Or “concrete music” in French, is an experimental technique of musical composition made in part of from acousmatic sound. It is derived from the raw, fundamental frequencies of musical instruments, vocal recordings, field recordings, static noises and even computer-based digital signal processing (OER, n.d.). In the realm of electronic music, there exists 3 sub categories: Musique Concrète, Synthesizer Music and Computer Music. Musique Concrète was the first type to be created (Sweetwater, 2005). From Musique Concrète, there derived Electroacoustic Music, Industrial Music, Noise Music and Glitch.
Pierre Schaeffer
This technique was developed by Pierre Schaeffer - a French composer, in the late 1940s. The principle lies in creating an assemblage of various natural sounds recorded on tape to produce a montage of sounds. During the preparation of such a composition, the sounds selected and recorded may be modified in any way desired—played backward, cut short or extended, subjected to echo-chamber effects, varied in pitch and intensity, and so on. The finished composition thus represents the combination of varied auditory experiences into an artistic unity.
The technique of Musique Concréte acted as a precursor to modern techniques of electronic musical compositions. Its experimental use of technology in music allowed for multiple directions which an artist could adopt towards making different unique musical pieces. This resulted in a lawless and unrestricted freedom for musical composition, allowing many artists to express ideas in ways unconceivable by many. On top of that, it abolished the composer-performer relationship and this led to further developments in electronic and computer-produced research in music.
The Collection
Musique Concrète was chosen as the main inspiration behind this collection as it pays homage to the revisitation of raw materials and manipulating them to recreate a whole new experience.
There is a huge emphasis on the usage of graphics and the techniques employed. Assemblage and collaging were the two main techniques involved as most of the designs incorporated the use of found objects, still life and graphics. All of which were manipulated and translated into visual aesthetic representations. These elements all relate to music in some way and each garment serves a purpose to a musician or an individual on a musical journey. Be it functional or educational.
Thus the idea of Musique Concrète, the manipulation of what we have to recreate something new.
