

Topographic synthesis involves the distribution of ar- rayed structures of parameter values for simultaneous synthesis processes assigned to different channels in a multi-loudspeaker system. In this model, the concept of sound synthesis extends to the design of spatial texture, and morphology is considered not only as change in sound over time, but also as an instantaneous difference in spatially distributed simultaneous sound. The term topography, here, refers to the sonic relief articulated across the perspectival field – the array of possible sonic spatial perspectives within a loudspeaker system – as spatial configurations are shifted over time. The paper presents a set of algorithms which distribute relative properties of texture in multichannel speaker arrays, es- pecially relevant to high density loudspeaker arrays (HDLA), some of which have non-linear, self-organising properties. The processes have been designed in Super- Collider, for a flexible live context, but can be applied in fixed media composition as well

Topology of spatial texture in the acousmatic medium

This research explores the dynamic fabric of experienced space in acousmatic music. The topology of spatial texture is a network of concepts treating music as a flexible, textural space, which deforms, shapes, and transforms in time. A comprehensive terminology is introduced, along with five fixed-media electroacoustic compositions, which exemplify a manifestation of spatial texture in composition and musical thinking. The theory draws from research on the cross-modality of texture perception, philosophical discourse on embodied meaning, physics, psychology of visual art, and discourse on space in acousmatic music. Several different structural perspectives are discussed, which reveal how spatial texture incorporates lower sound-structural levels, materiality, states and processes, motion, global networks and terrains, and relationships between space and time. Emphasis is put on visual and physical connections with spatiality in the acousmatic experience: cogency in spatial structure and dynamics reinforces links among modalities. The concepts and terminology are intended as a contribution to theory in the acousmatic medium, relevant to composition, analysis, and listening. The music represents an aesthetic orientation which emphasises materiality and morphology in texture, transformative processes, spatial design, and spatiotemporal polyvalence