the hidden sound
Content: Masking, chaos, rupture, and contrast
Pedagogical objectives
- The student is capable of creating a maskingHighly used in contemporary instrumental and electroacoustic music, masking consists of hiding a sound, generally something soft and linear, by another larger sound that occupies the entire acoustic space. The sudden removal of this layer in the foreground (rupture) reveals the existence of another musical layer that was previously masked. effect using two sounds.
- The student is capable of choosing a noisy and aggressive sound as well as a soft and calm sound.
Pedagogical intentions
- Introduce the concepts of maskingHighly used in contemporary instrumental and electroacoustic music, masking consists of hiding a sound, generally something soft and linear, by another larger sound that occupies the entire acoustic space. The sudden removal of this layer in the foreground (rupture) reveals the existence of another musical layer that was previously masked., rupture and contrast to the students.
- Familiarize the students with the compositional techniques of rupture and contrast (of sounds, moods and affect).
- Improve the students’ response to the gestures of direction/conducting.
Tools
Example
(Sons au choix de chacun)
Camp musical Père-Lindsay, Val-St-Côme, Québec
Process
The teacher asks each student to choose two sounds.
Sound 1 (the mask): a noisy and aggressive sound.
Sound 2 : a soft and calm sound.
- With the help of the mixer, the student adjusts the volume of each sound such that sound 1 completely masks sound 2.
- The conductor signals to everyone to begin playback of both sounds 1 and 2 (noisy and soft).
- Enough time is taken to listen to and appreciate the cacophony created by these heterogeneous sounds.
- The conductor signals to cut sound 1 abruptly.
- We let the calm and soft texture inhabit the space and end with a slow crescendo.
VARIATION
Repeat this process in reverse order: begin by listening to sound 2 and interrupt the calm by suddenly introducing sound 1.
- Assessment: Were the sounds chosen for this exercise appropriate to clearly illustrate the idea of maskingHighly used in contemporary instrumental and electroacoustic music, masking consists of hiding a sound, generally something soft and linear, by another larger sound that occupies the entire acoustic space. The sudden removal of this layer in the foreground (rupture) reveals the existence of another musical layer that was previously masked.? Were you successful in creating two contrasting sound-worlds? How would you describe each one? What does each one represent? How does the rupture technique amplify the contrast? To be sure, try repeating the exercise but this time, fade-out sound 1 by decrescendo instead. Is the effect the same? After completing this variation, how does our reaction change from one to the other?
