F. DELALANDE, P. COUPRIE, D. LEQUETTE

Space Transcription

Abstract

Geometric space has become an important item for composers notably in the field of electroacoustics, the notion is relevant regarding reception, yet it is difficult to transcribe, thus to analyze. Three key points will be adressed here :

 musical transcription traditionnaly applies a time line to one of the dimensions on paper or screen, whereas space representation usually refers to both dimensions and erases the time line. However, it should be reminded that motion is a temporal item, the perception of which is made possible by " retention " (or immediate memory), which needs to be simulated.
 basically, the descripion of the perceptive organization of a sound space in items, follows the traditional approach of auditory scene analysis. The representation of that organization amounts to a discrimination of visual items, in the same way as sound items may be discriminated, and those are located in space.
 yet, motions, are not, on the one hand, restrictively a chain of locations, and, on the other hand, they are not either aleatory. In music, they are organized in recurrent spatial patterns, which may be catalogued, described, transcribed (i.e : remoteness, oscilation right/left...).

This presentation benefits from several works which were discussed in the GRM seminars on music analysis. The reflection on analysis is presented by François Delalande, the multimedia works were developped by Pierre Couprie and Daniel Lequette.

Biography of François Delalande
Biography of Pierre Couprie
Biography of Daniel Lequette