This commentary accompanies the portfolio of electroacoustic works realised at the NOVARS Research Centre, and intends to provide insight into methodologies for acousmatic composition as researched at the University of Manchester between 2013 and 2016. Six compositions are presented in order of realisation, as follows: Frictions/Storms, Rise, Glitches/Trajectories, Transmissions/Intercepts, Reductions/Expanses, and Iteration/Banger. An analysis of each work in relation to research-specific topics is provided, adopting Denis Smalley's concepts of spectromorphology and space-form as appropriate syntax in the elaboration of compositional methodologies and overall outcomes. The research focuses primarily on the appropriation of transformed and synthesised sound materials in acousmatic spatial composition. Resulting works are intended for presentation in concert via the practice of live sound diffusion performance. The portfolio documents an arc of development working in fixed media formats incorporating live electronics processes into the realisation of multi- channel compositions, to finally arrive at a methodological merging of fixed media studio composition and live electronics performance practices. Additional supplementary materials in support of the portfolio and commentary are provided including Max coding patches, video tutorials, technical information and related audio materials.

This commentary details the methods and ideas involved in creating the seven portfolio works. The portfolio is comprised of stereo acousmatic works, one mixed work and a multi-channel work, forming the practice-based research completed during the PhD programme at the University of Manchester. The works explore a number of aesthetic concepts encompassing instrumental timbres, cultural sound objects, rhythm incorporation, habitual spaces (the kitchen), imaginary and real objects (jukebox), and visual art sculpture (origami). Uniting the portfolio works is the use of Denis Smalley’s spectromorphology (1997). In its intended function, this tool provides the listener of electroacoustic music with thorough and accessible sets of vocabulary to describe sound events, structures and spaces. The use of this descriptive tool need not stop here. Fortunately, and often unconsciously for the composer, it does not, since all composers create music that is spectromorphological with or without an awareness of its presence at work. In a reversal of conventional practice, my research approaches spectromorphology from an alternate angle, viewing the vocabulary as the informer upon sound material choice and creation. In this reversal, vocabulary no longer functions descriptively; instead the vocabulary precedes the composition, directing my compositional pathway in each piece. This new application, used as a method for selecting and creating sound in the creation of each portfolio work, is an attempt at systemisation and an effort to partly remedy the seemingly endless choice of possibilities we are faced with when beginning a new work.

Este trabalho estuda a utilização da ferramenta gráfica de análise espectromorfológica desenvolvida por Lasse Thoresen como auxiliar na análise da composição do sound design cinematográfico, com o desenvolvimento de partituras de escuta. Avaliamos uma forma de notação dos eventos sonoros presentes na trilha sonora cinematográfica com a adaptação desta ferramenta de notação, partindo da identificação dos critérios apontados por técnicas de análise audiovisual, aliadas posteriormente às metodologias de análise do objeto sonoro comumente utilizadas na música eletroacústica. Como estudo de caso, realizamos as transcrições espectromorfológicas de cinco sequências do filme A Conversação (1974), dirigido por Francis Ford Coppola, e desenho de som de Walter Murch, destacando pontos formadores do contrato audiovisual. / This paper studies the use of the spectromorphological analysis graphical tool developed by Lasse Thoresen as an aid in analyzing the composition of the cinematic sound design with the development of listening scores. We evaluate a notation form of sound events present in the film soundtrack by adapting the notation tool, starting from the identification of the criteria set out by techniques of audiovisual analysis combined with the analysis methodology of the sound object commonly used in electroacoustic music. As a case study, we made the spectromorphological transcription for five sequences of the film The Conversation (1974), directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and sound designed by Walter Murch, highlighting the audiovisual contract building points

Este trabalho estuda a utilização da ferramenta gráfica de análise espectromorfológica desenvolvida por Lasse Thoresen como auxiliar na análise da composição do sound design cinematográfico, com o desenvolvimento de partituras de escuta. Avaliamos uma forma de notação dos eventos sonoros presentes na trilha sonora cinematográfica com a adaptação desta ferramenta de notação, partindo da identificação dos critérios apontados por técnicas de análise audiovisual, aliadas posteriormente às metodologias de análise do objeto sonoro comumente utilizadas na música eletroacústica. Como estudo de caso, realizamos as transcrições espectromorfológicas de cinco sequências do filme A Conversação (1974), dirigido por Francis Ford Coppola, e desenho de som de Walter Murch, destacando pontos formadores do contrato audiovisual. / This paper studies the use of the spectromorphological analysis graphical tool developed by Lasse Thoresen as an aid in analyzing the composition of the cinematic sound design with the development of listening scores. We evaluate a notation form of sound events present in the film soundtrack by adapting the notation tool, starting from the identification of the criteria set out by techniques of audiovisual analysis combined with the analysis methodology of the sound object commonly used in electroacoustic music. As a case study, we made the spectromorphological transcription for five sequences of the film The Conversation (1974), directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and sound designed by Walter Murch, highlighting the audiovisual contract building points

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In this master’s thesis, a sound-based notation system is explored and developed in the composition and performance of a musical work for live electronics. My approach builds on existing systems for electroacoustic music analysis, most notably Dennis Smalley’s (1997) theory of spectromorphology and the symbolic language of Lasse Thoresen &amp; Andreas Hedman (2007) based on Pierre Schaeffer’s typo-morphology, as well as Mattias Sköld’s (2023) adaptation of this system for composition and transcription (Sound Notation).  By separating the compositional processes from the interpretational process in the creation of a mixed work for live electronics and acoustic instruments, the notation could be explored as an isolated activity in the writing of sound objects, later realized in a studio environment in the form playable instrument patches. This resulted in two performances of the piece Sonic Mechanics (2022) where the author performed the electronics part together with musicians from the ensembles Norrbotten NEO in Piteå (Sweden) and Ensemble mise-en in NYC (USA).  The thesis shows how symbolic notation does not need to be dismissed in live electronic performance, but that a sound-based score can complement the compositional and interpretational processes of instrument design and improvisation. The project thus demonstrates the plausibility of composing electronic music using a reduced sound- based notation system (spectromorphological reduction) and provides an example of how a sound-based score can be executed by an electronic performer, as well as investigating the affordances that this approach has for both the compositional and interpretational process. For composition, the affordances of sound-based notation are that it becomes a technology for thinking about sound and musical structures themselves, without interaction with audio technology. For performance, this approach enables different interpretations for other electronic instruments and setups. / <p>Artistic outcomes are presented in their entirety through the accompanying Research Catalogue Expositions:</p><p>https://www.researchcatalogue.net/profile/show-exposition?exposition=2012206</p><p>https://www.researchcatalogue.net/profile/show-exposition?exposition=2241923</p>

Collaborative jamming with digital musical instruments (DMI) exposes a need for output synchronization. While temporal solutions have been established, a better understanding of how live sound transformations could be balanced across instruments is required. In this work, a technology probe for reciprocal sound transformations was designed and developed by networking the instruments of four musicians and employing layered mapping between a shared interface, high-level sound attributes, and the sound synthesis parameters of each instrument. The probe was designed and used during a series of participatory design workshops, where seven high-level attributes were constructed according to the spectromorphology framework. The analysis, where the notion of sonic narrative and the concept of flow were applied, reveals how live controlling reciprocal sound transformations facilitates collaboration by supporting role-taking, motivating the ensemble, and directing the focus of its members. While generality of the implemented attributes cannot be claimed, challenges of the chosen mapping strategy and requirements for the user interface were identified. / Jammande i grupp med digitala musikinstrument (DMI) avslöjar ett behov för att kunna synkronisera dem utgående signalerna. Temporära lösningar har etablerats, men en bättre förståelse för hur live ljudtransformationer skulle kunna balanseras över flera instrument är nödvändig. I detta arbete utvecklades och designades en teknologisk sond för reciproka ljudtransformationer genom att koppla ihop fyra musikers instrument och en flerlagersavbildning skapades med ett delat gränssnitt, högnivå ljudattribut samt ljudsyntesparametrarna för varje instrument. Sonden designades och användes under co-design-workshops, där sju högnivå ljudattribut konstruerades enligt spectromorfologiramverket. Analysen, där begreppen soniskt berättande och konceptet flyt applicerades, avslöjar hur realtidskontroll av reciproka ljudtransformationer främjer medverkande genom att stödja rolltagande, motivera ensemblen, samt rikta fokuset hos medlemmarna. Även om det inte går att hävda att de implementerade attributen är generella, så identifierades utmaningarna hos den valda avbildningsstrategien och hos användargränssnittet.

L’étude de la musique mixte est caractérisée par un dualisme d’approches, ceux qui étudient les dispositifs et ceux qui utilisent les stratégies analytiques perceptives issues de la musique électroacoustique. Pour surmonter ce dualisme, cette thèse esquisse une typologie à partir de la perception de l’interaction des composantes instrumentale et électronique : les œuvres mixtes sont considérées comme des «œuvres hybrides» juxtapositionnelles, synthétiques et transformationnelles. Afin de conjuguer les aspects de la perception et de la prescription dans la musique mixte, les notions de geste et texture s’avèrent pertinentes. Une approche analytique holistique est proposée. La définition d’un objet spécifique, le « son mixte », nous permet d’interpréter d’une manière originale la spectromorphologie de Denis Smalley et d’examiner ses fondements épistémologiques. Les critères perceptifs de la typologie s’avèrent fondés sur une répartition fonctionnelle des débuts, entretiens et extinctions sonores des « sons mixtes » entre la partie instrumentale et électronique. Cette perspective est validée par l’analyse comparative de cinq cas d’étude : Sopiana et Aulodie de François-Bernard Mâche, Pluton de Philippe Manoury, Traiettoria de Marco Stroppa et Mixtur de Karlheinz Stockhausen. / The study of mixed music is characterized by a dualist approach: on the one hand, an analysis that merely focuses on technical meansand, on the other hand, research resorting to perceptive strategies in the analysis of electroacoustic music. In order to overcome thistraditional dualism, this work sketches a perceptive typology of the interaction between instrumental and electronic components, mixedmusic works are considered juxtapositionals, synthetics and transformationals. In doing so, the thesis advances an analytical holisticapproach in order to combine the concepts of perception and prescription in mixed music, where the notions of gesture and texture areparticularly relevant. The definition of a specific objet, i.e. the “mixed sound”, allows for an original interpretation of Denis Smalley’sspectromorphology and its epistemological framework. As a result, the typological perceptive criteria here proposed are based on thefunctional distribution of the attacks, sustains and decays of “mixed sounds” between the instrumental and the electronic parts. Thishypothesis is illustrated through the detailed analysis of five case studies: François-Bernard Mâche’s Sopiana and Aulodie, PhilippeManoury’s Pluton, Marco Stroppa’s Traiettoria and Karlheinz Stockhausen’s Mixtur.

This paper presents the history and the theoretical study of mixed music and focuses on two piano solo works and two mixed electroacoustic compositions for piano and electronics. By discussing the working process and giving the analysis of the original composition Alchemy for piano and electronics, this paper investigates the relationship between cause, source and spectromorphology, reflecting how the concept of energy-motion trajectory are embodied in this mixed electroacoustic work. Alchemy is a mixed composition for piano solo and 8-channel fixed electronics focusing on the gestural play and sonic expression. The live piano part explores the gestural sound played with a slide (cup), paper clip, and objects placed inside the piano. The 8-channel electronics part is mainly derived from the recorded acoustic piano. It extends the sonic potential of source materials and presents the diverse vectorial movements of spatialization.

This text outlines recent developments in my artistic practice. The two underlying themes of this work are my intonation practice, with and emphasis on just intonation, as well as the Japanese mouth-organ shō, which I am currently learning to play. The text discusses these topics, along with four of my recent works: Hypothermia for bass drum (2020) for gran cassa and electronics; Stycke för cembalo och elektronik (2021) for harpsichord and electronics; Breathing, bowing (2022) for viola da gamba and electronics; and Solo #1 (2022) for shō and unfiltered sawtooth waves. In these four pieces, I have explored different ways for the electronics to relate to and interact with the respective acoustic instruments with regards to intonation, spectromorphology and timbre. Both the pieces and the two underlying themes have not only been ventures into new aesthetic and technological areas, but they have also shaped my outlook on composition and the relationship between composer and musician. / <p>The presentation refers to my graduation concert, where two of the pieces discussed in this text were presented: <em>Breathing, bowing</em> and <em>Solo #1</em>. Along with these pieces, during the concert a newly composed ensemble piece was presented with me playing the shō alongside Johan Arrias (soprano saxophone), Gard Nergaard (hardingfela) and Vilhelm Bromander (contrabass).</p>