In fact, quite a lot of what I do has to do with sound…
“In fact, quite a lot of what I do has to do with sound texture, and, you can't notate that. You can't notate the sound of "St. Elmo's Fire." There's no way of writing that down. That's because musical notation arose at a time when sound textures were limited. If you said violins and woodwind that defined the sound texture; if I say synthesizer and guitar it means nothing - you're talking about 28,000 variables.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Traditional notation can't capture complex modern sound textures, which involve thousands of variables beyond simple instrument labels.
In simple terms: Notation limits modern sound complexity.
Key Takeaway
Explore new ways to describe sound.
Themes
music
technology
creativity
Mood
analytical
curious
Type
theoretical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- film scoring
- electronic music production
- sound engineering
- educational workshops
Key Concepts
sound design
notation
digital audio
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we develop new sound description tools?
- What role should notation play in modern music?
A Different Perspective
Notation may still be useful for basic ideas.