Title VI: Guide des objets sonores: Pierre Schaeffer et la recherche musicale

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Pierre Schaeffer Bibliography
compiled by Carlos Palombini
(Title 6 of 10)

VI. Michel Chion. 1983. Guide des objets sonores: Pierre Schaeffer et la recherche musicale. [Guide to Sound Objects: Pierre Schaeffer and Music Research]. Paris: INA-GRM/Buchet-Chastel [INA-GRM: Maison de Radio France, pièce 3521, 116 avenue du Président Kennedy, 75220 Paris, Cedex 16, tel. +33 1 42.30.29.88, fax +33 1 42.30.49.88, e-mail grm@ina.fr, Websites:http://www.ina.fr/GRM/ and http://www.ina.fr/GRM/PUBLICATIONS/EDITION/publications.fr.html; Buchet-Chastel: 18 rue Condé, 75006 Paris, tel. +33 1 44.32.05.60, fax +33 1 44.32.05.61, e-mail: Buchet.Chastel@wanadoo.fr]. Collection "Recherches Musicales". 187 pp. Reprinted in 2000. ISBN 2702014399

Chion's book expounds with precision the web of signifiers and signifieds that makes up Schaeffer's 1966 Solfège.

Table of Contents

Preface, by Pierre Schaeffer
9

Presentation, by Michel Chion
13

Alphabetic Table
16

I. IN SEARCH OF THE SOUND OBJECT
18

A. The Acousmatic Revelation
18

   1. ACOUSMATICS
18

   2. LOCKED GROOVE / CUT BELL
20

B. Physical Signal and Sound Object
21

   3. PHYSICAL SIGNAL
21

   4. CORRELATION
23

   5. ANAMORPHOSIS
24

C. The Circuits of "Common" Listening
25

   6. (THE) FOUR LISTENINGS
25

   7. ORDINARY / EXPERT (LISTENING)
29

   8. NATURAL / CULTURAL (LISTENING)
29

D. Reduced Listening
30

   9. INTENTION
30

   10. EPOCHÉ
31

   11. REDUCED (LISTENING)
33

   12. SOUND OBJECT
34

II. HYPOTHESES FOR A GENERALIZED MUSIC
36

A. The Three Dualisms of Music
36

   13. NATURAL / CULTURAL
36

   14. MAKING / LISTENING
37

   15. ABSTRACT / CONCRETE
39

B. A New View on Tradition
40

   16. MUSICAL / MUSICIANLY
41

   17. PITCH
43

   18. SCALE
46

   19. NOTE
47

   20. TIMBRE
48

   21. INSTRUMENT
52

C. Structures of Perception
56

   22. OBJECT / STRUCTURE
56

   23. IDENTIFICATION / QUALIFICATION
59

   24. CONTEXT / CONTEXTURE
61

   25. PERCEPTUAL FIELD
61

   26. CONTINUOUS / DISCONTINUOUS
65

D. Axioms for a Generalized Music
67

   27. MUSICALITY / SONORITY
68

   28. VALUE / CHARACTER
70

   29. PERMANENCE / VARIATION
74

   30. VARIATION
75

   31. POLYPHONY / POLYMORPHY
77

E. Is Music a Language?
77

   32. LANGUAGE AND MUSIC
77

   33. SIGN
82

   34. PURE (MUSIC)
82

   35. SENSE / SIGNIFICATION
84

III. PROGRAM FOR A MUSIC RESEARCH
88

A. Towards a New Solfège
88

   36. INTERDISCIPLINE
88

   37. PROSE COMPOSITION / UNSEEN TRANSLATION [or TRANSLATION FROM SOUND / TRANSLATION INTO SOUND]
90

   38. SOLFÈGE
90

   39. ACOULOGY
94

   40. CONVENIENT (OBJECT)
97

B. Five Steps to Reconquer Musicalness
98

a) Typology
98

   41. TYPOLOGY
98

   42. TYPE
100

b) Morphology
100

   43. MORPHOLOGY
100

   44. CLASS
101

   45. DEPONENT (SOUNDS)
102

c) Characterology
103

   46. CHARACTEROLOGY
103

   47. GENRE
104

d) Analysis and Synthesis
105

   48. ANALYSIS / SYNTHESIS
105

   49. SPECIES
106

   50. CRITERION / DIMENSION
106

   51. SITE / GAUGE
107

   52. STRETCH
109

   53. WEIGHT
109

   54. RELIEF
110

   55. IMPACT
110

   56. MODULE
111

   57. TABLATURE
112

IV. TO CLASSIFY SOUNDS (TYPOLOGY)
113

A. Approach to the Sound Object: Bases for an Initial Description
113

   58. TYPO-MORPHOLOGY
113

   59. ARTICULATION / SUSTENANCE
114

   60. SHAPE / MATTER
116

   61. MAINTENANCE
116

   62. FACTURE
117

   63. IMPULSION
118

   64. ITERATIVE, ITERATION
119

   65. TONIC
119

   66. COMPLEX
120

B. Typology: A Classification of Sound Objects
121

a) Criteria for Classification
121

   67. TYPOLOGIC CRITERIA
121

   68. MASS / FACTURE
122

   69. DURATION / VARIATION
123

   70. EQUILIBRIUM / ORIGINALITY
124

b) First Series: Balanced Objects
126

   71. BALANCED (SOUNDS)
126

   72. FORMED (SOUNDS)
129

c) Second Series: Redundant Sounds
130

   73. REDUNDANT (SOUNDS)
130

   74. HOMOGENEOUS (SOUNDS)
130

   75. SIREN
132

d) Third Series: Eccentric Sounds
132

   76. ECCENTRIC (SOUNDS)
132

   77. GRAND NOTE
133

   78. THREAD
134

   79. CELL
134

   80. FRAGMENT
135

   81. PEDAL
136

   82. ASSORTMENT
136

   83. ACCUMULATION
137

e) Fourth Series: Varying Sounds
138

   84. MOTIF
138

   85. GROUP
139

V. TO DESCRIBE SOUND OBJECTS (MORPHOLOGY)
140

A. External Morphology
140

   86. COMPOUND / COMPOSITE (SOUND)
140

   87. ACCIDENT / INCIDENT
141

B. What is a Morphologic Criterion?
142

   88. MORPHOLOGIC CRITERION
142

C. The Three Criteria of Matter
145

a) Mass
145

   89. MASS
145

   90. NODE (NODAL SOUND)
148

   91. STRIATED (SOUND)
148

   92. WHITE NOISE
149

b) Harmonic Timbre
149

   93. HARMONIC TIMBRE
149

   94. DENSITY / VOLUME
152

c) Grain
152

   95. GRAIN
152

D. The Two Criteria of Shape
154

a) Criterion of Dynamics
154

   96. DYNAMICS (CRITERION)
154

   97. ATTACK
156

b) Allure
158

   98. ALLURE
158

E. The Two Criteria of Variation
162

   99. MELODIC PROFILE
162

   100. MASS PROFILE
164

Epilogue---And after that?
166

Annex: THE SOUND OBJECT IN FIVE FIGURES
168

-- The Four Listenings
169

-- Final Assessment of the Intentions of Listening
170

-- Music Research Program
171

-- Summary Table of Typology
172

-- Summary Table of the Solfège of Musical Objects
173

Bibliography
179

1) Writings cited in Treatise on Musical Objects
179

2) Pierre Schaeffer's writings concerning music research
181

3) About Pierre Schaeffer and Treatise on Musical Objects
182

back to Schaeffer index

Preface, by Pierre Schaeffer	9
Presentation, by Michel Chion	13
Alphabetic Table	16

I. IN SEARCH OF THE SOUND OBJECT	18

A. The Acousmatic Revelation	18

1. ACOUSMATICS	18
2. LOCKED GROOVE / CUT BELL	20

B. Physical Signal and Sound Object	21

3. PHYSICAL SIGNAL	21
4. CORRELATION	23
5. ANAMORPHOSIS	24

C. The Circuits of "Common" Listening	25

6. (THE) FOUR LISTENINGS	25
7. ORDINARY / EXPERT (LISTENING)	29
8. NATURAL / CULTURAL (LISTENING)	29

D. Reduced Listening	30

9. INTENTION	30
10. EPOCHÉ	31
11. REDUCED (LISTENING)	33
12. SOUND OBJECT	34

II. HYPOTHESES FOR A GENERALIZED MUSIC	36

A. The Three Dualisms of Music	36

13. NATURAL / CULTURAL	36
14. MAKING / LISTENING	37
15. ABSTRACT / CONCRETE	39

B. A New View on Tradition	40

16. MUSICAL / MUSICIANLY	41
17. PITCH	43
18. SCALE	46
19. NOTE	47
20. TIMBRE	48
21. INSTRUMENT	52

C. Structures of Perception	56

22. OBJECT / STRUCTURE	56
23. IDENTIFICATION / QUALIFICATION	59
24. CONTEXT / CONTEXTURE	61
25. PERCEPTUAL FIELD	61
26. CONTINUOUS / DISCONTINUOUS	65

D. Axioms for a Generalized Music	67

27. MUSICALITY / SONORITY	68
28. VALUE / CHARACTER	70
29. PERMANENCE / VARIATION	74
30. VARIATION	75
31. POLYPHONY / POLYMORPHY	77

E. Is Music a Language?	77

32. LANGUAGE AND MUSIC	77
33. SIGN	82
34. PURE (MUSIC)	82
35. SENSE / SIGNIFICATION	84

III. PROGRAM FOR A MUSIC RESEARCH	88

A. Towards a New Solfège	88

36. INTERDISCIPLINE	88
37. PROSE COMPOSITION / UNSEEN TRANSLATION [or TRANSLATION FROM SOUND / TRANSLATION INTO SOUND]	90
38. SOLFÈGE	90
39. ACOULOGY	94
40. CONVENIENT (OBJECT)	97

B. Five Steps to Reconquer Musicalness	98

a) Typology	98

41. TYPOLOGY	98
42. TYPE	100

b) Morphology	100

43. MORPHOLOGY	100
44. CLASS	101
45. DEPONENT (SOUNDS)	102

c) Characterology	103

46. CHARACTEROLOGY	103
47. GENRE	104

d) Analysis and Synthesis	105

48. ANALYSIS / SYNTHESIS	105
49. SPECIES	106
50. CRITERION / DIMENSION	106
51. SITE / GAUGE	107
52. STRETCH	109
53. WEIGHT	109
54. RELIEF	110
55. IMPACT	110
56. MODULE	111
57. TABLATURE	112

IV. TO CLASSIFY SOUNDS (TYPOLOGY)	113

A. Approach to the Sound Object: Bases for an Initial Description	113

58. TYPO-MORPHOLOGY	113
59. ARTICULATION / SUSTENANCE	114
60. SHAPE / MATTER	116
61. MAINTENANCE	116
62. FACTURE	117
63. IMPULSION	118
64. ITERATIVE, ITERATION	119
65. TONIC	119
66. COMPLEX	120

B. Typology: A Classification of Sound Objects	121

a) Criteria for Classification	121

67. TYPOLOGIC CRITERIA	121
68. MASS / FACTURE	122
69. DURATION / VARIATION	123
70. EQUILIBRIUM / ORIGINALITY	124

b) First Series: Balanced Objects	126

71. BALANCED (SOUNDS)	126
72. FORMED (SOUNDS)	129

c) Second Series: Redundant Sounds	130

73. REDUNDANT (SOUNDS)	130
74. HOMOGENEOUS (SOUNDS)	130
75. SIREN	132

d) Third Series: Eccentric Sounds	132

76. ECCENTRIC (SOUNDS)	132
77. GRAND NOTE	133
78. THREAD	134
79. CELL	134
80. FRAGMENT	135
81. PEDAL	136
82. ASSORTMENT	136
83. ACCUMULATION	137

e) Fourth Series: Varying Sounds	138

84. MOTIF	138
85. GROUP	139

V. TO DESCRIBE SOUND OBJECTS (MORPHOLOGY)	140

A. External Morphology	140

86. COMPOUND / COMPOSITE (SOUND)	140
87. ACCIDENT / INCIDENT	141

B. What is a Morphologic Criterion?	142

88. MORPHOLOGIC CRITERION	142

C. The Three Criteria of Matter	145

a) Mass	145

89. MASS	145
90. NODE (NODAL SOUND)	148
91. STRIATED (SOUND)	148
92. WHITE NOISE	149

b) Harmonic Timbre	149

93. HARMONIC TIMBRE	149
94. DENSITY / VOLUME	152

c) Grain	152

95. GRAIN	152

D. The Two Criteria of Shape	154

a) Criterion of Dynamics	154

96. DYNAMICS (CRITERION)	154
97. ATTACK	156

b) Allure	158

98. ALLURE	158

E. The Two Criteria of Variation	162

99. MELODIC PROFILE	162
100. MASS PROFILE	164

Epilogue---And after that?	166

Annex: THE SOUND OBJECT IN FIVE FIGURES	168
-- The Four Listenings	169
-- Final Assessment of the Intentions of Listening	170
-- Music Research Program	171
-- Summary Table of Typology	172
-- Summary Table of the Solfège of Musical Objects	173

Bibliography	179
1) Writings cited in Treatise on Musical Objects	179
2) Pierre Schaeffer's writings concerning music research	181
3) About Pierre Schaeffer and Treatise on Musical Objects	182