Musical Experiences. Visual & Performing Arts Essay

We have tracked the Objet Sonore from the invention of Phonograph—literally an Object onto which Sound is inscribed—to the Sample—which translates acoustic signal into data. What story does this progression tell about how Artists work with recorded sound to make new experiences?



Paul D. Miller is both a composer who performs under the name DJ Spooky, and a media theorist, who publishes widely on Sound Art. His essay, Sonic Sculptures, from 2004, was published at the dawn of social media and meme culture. Miller likens the DJ to a visual artist who makes "dematerialized sculpture", evoking Pierre Schaeffer's concept of the Objet Sonore. The DJ's role is also to research—Rhythm Science.



1. Start by reading Paul Miller's essay, Sonic Sculptures.



2. Choose one specific Sentence from the essay that you want to respond to, as a thesis.



Example: "Sampling allows people to replay their own memories of the sounds and situations of their lives."



3. First summarize what Miller means.



4. Choose an specific example of an artist who works in one of the Sampledelic cultures we are studying—Hip Hop, Plunderphonics, Microsampling, Vaporwave. Pick one song/video of theirs.



6. Describe the process of how the artist uses the Sampler. What is their source material? What does the artist do to change the Sample, on a technical level?



7. Apply your chosen sentence/thesis from Miller's to the artist's work. How is this artist creating a new experience using the Sampler?



8. What new experiences are yet to come with the Sampler?