Derivaciones polirrítmicas

Polyrhythmic Texture Derivations of Time-Lapsed
Field Recordings
Scott Smallwood
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
110 8th St. DCC 135
Troy, NY 12180 USA
Smalls@rpi.eduhttp://www.arts.rpi.edu/~skot
Abstract
Building sound compositions usually involves the organization of sound
structures using some sort of organizational system. In the case of improvisation,
aleatoric composition, andnoise/sound art compositions, perhaps the systems are more a
process of gesture, timbral exploration, or imitation of sounds occurring in the
world/environment in which we live. In this paper Idiscuss some compositional
techniques that I have found useful in working with field recordings. In particular, I will
be discussing techniques used to compose a series of pieces for a recent CD projectentitled Tempus Fugit.
Introduction
In this paper I discuss some compositional techniques that I have found useful in
working with field recordings. In particular, I will be discussing techniquesused to
compose a series of pieces for a recent CD project entitled Tempus Fugit. I will begin by
discussing the idea of time-lapsed audio recording; first outlining some challenges
surroundingthe use of field recordings in composition, and then discussing how time
manipulations can address some of those challenges, while bringing new and interesting
materials to work with. Secondly, I willbriefly discuss some technical matters regarding
time-manipulation techniques and their artifacts. Thirdly, I will discuss the concept of
polyrhythmic layering of sound events into sonic textures.In this section I will discuss
the layering and spatial placement of textural cells, and will explain the distinction
between a textural cell and more discrete rhythmic/metric cells
I. Time-LapsedField Recording: What and Why?
Building sound compositions usually involves the organization of sound
structures using some kind of system. In the case of improvisation, aleatoric composition,...