Between experimenting, performing and learning

In this thesis, I usually refer to an electronic or electroacoustic set instead of an electronic or electroacoustic instrument, because in practice a performer often uses a collection of interconnected devices as an instrument. Thus, instead of a cohesive, self-contained unit, the instrument is a bundle of sound generators, sound processors, sensors, transducers, gestural controllers and audio devices. These may include a large variety of items and equipment: from electrified and amplified acoustic instruments, passing by self-built electronic gizmos and all sorts of electronic machines deconstructed, customized or solely used as sound generators, processors or controllers (i.e. a fan, a drill, a blender or as in the circuit bending tradition of manipulating low-powered electronic devices for sonic purposes), up to high quality audio equipment designed and built by engineers, including synthesizers, pickups, amplifiers, loudspeakers, mixers, software, analog and digital converters.

Traditionally, performing electroacoustic music involves many degrees of actively participating in building, programming and modifying the performing tools. From programming the presets of a synthesizer, passing by the coding of software and DSP units (or even entire programs), soldering guitar pedals and synthesizer mod- ules to the designing and building of complete instruments are common practices among performers of electroacoustic music and live electronics. DIY culture is still very strong and supported by on-line communities and forums discussing open software and hardware projects. Since every performance set is unique in the sense that it represents a very specific combination of devices and their even- tual programming, it would be a quixotic task to pretend to index all of the reported inventions of the previous and current centuries. Instead I propose here an entrance gate for initiation to experimental practice with relatively accessible electronic instruments and audio devices.16

16_{The research and development of electroacoustic instruments is a very active and}

expanding field in the industry and in the academic world as confirmed by confer- ences, fairs, magazines, online publications, blogs and DIY communities. The Music Technology Group (MTG) of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona enter- tains a list available at https://github.com/MTG/conferences with more than 50 entries for conferences and 12 journal calls in 2018, including development and re- search on the Electroacoustic, Electronic and Digital Music Instruments field, for example, NIME, ICMC and SMC conferences. The music industry and companies also organize worldwide fairs, show trades and meetings such as NAMM – National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) https://www.namm.org/ and Frankfurt Musikmesse: https://musik.messefrankfurt.com/frankfurt/en.html The online activity through Forums and mailing lists have as well facilitated the exchange of cir- cuit designs and implementations for building electronic music instruments by ama- teurs and professionals. See for example forums such as http://electro-music.com/ and the popularity of youtubers creating user guides and how-to-do content.

4.3 Between experimenting, performing and learning 57

The modular nature of electronic instruments requires a permanent exercise of experimenting with interconnecting, patching, mapping signals, adjusting levels, matching impedances and re-programming that large variety of devices. Though there are of course some self-contained, fully stand-alone instruments that can be just switched on, ready to fire sounds, such as a synthesizer with built-in loudspeakers, there are many instruments and devices that do not include the amplification system, leaving the user to handle the connections. Other devices require a connection to a controller interface or to other equipment, and many times the strength of an audio device conceived for performance resides in its re-programmability or reconfiguration features. Experimenting in this context entails creating inventive connections and preparing signal paths combining ele- ments and devices to spark the sonic curiosity and instigate the music. Investigat- ing and familiarizing oneself with a piece of equipment is done by systematically exploring the sonic, electrical and acoustic properties of the machine, driving the gear to produce the sounds and results conceived by the musical mind but also letting the instruments themselves talk and guide the musician’s hand and ear to the unexplored territories of sonic expression.

Ultimately, it is about being in tune with the machines to allow the musical stream of ideas to freely flow in the circuit between the brain, the ear and the hand. The constant re-building and re-designing of electroacoustic instruments can be thought of as a parallel idea of tuning and maintaining an acoustic instrument. The diversity of devices and the ever-changing, ever-evolving and unfinished na- ture of electroacoustic music sets for improvisation and performance can be per- ceived as a pedagogical challenge. Imagine for example having individual music lessons where the apprentice comes with a new instrument every week or for every session the instrument experiences deep structural changes: an extra string in the violin or a bigger resonant case for the guitar or a flute with a different, larger body. Although it may sound fascinating for some, it raises questions about the possibilities of developing musicianship or building an instrumental knowledge of gestures and sounds.

I argue that dexterity with electronic instruments is a matter of balancing the activities of experimenting, researching, learning and performing. It can be very easy with electronic instruments to invest considerable amounts of time in the ex- perimentation process configuring or building the instrument without allocating enough time to perform it, or spending hours browsing the presets of a synthe- sizer or plugin without putting together a musical moment, or poring over endless catalogues of audio gear and musical devices looking for the ever-missing part to complete a performance set. At the other extreme, definitely fixing a performance set can turn into a monotonous activity that loses the freshness, risk, questioning and critical learning characteristics of the experimental and research attitudes. Therefore, it is in the balancing of research and creation, experimentation and practice that musicianship can be most fostered. I am not saying of course that it should always happen in that way. Not everybody wants to be, or ends up being,

a musician performer. Experimenting with electronics, coding and programming can be the gateway to a professional development of an instrument builder or to expertise about specs, and evolving critical judgments on audio devices can be an opening for a career as an entrepreneur in the audio industry and market. The pedagogical moment of researching, experimenting, performing and discussing is then the best arena to support personal initiatives of development in relation to the Electroacoustic Music Instrumentarium.