Generalising Personalised Exploration and Organisation of Sonic Spaces: Metacultural Approaches

Personalised creative computational or manual/performative exploration and perceptual experimentation with the basic sonic and structural materials of music can initiate novel expression. We propose a generalised metacultural approach that can encourage this process, while secondarily readying its users for intercultural music-making. Amongst such basic mutable musical elements we distinguish six: rhythm, pitch, timbre, dynamics, hierarchical structure and creator-interaction, each with their attendant structuring processes that anyone in any culture might consider as tools of expression. Formed cultures differ in their ranges of expectations as to stylistic fixity or flux; metaculture can freely choose its type and degree of variability. We propose five general exploratory principles, converting: discrete categories into usable continua; linearities or sequences into non-linearities or re-orderings; separations into overlays or vice versa (in space, time and other respects); or using: partial randomisation; and novel hierarchies. All the approaches we propose are susceptible to computational application, while most are underutilised. We present brief surveys of cognition of each of the sonic materials, illustrating that much remains only partially researched (whereas some dogma is often meekly accepted). This in turn supports the view that practical exploration by musicians can provide perceptible and usable creative innovations. We discuss briefly the sociocultural implications of such a novel generalised exploratory metaculture, likely requiring corresponding cognitive learning and adaptation. We conclude that in any current environment one could strive both to respect traditions and cultural sensitivities, and to evolve new musics.