Artist's Statement based on three terms: Music, Social Politics, Networked-Performance-Space (cheating I know)

telematic music improvisation: bringing the everyday online

By Cynthia Payne

Music:

Music that is played spontaneously without any planning or preparation is referred to as, ‘free music’, or ‘free improvisation’. Music improvisation is performed at the same time as it is created with or without an audience. Free improvisation can refer to the approach taken in a particular kind of musicmaking, and it also can identify the resulting style of a given collaboration. Improvisations can also develop into imitations of established music genres like rock, jazz, blues or country. Many of the basic skills utilized in musical improvisation can be found in Oliveros’ Deep Listening techniques, which focus even more upon exploring any and all sounds. “The result of the practice cultivates an appreciation of sounds on a heightened level, expanding the potential for connection and interaction with one's environment, technology and performance with others in music and related arts.” (Oliveros, DPI)

Social politics

Telematic music improvisations are created by people who play music simultaneously with others on the internet. This scenario might conjure the image of a typical gamer playing alone in a room full of empty pizza boxes, but this is the myth when considering the online musician because while the computer does play a pivotal role in the connectivity necessary for telematic music sessions the whole process of playing music online actually starts out as a social pursuit: people looking for other people to play music with. Telematic musical improvisation begins as a social pursuit with an emphasis on musicianship, social interaction and discussion that is informed by offline musical practices. Online musicians seek out others to play music with and bring their everyday musical practices to the telematic sessions. They often use optional chat screens, or hook up microphones to facilitate conversations, and some even utilize iChat or other teleconferencing in order to be able to see other players. Most online collaborators use both acoustic and digital instruments, as well as customary public address systems (microphone, mixer and speakers).

The elements typical of online musical practice provide a unique approach to the advancement of experimental music. These elements include the ability to play in realtime from any networked location to any networked location, at any time of the day or night (24/7), and anonymously if desired. Participating anonymously means that there is more opportunity for people to play with disparate groups and individuals. For instance, in one session a teenaged boy probably would not have choosen to play with a middle-aged woman, and vice versa; just based on looks alone they might never even speak to each other in order to even meet. However, when they are anonymous or under a user name, there is more freedom to experiment uninhibitedly, to follow a curiosity.

The social aspects of telematic music improvisation are compelling: telemusicians must engage socially otherwise there will be "no one there" (gresham-lancaster). Online improvisors bring offline musical improvisation practices to online sessions, and this is important factor in the advancement of experimental music and beyond.

Networked-Performance-Space

Telematic music participants reclaim the space of the internet that has been dedicated to the marketing and commercialization of music to engage in the experimental music practice and social connections that strengthen and extend existing musical communities. The internet’s current focus on the economic potential of musical product is appropriated for the purposes of socializing and experimental music practice as telematic music participants use the internet to find others to play with, and bring all of their offline musical experience, influences and resources with them to create spontaneous musical improvisations. This merging of established offline musical practices with the online experimental forms a kind of "anti-discipline" (de Certeau xiv) in that telematic music improvisation utilizes power structures of established musical practice and also shifts the internet’s emphasis on advertising and selling music to a platform for people to make and share the music they create themselves, which “manipulate[s] the mechanisms of discipline … conforming … only in order to evade … ways of operating to form … the mute processes that organize the establishment of socioeconomic order.” (de Certeau xiv) Telematic musicians utilize resources from a grid of established power dynamics, namely the internet and its propensity for commercial use, and to a greater or lesser degree, the social networking and discourse of everyday musical practice, in order to produce something that serves the agenda of experimental, improvisational music. de Certeau might refer to online music improvisation as a tactic in the art of musicmaking, “the extent to which intelligence is inseparable from the everyday struggles and pleasures that it articulates.” (de Certeau xx)

One of the aspects of offline musical practice is the familiarity that develops between musicians and this is also practiced in online music collaborations as musicians who have enjoyed playing together naturally want to play together again, and often will seek one another out, whether online or off. The lack of face-to-face meetings in telematic music sessions, however, becomes another tactic to preserve the unfamiliar conditions which actually fuel experimental practice. The element of uncertainty that is maintained through the lack of in-person awareness intrinsic of the internet becomes “the clandestine forms taken by the dispersed, tactical, and makeshift creativity of groups or individuals already caught in the nets of “discipline” (de Certeau xiv). “It evokes a return to the collective practices and ideals evident in the earliest forms of jazz that emanated from New Orleans and pointed the way toward a more inclusive musical stance that could draw on insight and inspiration from the world over. (Borgo 16)

Statement of Desire

I want to people to know about telematic musical improvisation, and spontaneous musical ensembles to be formed and unformed and formed again; for people to think of it as a viable tool for musical collaboration as well as an enjoyable way to socialize. I want it to be thought of like any other creative pastime or hobby. I want there to be a ton of original music being created in online in realtime 24 hours a day seven days a week. I want to blur the lines between online and offline musical practice, and create an environment where both are combined in the same event.

emailed 1/8/07 @ 6:00 p.m.:

1st and 2nd choices of group

what we want to get done by the end of the quarter

scaled back version of what we want to get done

next week:

james, nicole, alan present

show without minimal words

contemporary art -