Acoustics Quote by Pauline Oliveros
“I try to influence this improvisation in two ways. One is by centering on reflections, in both senses of the word: acoustic reflections as well as visual reflections from a mirror or surface, and then reflecting on the material in a contemplative way. The other influence is listening to the tails of the sounds that you make.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Interview with Pauline Oliveros, 2005
The quote describes shaping improvisational music by focusing on acoustic and visual reflections and by attentively listening to the lingering sounds produced.
In simple terms: She guides improvisation through reflection and listening to sound tails.
Use reflection and attentive listening to shape creative work.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- Live performance
- studio recording
- sound installations
- educational workshops
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you incorporate visual reflection into non‑musical improvisation?
- What does listening to sound tails reveal about your process?
May be difficult to apply without technical knowledge of acoustics.