Art Science Connect Showcase @ Segal Theatre - CUNY Graduate Center; 365 5th Ave, New York NY 10016
September 29, 2023 @ 1pm - 6pm
I will be presenting new research on the behaviors of otoacoustic emissions and their aesthetic uses in creative music. Abstract --
Otoacoustic Emissions (OAEs) can be best defined as sounds of the inner ear that are related to
the process of amplification in the cochlea. They have been primarily used in the scientific
community as a means of gauging hearing health and loss but have also been exploited for
artistic purposes. Composers including Maryanne Amacher and Phill Niblock have explored this
phenomenon in select works through navigating combination tones and distortion levels; and
while their aesthetic executions are effective, these works only scratch the surface of the
potential that OAEs offer to new music creation and research. This paper discusses the musical
uses of OAEs in recording and performance and how they are implemented on a more technical
level through the lens of music technology regarding oscillators, phase shiIers, delay lines, and
feedback; specifically in how select scientific documentation in audiology has influenced this
approach.
Art Science Connect @ CUNY Graduate Center