Sound Experiments
Play a Melody Backwards, Then Turn Its Intervals Upside Down
Make three versions of a short melody to hear the difference between retrograde and inversion, using an original five-note exercise.
Good sounds. Fresh ideas.
On the record
Sound Experiments
Let a Tiny Sound Piece Be Interrupted, Then Give It a Way Back
An interruption can become part of a small composition when the performers agree how to return. The exercise is to design recovery, rather than expecting a…
Listening Room
A Listening Diary Can Record Distraction Without Apologising for It
Sometimes the strongest memory of listening is the moment your attention wandered. Recording that honestly can make a listening diary more useful than…
Sound Experiments
Compose a Piece with a Sound You Decide Not to Use
Choosing what to leave out can give a small composition a clearer identity. Begin with four quiet sounds you can make safely, then remove one before…
Listening Room
Listen to a Familiar Track After Describing It from Memory
Before replaying a familiar piece, write three things you expect to hear. Keep them concrete: a particular entrance, an instrument in the middle or the way…
Sound Experiments
Make a Sound Piece That Passes One Gesture Around the Room
A tiny musical idea can change when different people perform it. This listening exercise follows one gesture through a group without asking everyone to…
Sound Experiments
Give a Graphic Score Separate Signs for Duration and Loudness
A long line on a homemade score might mean a long sound, a loud sound or a movement across the room. If the performer must guess which meaning you intended,…
Sound Experiments
Move the Listener, Keep the Sound Source in Place
A small change of listening position can become a useful sound experiment without buying equipment or trying to measure a room professionally.