I’ve always liked sound. I can remember as a child that I learned to understand the world through sound. Also, to detect changes in the world through sound. If things sound like they normally do, things are like they normally are. But a change in sound means that there is a change in the normal. Even though the sound does not always tell you what is different, it felt good to know that it is different. And a reason to keep eyes and ears open and pay extra attention to try and detect what was different.

Later, as I discovered music, and to my absolute joy, was able to tame sound and convert it into music, I quickly realized that music is a three-dimensional landscape of sound.

And yes, this is a kind of mathematical way to describe music, so if math is not your cup of tea – just disregard this entire post…

Three dimensions mean three axis’s. Typically X, Y and Z. X being time. Here is things like tempo, rhythm, tone length and when a note starts in relation to other notes etc. Y being the frequency of the sound. The higher the frequency, the brighter the sound, and the lower the frequency, the darker the sound. Z being the position of the sound, left/center/right and the volume of it.

If two sounds occupy the same space withing these three dimensions, the can either fight for the space or share it and help each other to accent something in the overall landscape. The same goes for rhythm-wise. Two sounds that occur simultaneously along the X axis typically help each other out to emphasize that moment. And sounds that move together, following each other through the landscape gives one expression, while sounds that have opposite movement gives another expression.

Sounds that collide in the same space, and create and an unwanted collision, can be separated by volume or panning. Or frequency (using EQ to cut or boost).

Effects like reverb or delay can, or the lack of compared to other sounds, can greatly move a sound within the landscape, bringing it forward or backward, but still along the Z axis.

To me, exploring this landscape and combining different sounds to rhythms, harmonies and melodies is perhaps not the meaning of life, but close. I’d say it definitely qualifies as 42, for those of you who are familiar with Douglas Adams.

Stay curious!

//Nalle