In todays lesson, we discussed different types of listening, aswell as exploring the idea of ‘text scores’.

When I got home, I researched more about text scores, I came to the conclusion that they are usually used with the intention of instructing a performer or reader how to perform a piece, disregarding the idea of conventional notation like sheet music for example. I discovered that there are lots of different types of text scores. The scores of Yoko Ono and Pauline Oliveros have a tendency to be quite abstract and maybe even poetic at times, whilst other text scores may be deeply conceptual with lots of instructions or be very playful.

Below is a text score that I wrote inspired by Pauline Oliveros and the idea of deeper listening:

Exploring the relationship between mechanical and simulated dialogue:

1: Press the descending button on the elevator, listen to the machine begin to ascend to your floor.

2: Wait for the tone inside the elevator to indicate it’s arrival. Listen as the tone becomes more clear against the sound of the doors opening.

3: Step inside the elevator, click the ground floor button.

3b: Click the close door to speed up the process, think about the relationship between the artificial tone the buttons make and the sound of the mechanics of the door, how these artificial tones speed up or slow down the mechanics of the elevator.

4: The tones fade, focus on the elevator descending.

5: The elevator should reach the ground floor, marked by a monotonous announcement announcing the given floor as the sound of the elevator’s parts cuts out for a while.

6: Leave