Pop
Mark Gresham
About this work:
[musique concrete]
"Pop" was created entirely from a single sound sample (a labial "pop" sound with a "noisy" trailing element), manipulated only in Audacity. Pitch, rhythm and tempo relationships are based upon the "golden mean" ratio. However, the form is strophic, each "variation" being a simple matter of "tempo modulation"; each iteration is increased in tempo (and pitch) each time by a proportion derived from the "golden mean." Phrases dovetail to hide boundary points between sections, making transitions appear seamless. The tempi and pitch keep increasing until compressed/raised beyond reasonable human perception points.
Originally created in early 2008, this audio was not released for public listening until October 2009.
Note: In two other works written for live performance, the final movement of "Mortal Coils" and the outer movements of "Vagabond Drumming III," also include time-modulations of simpler ratio, so those changes might I've called by the more historical term "metrical modulation" (Elliott Carter).
The "golden mean" ratio time-changes in "Pop" really require a different term, I think, hence "tempo modulations" (which I may inadvertently have coined in this process).
released October 7, 2009
Year composed: 2009
Duration: 00:03:20
Ensemble type: Electronic Instruments and Sound Sources:Prerecorded Sound
Instrumentation: 1 Prerecorded Sound (Tape/CD/Other)
Instrumentation notes: musique concrete, audio media