Voice as an abstract instrument

The voice is a universal sound source that can be controlled and moulded in an exceptionally malleable and direct way. It is an instrument capable of producing and sculpting complex sound structures within its range in changing dynamics, gestures, and behaviors. Imaginary/inner sonorities can be expressed immediately without the utilization of other tools–it can facilitate flexible and convenient expressiveness in improvisation, where it can be employed in the development of different compositional strategies.

The voice provokes an inquiry into meaning in conjunction with the frameworks of identity, gender, and culture; it leaks information– evokes associations. Hence, it might have a way of influencing the perception and interpretation of the listener; it can be so prominent and distinctive that it grabs attention. In musical forms, the voice could be immensely dependent on the historical aspects, social-cultural norms, and conditioning factors of which performer is brought up. Thereby, these might be limiting and restrictive factors of voice expression

My project aims to explore the expressive boundaries of voice and oral materiality by investigating its sound-making capacity, intrinsic features in electroacoustic music practices. The idea is to emphasize on the gesturality of the voice, as an inaudible source of control for live electronics. The overarching focus is to emancipate the voice from the potential inferences that are embedded within it by means of technology, while maintaining its intrinsic instrumentality, expressiveness, directness, and malleability. The outcome will be a digital voice instrument in which vocal features control the parameters of live electronics.