COMPOSING with PIEZO
(2022)
author(s): daniela fantechi
published in: Research Catalogue
"Composing with piezo" is the title of my doctoral research which concerns the composition of instrumental music implemented with a specific use of piezoelectric microphones. During the research process, I explored a peculiar use of this technology not only to disclose and amplify the instrumental sound but also to produce otherwise unheard sounds, through a reinterpretation of some instrumental gestures, such as glissando, tapping, scraping, etc, produced by playing with the microphone directly on the instrument. Mainly because of the non-linear quality of unprocessed piezoelectric microphones, which thus present limits and different degrees of controllability and predictability - their introduction in my compositional work changed the relationships with the instrumental sound matter, bringing to question different aspects of my compositional approach. Therefore, during the whole research process, I looked for frameworks, theories, and examples, to understand and bring focus to my evolving compositional practice.