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Soundsystem

Sound Morphology

Applied to studies of soundscapes. Morphology refers to changes in sound groups with similar shapes or functions when they are organized arbitrarily in temporal or spatial formations. Clearly, the sound is imperceptible to our sight. However, it is possible to perceive it through technologies that capture its nature. With this, we transform the sound into spectrograms with which its morphology can be analyzed in detail. By analyzing the results, we can identify their structure, tone, timbre, duration, and intensity, which are essentially the physical qualities of sound.

For its part, the pitch corresponds to the musical height that depends on the frequency of the vibration, whether acute or severe. Within this we also speak of intonation, it is in itself, a line of musical height that is represented through successive sounds of a word or phrase. Respectively we have the bell, which, for this, quality corresponds to a certain height note, both severe and acute. Another quality is the duration, this can be absolute and represents the duration numerically. In sound is also a relative quality, this means that there is a relationship with other sounds. Also, the intensity is presented, this can be understood as the greater or lesser degree of the suction force, as well as the greater or lesser degree of the amplitude of the vibrations. Another, is the absolute quality, it depends entirely on the circumstances in which the sound is being used. Depending on the case, a more specific analysis can identify the narrative tension and information with which we can investigate sound patterns, tones, scales, and figures of the sound sample that is under observation.

Apparently, the sound can be emitted from various sources such as music, noise, and words. In this last one, the quality of the accent is evidenced because it combines qualities that correspond to the nucleus of the intensity and the quantity in the tone. Intrinsically, there is the syllable which is a phonic nucleus (it contains phonemes) formed by two successive depressions of sound perception and muscular activity. As a complement, there is a phonic group that is a portion of the discourse that is between two pauses, that is, the fragmentation of the sounds divided by intervals of silence.

From the perspective of Eco (1986), the semiotic system of music is purely syntactic and without apparent semantic thickness. Grosso modo, the semantic thickness would take place in other contexts such as the interpretation of the melody as a sound and lyric set, seeking explanations in the way the notes are played, vocal or musical expression, rhythm, among other factors. Music is then composed of mathematical values, oscillographic or spectrographic measurements. The mathematical values ​​are outlined in the staff. The Peircean approach suggests that an icon must be recognized as a sign that bears a similarity or analogy with the object it denotes, in this case, a musical note is an analogous sign of a musical sound. The musical diagram or pentagram is no more than a parallelism of the sounds emitted in the sound design.

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