Considering musical structure in location-based experiences

Locative music experiences are often non-linear and as such the final structure of the music heard is guided by the movements of the user. We note an absence of principles regarding how composers should approach the structuring of such locative soundtracks. For instance, how does one compose for a nonlinear soundtrack using linear, pre-composed placed sounds, where fixed musical time is placed into the indeterminate time of the user’s experience? Furthermore, how does one create a soundtrack that is suitable for the structure of the location, but also maintains a coherent musical structure? We explore these questions by analyzing an existing ‘placed sound’ work from a traditional music theory perspective, and in doing so we reveal some structural principals drawn from traditional musical forms that can support composers’ and designers who are working with contemporary locative music experiences.