Zanina Raleva
Aesthetics of music in the digital era
Music
in the digital era
Zanina Raleva
Aesthetics of music in the digital era
The technological boom which began in the mid 20th
century
and reached its peak in this past decade evolved through the dominant
digitisation
of art. The new technology spread into all aspects of human life, and
as
Munster points out, the digital phenomen is omnipresent (Munster,
2002:2).
The new technological situation verifies the symbiosis of art, science
and technology, which in this information age only expresses the level
of their merging. The early 90s marked the formation of the relatively
new artistic forms related to the terminally based interactive
installations;
these were defined as digital art forms. Their new strategy and
aesthetical
essence emanates from the specifics of the result and manner of
producing,
consuming and participating in these machines.
Thus the need to understand the technological
aspect
of this section of art production. It is only an additional reason, for
the existing analytical systems and categories in the art production of
new technology cannot answer the question of the artistic being and its
value.
Hence the differences between the “old” and the
“new” mediums. In the old mediums, artistic creation begins from the
general
comprehension of the medium, which confirms art as a skill. It was of
crucial
importance and a main category that evaluates art.
The “new” mediums are based on the communication logic,
supported by the computer and the program processes as mediators in the
communication process with the users. The artist needn’t know the
craftsmanship
of the manual and formational process, but should know the skill with
which
the ambiguities will be transformed into a concept. Therefore, the
skill
of knowledge becomes the skill of usage.
It is obvious that this points to art connected
to and stemming from a new technology; not only can it be called “new,”
but also “other” art. This “other” art consists of computer art,
Internet
art, electronic art, cyber art, and high-tech art. Concerning the
elements
of the digital and its influence on the artefacts, the following
questions
are posed: where does the extremism of the new technologies lie
compared
to the previous, and does that cause radical changes in art and its
meaning?
The specifics of digital technology and its connection to art suggest
new
aspects of these relations and raises issues concerning the changes in
a phenomenological, ontological and epistemological sense, as well as
issues
about the artist and artistic action.
In that sense, we should define the influences of new
technology on music art:
1. In terms of music production that originates from new technology, and is connected to it (“new” music)The novelties in digital technology have practical elements that refer to music art in general. Namely, just as communication system traffic began to function through “icons” instead of through the codes and commands of DOS, it became evident that the ideology of the picture will influence the processes of work performed on these systems. Thus, the process of creation with the aid of graphic interfaces enables a complete visual construction of the music works. The visual moment during the creation of the piece of art is seen in the fact that modern hardware for digital generating and processing of sound function exclusively on the basis of graphic software. At the same time, modern technology enables the formation of graphic digital files. The advantages of digital graphics in the recordings offer a spatial aspect of the understanding of music2. In terms of the already existing works of music (“old” music)
The music being in digital technology
The possibilities created by digital technology
touch
upon the issues and categories of music ontology. Modern experiments go
as far as to ignore the analogue input and output of real acoustics by
adding a digital signal in the neurons, which creates a stimulus
analogous
to our real sensations. Through digitisation, acoustic fantasies can be
transferred into a digital format, meaning that they will immediately
become
real pieces of music, but only in virtual reality. With the help of
computer
technology, the unreal (acoustic fantasies) becomes real (music), in an
imaginary world. In this world, one can hear and sense many things that
our senses are unable to detect. Therefore, artistic creativity has
great
possibilities. In the continuing of consciousness in virtual reality,
the
aspect of total democratisation of art is seen, if the omni- presence
of
the informational net is considered. That is why nowadays, because of
the
integral merging of art and mediums, the art theories of the new
technologies
promote the idea of Gesamtdatenwerk as a revision of Wagner’s
Gesamtkunstwerk.
(Vili] 1992:106)
With the new technology, the phenomenon of music faces
another opportunity to examine itself. Namely, the graphic interfaces
used
by the composers during the creation of their work offer an opportunity
of visually presenting the composition in a three-dimensional format.
The
visualisation involved in the creation of the final product places
music
in another dimensional position: music, from temporary art, as it used
to be, enters the dimension of visual arts and architecture. This
transfer
can form other problems - still, the question stands - would that
change
the essence of the ontological nature of the music phenomenon?
However, what seems to have the greatest impact on the
ontology of the music being is also a future vision of the
possibilities
of modern technology. This refers to the possible expansion of our
acoustic
biological limits. If the direct virtual stimuli trigger the appearance
of a new acoustic dimension, a new acoustic reality would be formed,
which
will cause the expansion of the limits of perception and experience.
The music being is obviously in need of redefining
itself.
Music will have to locate its artefacts, as well as organise them in
different
space. Analyses will be conducted within meta-theories and categories
of
virtual and cyber reality, which will enable the entrance of
cyberontology.
The significance of music art in the digital era
Interpreting the significance of music is one of the
most
complex scientific problems. This new situation will probably cause
changes.
The complexity of the issue arises from the fact that the significance
of art within the creative subject - man has three levels: individual,
socio-cultural and universal. The changes would originate from, as well
as affect the first three levels, keeping in mind the unchangeable
position
of the universal level which surpasses the previous two, thus affirming
its importance in civilisation.
The individual level covers the psychic units among
which
the perceptive abilities are of special meaning during the formation of
the borders of music, i.e. the piece of music. Consequently, the
greater
number of music pieces are within the average, or the limits of several
thousand Herz, and not within the maximum limits of our acoustic
perception
(from 16 Hz to 20 KHz). With the experiments of new technology, that is
if the biological limits are expanded, a change of the perceptive
limits
would be achieved, together with the emotional and cognitive.
Experience,
as a transfer of meaning, would change.
In the creation and experience of a piece of
music,
socio-cultural factors are of great importance. Unquestionably, changes
will occur within the socio-cultural layer which will affect the issues
of the abilities of the current technological presence and the issue of
availability, without which communication with new art is practically
impossible.
To suit its needs, new technology has produced new professions that
indicate
changes in a social and cultural sense.
On the other hand, the issue of significance is
connected
to the changing of the concept of music, which triggers the issues of
understanding,
interpreting, experiencing. Until the 20th century, the theory related
to the notions 12-tonal, major/minor tonality, etc., successfully dealt
with occidental music culture. However, in the beginning of the past
century,
with the rise of avant-garde and experimental music, this concept
changed.
(Buzarovski 1996: 4-10)
In that sense, the essence of the digital medium itself
will nowadays trigger even more radical changes. If we consider the
characteristics
of the digital, such as interactivity and repetition, they are likely
to
expand and change the possibilities and results of music production. As
Holtzman states, namely the absence of an “original” will change our
view
on the artistic experience in the digital world (Holtzman 1997). The
expansion
of authorship will undoubtedly result in the opening up of music
towards
all genres.
From this aspect, the interpretation of the
significance
of music receives delayed answers which will narrow down, and in the
process
of overlapping even erase the differences between the notion of music
and/or
music art.
Modi in the digital era
All of this points to the possible changes in the
modus,
within which the musical works and culture exist and are created. The
basic
five modi, author -work -interpreter -performance -audience, in the
digital
technological age are not only redefined - some of them can even be
eliminated
The evolutional way through which the digital and
digital
mediums passed (beginning with the first electronic music synthesiser
and
its linking to a computer; the appearance of MIDI as a system design,
all
the way to graphic interface and professional systems for the recording
and editing of sound) paved the way for the engineers not only in the
process
of creating the machines, but also for their participation in the
creation
of the musical works. That will surely happen in the field of
electronic
music, where experiments will be conducted on sound as a phenomenon in
its physical elements and acoustic value. (Buzarovski, 2001:1-34)
If we consider the engaging of engineers in the
shaping of the hardware and software for programs employed in music,
the
question of authorship is posed. Isn’t it possible that a new modus
co-author
should be added? Thus the question of the originator is posed as one of
the key issues in the works of art in the new mediums, where the term
“art”
itself has become doubtful. Therefore, there have been suggestions of
changing
the category “visual” (when referring to visual art) with the category
“interactive,” which enhances the role of the artist as the creator of
(countless) repetitions (Vili], 1997:33). The composer is in an
analogous
position when employing ready-made fabricated samples. They function as
a database nowadays, considered as a genre of the new mediums (Manovic,
1999:128). On the other hand, the precise algorhythms of the first
music-computer
products in the 50s and 60s are replacing the creative artistic
process,
so that the existing distinction between theoretical and artistic has
already
been lost. Evidently the artist is no more the absolute and complete
creator
of the artificial. What Walter Benjamin noted in the 1930’s in “The
Work
of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” is expressed more
fervently
in the age of modern technology, within which the basic categories of
the
work of art are lost: the auratic, original, distinct, unrepeatable.
The final consequence of the expansion of the creative
limits of the author-artist is the artist’s complete elimination, i.e.
replacement. In 1996 in Montreal, during a ISEA’s debate on artificial
creativity, an experiment simulating a creative artistic process was
conducted.
An analysis of computer-composed music works was performed, where the
origin
of the work - human/computer was unclear. The debate raised issues of
whether
it is possible or useful to have artificial “web” artists. The dilemma
of lack of emotions during these artefacts was concluded with Freud’s
theory,
according to whom emotions are at the bottom level of the complexity of
the human being. Still, the question whether machines can create works
of art remains unanswered.
There are other reasons why new technologies have
changed
the position of the author/artist. Primarily because of the factor of
economics,
most of our planet is still ignorant of new technology; but also
because
of traditional resistance towards novelties. Therefore, in the first
case
the notion “author” was divided into author/artists online and offline,
whereas in the second case we note the ones who work on the established
and the ones who like to be challenged.
Important changes occur within the second, third,
and fourth modus. With the help of new technology, they are replaced by
a computer, thus shifting into a digital modus. The piece has both a
regular
and digital score, i.e. the piece, the digital score and the
performance
are merged into one. However, the union of art, science and technique
is
absolute only in virtual reality. Here all categories are eliminated
with
the fact that they all exist within the same modus. Because of the
synthetic
nature of virtual reality, it will have to surpass the aesthetic
categories
which have so far defined the phenomenology of the work of art and its
effects. Music will exist only within the moment of its experience. The
piece of music is divided into: the information sent (author), the
moment
of duration (performance), and the moment of experience (audience). The
simulacrum music piece and its effect in such a moment proves its
reproduction
impossible. This raises many issues, such as: will music art abandon
the
category of reproduction and has reality surpassed art in terms of its
conveying of truth? (Voss, 1989:307)
The position of the last modus - the audience, changes
in this situation. In virtual reality, it presents itself within the
creative
subject, and culturally redefines itself within the existing modus of
real
performances
Namely, in digital technology, the author achieves his
artistry in the category of authorship, which depends on the presence
of
a team included in the process of the creation of the music piece.
Thus,
the vertical division of “high” and “low” art (elite and popular), as
well
as the cultural differences of the audience emerging from it, cease to
exist. The attempts to level them began during the age of modernism,
but
reached their peak in the digital age. In the 20th century, the
influences
of the popular on the elite were interpreted as a concept of
globalisation.
However, the real discourse on globalisation, and the disappearing of
high
and low art, was introduced by digital technology and its common
communication
systems. In the digital era, the concept of net communication is
rhizometic,
and doesn’t follow the cause and effect logic. The differences in the
concepts
enfold the differences in the above-mentioned division of art.
Redefining
The specific features of the digital in general
brought
a change in the notion of music art and its interpretation. A new
question
is posed: what are the “aesthetic” problems that the aesthetic of music
now deals with? Have we reached the notion of digital aesthetics? These
concerns are based on: 1. The specifics of the medium 2. The presence
and
role of the artist 3. The presence and role of the consumer. The issue
of man vs. machine is also raised here. This relation is based on the
dependence
of the mediator - computer, without which a (techno) piece of art
cannot
be realised. This prosthetic becomes a condition, by which the features
of the works created in reality are accomplished, and which takes music
into cyber space. Does the achieved simulacrum become a “reality” as a
fact of the artefacts, and would we use some mediated, non-existing
categories
during their analysis?
Undoubtedly art is a result of human needs. New
technologies
will not, for the time being, hinder us from listening and enjoying
music
from the old styles. This is supported by the views of some artists and
theoreticians. According to them, art created by the new mediums is
“recycled
art without identity, an inauthentic invalid, it triggers zig-zag
feelings
and confusion that can be solved only by quitting all mediums”
(Milevska,
1997:47).
Nevertheless, technophobia is imminent for man,
and scepticism will overwhelmed when new technologies will be conceived
as new opportunities.
Literary
