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The Art of Recording: How Pierre Schaffer Rewrote the Definition of Music
Music has come in many forms, but in the mid-20th century, a French musician broke new ground in this field. He was Pierre Schaeffer, who not only rewrote the definition of music through recording, but also promoted the movement of musique concrète, which turned recorded sounds into raw materials for music creation. The future opens up countless possibilities.
The concrete birth of music
Music specifically refers to a style of music that uses recorded sounds as the raw material for its creations. These sounds come not only from musical instruments, natural environments and human voices, but also include sounds created through sound synthesis and computer digital signal processing. This style is different from the melody, harmony and rhythm rules of traditional music, making the connotation and expression of the music more diversified.
The understanding of the essence of music must be re-examined from a new perspective. In the concrete world of music, the identity of a sound can be deliberately obscured or seemingly unrelated to its source.
Pierre Schaeffer's Journey of Discovery
Pierre Schaeffer's musical experiments began in earnest in the 1940s. He joined Radio France in 1942 and helped to set up the first sound art laboratory, the Studio d'Essai. Here he began to create works using the sound technology of the time, and soon founded the musique concrete movement.
"When I coined the term 'music concrete' I meant to emphasize the opposition to traditional ways of making music."
Technological breakthroughs
The specific development of music benefited from the emergence of new music technologies, such as the use of microphones, phonographs and tape recorders, which made it possible to create music in a completely new way. With these tools, Schaeffer and his colleagues were able to manipulate audio like never before, creating a variety of timbre effects such as sound cutting, delay, and echo.
Cultural Reflection and Artistic Practice
Schafer often incorporates reflections on current technology and its impact on music into his work. His philosophy emphasizes the importance of sound itself and challenges the aesthetics of traditional music. Music is no longer just symbols on the staff, but the most real sounds in life.
"We need to accept the diversity and uncertainty of music. The essence of music should lie in the wide range of possibilities it contains."
Specific influences of music
As the music spread and evolved, many later artists and composers were deeply influenced. The specific principles and methods of music have become the cornerstones of electronic music, sound art and other fields. With the advancement of technology, from recording to digital sound effects, the way music is created and understood is constantly changing, bringing people endless inspiration.
Contemporary Sound Art
The specific concept of music not only influenced the composition world in the 20th century, but also has a profound impact on creative techniques and musical thinking in contemporary times. Many artists incorporate sounds from everyday life into their works to explore the boundaries and diverse connotations of music. This creative approach prompts reflection on the nature of sound and the role it plays in art.
Conclusion
It can be said that Pierre Schaeffer's experiment brought about a fundamental change in the definition of music. With new perspectives and techniques, he reinterpreted the possibilities of artistic creation and provided rich creative resources for future generations. This makes us wonder, in future music creation, what new breakthroughs and possibilities are waiting for us to explore?
