Fracturing the Acousmatic: Merging Improvisation with Disassembled Acousmatic Music

This paper questions whether it is possible to integrate free (or controlled) improvisation with electroacoustic materials with pre-composed soundfiles in a ‘live’ performance. It contributes to the on-going debate about the role of the performer and the advantages and disadvantages of working live. At the heart of this paper is a compositional drive that remains rooted within the acousmatic tradition. A working environment or instrument has been made in Max/MSP utilising two external controllers (A graphics tablet and a Behringer BFC2000 usb controller). This was developed over a year whilst working on three electroacoustic pieces. During this time, the instrument was used to afford a ‘sense of performance’ when experimenting with sounds. These sounds would then be recorded, heavily edited and mixed before being placed into a ‘fixed’ version. However, in a live setting, there would be little or no chance to refine, let alone, rewind and go again. The clear advantage of working live is the experience of performing yet there is a trade-off when considering this live performance against fixed works. The resulting ‘improvisations’ no longer sound like fixed works made live and it is the overwhelming perception that they should that perhaps remains a stumbling block in this research. However, these ‘fracturing’ processes have afforded an opportunity to re-asses the musical imperatives behind acousmatic music and ask which rules may be bent and which may be broken.