Fighting to Sound

Der sechsten Band der Buchreihe MusikmachDinge. ((audio))Ästhetische Strategien und Sound-Kulturen ist unter dem Titel „MusikmachDinge im Kontext. Forschungszugänge zur Soziomaterialität von Musiktechnologie“ erschienen. Ich bin mit einem Beitrag zu musikalischen und soundästhetischen Aspekten von Karate dabei. Den gesamten Sammelband gibt es hier kostenlos als PDF zum Herunterladen.

Abstract (engl.) zu meinem Beitrag Fighting to Sound. Karate als musikalische Praxis:

The paper deals with martial arts in its musical and sound-aesthetic dimensions as well as in the nteraction with digital interfaces that focus on translating ritualized movement sequences of Karate into sounds. The aesthetic practice of Karate is analyzed primarily under three key aspects. First, I take a look at the Sound of Karate and discover music in the martial arts. Second, I am investigating embodiment, which plays a central role in both the playing of instruments and the martial arts. And third, I explore the question to what extent Karate can form a suitable form of collaboration with digital music interfaces because of its embodiment and sound aesthetics. For this purpose, first experimental arrangements based on motion-capturing-devices and controllers have been created. However, this article will not present the detailed functionality of this music-making-thing, but rather the suitability of martial arts as a unique approach to generate and embody electronic music without – it must be said already here, in order not to raise false expectations – reproducing the sounds of classical martial arts films.

Keywords: martial arts, sound studies, motion controller, embodiment, interface