Sound
Timbre
Dynamics
Texture and Fabric
Potentially the greatest musical development of the twentieth century was made possible through technological advances achieved in the field of professional audio engineering. From multi-track recording, to stereo home hi-fi systems, to digital sampling, storage and streaming. Here at Intense Porpoises, there is a special place in our hearts for guitar pickups, amplifiers, and effects pedals. Although we probably won’t ever have enough time to fully explore the detailed science behind all of the many options, we intrinsically recognise the huge palette of different sounds available – and we strive to tastefully use a wide selection when suitable. Our work seeks to be varied and unpredictable – but generally not entirely chaotic.
Chronology
Structures of Western European music originated in Ancient Greece
Luys de Milan was an early composer for vihuela
Charles Wheatstone developed a system of buttons for the concertina
Audio engineers like Val Valentine improved recording quality
Medieval scholars such as Guido of Arezzo documented concepts
Many forms of music support specific styles of dancing
Thomas Edison developed the phonograph in the late 19th century
Harry Partch built his own instruments with his own tuning system
Johannes Tinctoris improved on earlier ways of notating music
Brass instruments gained valves in the early 19th century
1910’s Firebird ballet introduced Modernist ideas to audiences
Bob Monkhouse collected audio-visual recordings of broadcast shows