Soundscape Composition

Interview by
Erdem Helvacioglu
May 14, 2008

Erdem Helvacioglu:
There are some composers and colleagues who see soundscape composition as subgenre of musique concrete. What is your opinion on this matter?

Petri Kuljuntausta:
- I don't see it as a subgenre of musique concrete. Soundscape composition could be understood as part of the continuum, which started from musique concrete and other early art forms, which were based on recorded sound. The importance of context in soundscape composition, and the connection between the sounds and the environment (that particular place and its habitants in particular time) from where the sound textures of the work are taken from, is so important, that I can't put it too closely to the genre of musique concrete.

Soundscape composition could be linked to the tradition of musique concrete, radio art, documentary, sound art, and performance art, at least. And what is special in soundscape music is that it could be analyzed from so many perspectives, this is because of its close relation to culture, social relations, environmental matters and to the actual sounds of time that the work presents. Soundscape music is a form of art, but at the same time it offer us something true from the real world, by referring to the (sound) components of our culture.

EH:
What has changed in the soundscape composition genre during its 30 years? Do think it is still a vital way of composing and raising awareness to acoustic ecology?

PK:
- It is absolutely vital art form. In fact, now it has reached the point, where the people really could understand the artistic meaning of environmental sounds. The interest among young generation of composers and artists is growing and we could hear more and more works that are based on environmental recordings. Environmental music is slightly different thing than soundscape music, but anyway, it is very much question on the same interest, but slightly from different angle.

EH:
How does the Finish soundscape influence your compositions?

PK:
- I record my living environment often, so I have close relation to my own surrounding sound environment. It is trivial environment to me, as I live here and have used to hear these familiar sounds, but despite of that, I could find always new perspectives to my sound environment. It is also important to continue the activity (to listen to your environment), as only then you could notice and understand the changes that happens in your environment. If you record the sounds of Helsinki city during one summer, and continue this some 10 years, then you'll notice how the sound environment will change. I have recorded Helsinki so many years that I can tell you that it changes... :) In 1990's you heard archaic sinewave sounds of mobile phones in every place at the downtown, but this disappeared in few years when the advanced mobile phone technology allowed to use your own music samples.

EH:
What are the differences between Finnish soundscape composition and soundscape composition in other parts of the world?

PK:
- It is difficult to say, and it depends on the case. We have our own fauna here, so the animal sounds affect to the soundscape recordings naturally. We don't have big city metropolitans or their sound textures here. Helsinki is the capital, and that's where I live, but the population of some 0,5 million people in Helsinki is not much. It is active city, but not a metropolitan. Finnish have close relation to nature, that is cliche, but it is true. And we could hear nature recordings in many classic Finnish electroacoustic music compositions created since 1960s. But, the use of nature sounds doesn't give the whole picture in the matter; nowadays we have here a really active noise music scene. The noise musicians might use environmental sounds (like soundscape composers do) in their music, but they'll do that totally different way. Basically all international trends (from noise to soundscape activity) could be found from here.

EH:
What are the technical tools that you use these days for composition?

PK:
- For composing I use portable recorder, mics, computer and different audio softwares, nothing special. But when I am performing live, I have a slightly different view to the music, as I don't want to just sat down and play files from the laptop. So, I want to really play live and I have built my own electronic instrument set-up, which contains possibility to sample and recycle (live process) the sounds that I play in real-time. The material that I sample could be soundscapes or anything else I like. Also, important part in my set-up is my feedback system, which I have developed for years. In my sound chain, I could generate feedback sounds, control their pitches, textures, densities and so on. So with feedback sounds my sound palette is from tiny bird chirps (like thin sinewave sound gestures controlled w/ KaossPad) to massive, heavy-metal-guitar-kind of sound-walls. The textures that I generate depends on the context of the piece. I always use my feedback sounds as my "solo sound" -- it is my solistic instrument. (You'll get a better idea if you listen to my concert recording 'Live in Berlin', at MySpace.)

EH:
Do you think that soundscape composition could be the base of new electronic music composed outside of Europe and North America?

PK:
- Absolutely! It is not a question about technology, or tools, but willing to notice the environment. The sounds are around us, we just have to find them!

EH:
In the last 10 years, there has been a growing interest towards field recording. New terms like phonography, aural safari is being mentioned at mailing groups. Do you think that this interest towards will affect soundscape composition aesthetics today?

PK:
- We could use the environmental sounds in many ways in music, Soundscape composition offers us one possible aesthetic, one possible way to go. I believe there are many possible ways to use the ideas of soundscape music in other music forms. By that I mean, there is always possible to make fusion of aesthetics and styles (or genres). You don't have to be a real 'soundscape composer' to use the basic ideas of soundscape music in your music.

EH:
Do you think that soundscape composition can raise awareness towards environmental issues?

PK:
- Absolutely! That's one of the main thing with this music style, raise the listener's awareness towards the environment around you.

EH:
Who are the soundscape composers you enjoy the most?

PK:
- Uhhh, difficult question. Hildegard Westerkamp of course. She has composed really nice works, which I have used as an example of soundscape music many times at my lectures. The way how she use rhythm of water-drops, for example, has been motivated me especially. I have said this many times to my composer students: "you don't have to use drums or drum samples to create rhythmic music"... and as an example I have played HW's 'Talking Rain'.