Between Air and Electricity: Microphones and Loudspeakers as Musical Instruments

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Acknowledgements
Introduction 1 Beyond the curtain: the "true nature" of microphones and loudspeakers An empty stage: listening according to the Konzertreform A concert at home: the invention of sound reproduction technologies Storage of air pressure waves Transportation
Appendix Biographies
Bibliography

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This book is open access and available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. It is funded by Knowledge Unlatched. Composers and sound artists have explored for decades how to transform microphones and loudspeakers from “inaudible” technology into genuinely new musical instruments. While the sound reproduction industry had claimed perfect high fidelity already at the beginning of the twentieth century, these artists found surprising ways of use – for instance tweaking microphones, swinging loudspeakers furiously around, ditching microphones in all kinds of vessels, or strapping loudspeakers to body parts of the audience. Between air and electricity traces their quest and sets forward a new theoretical framework, providing historic background on technological and artistic development, and diagrams of concert and performance set-ups. From popular noise musician Merzbow to minimalist classic Alvin Lucier, cult instrument inventor Hugh Davies, or contemporary visual artist Lynn Pook – they all aimed to make audible what was supposed to remain silent. www.microphonesandloudspeakers.com

Reviews

Computer Music Journal

One of the most informative aspects of this book is its citation, and discussion of, documents and patents published many decades ago ... A succinct, well-researched text

Van Eck offers a captivating history of the development of loudspeakers and microphones and their fundamental influence on music practice-and the world beyond. In addition she covers an exciting collection of music, which she uses to analyse their fluid identity as a composing method and a musical instrument

Tempo

This is a genuinely fascinating and under-represented area of compositional research and activity, and the strongest portion of van Eck's book is the riveting overview of the repertoire

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