Between Air and Electricity: Microphones and Loudspeakers as Musical Instruments (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781501327605)

Composers and sound artists have explored for decades how to transform microphones and loudspeakers from "inaudible" technology into genuinely new musical instruments. While the sound reproduction industry had claimed perfect high fidelity already at the beginning of the twentieth century, these artists found surprising ways of use - for instance tweaking microphones, swinging loudspeakers furiously around, ditching microphones in all kinds of vessels, or strapping loudspeakers to body parts of the audience. Between air and electricity traces their quest and sets forward a new theoretical framework, providing historic background on technological and artistic development, and diagrams of concert and performance set-ups. From popular noise musician Merzbow to minimalist classic Alvin Lucier, cult instrument inventor Hugh Davies, or contemporary visual artist Lynn Pook - they all aimed to make audible what was supposed to remain silent.

Author: Cathy Van Eck
ISBN-10: 1501327607
ISBN-13: 9781501327605
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
Language: English
Published: 02/09/2017
Pages: 216
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.00lbs
Size: 9.30h x 5.90w x 0.80d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 09/01/2017