Music On A Long Thin Wire
Encyclopedia
Music On A Long Thin Wire is a musical piece by Alvin Lucier
conceived in 1977.
In his own words (1992): "Music on a Long Thin Wire is constructed as follows: the wire
is extended across a large room, clamp
ed to tables at both ends. The ends of the wire are connected to the loudspeaker
terminal
s of a power amplifier placed under one of the tables. A sine wave
oscillator is connected to the amplifier. A magnet
straddles the wire at one end. Wooden bridges are inserted under the wire at both ends to which contact microphone
s are imbedded, routed to the stereo
sound system
. The microphones pick up the vibration
s that the wire imparts to the bridges and are sent through the playback system. By varying the frequency
and loudness
of the oscillator, a rich variety of slides, frequency shifts, audible beat
s and other sonic phenomena may be produced."
However, Lucier admits a long thin wire is only used to impress, a short thin wire would have worked as well if not better, and he discovered that the best way to produce variation in the sonic phenomena was to pick a setting and leave the setup alone. He praised David Rosenboom
for his ability to pick interesting settings.
It has been exhibited:
Alvin Lucier
Alvin Lucier is an American composer of experimental music and sound installations that explore acoustic phenomena and auditory perception. A long-time music professor at Wesleyan University, Lucier was a member of the influential Sonic Arts Union, which included Robert Ashley, David Behrman, and...
conceived in 1977.
In his own words (1992): "Music on a Long Thin Wire is constructed as follows: the wire
Wire
A wire is a single, usually cylindrical, flexible strand or rod of metal. Wires are used to bear mechanical loads and to carry electricity and telecommunications signals. Wire is commonly formed by drawing the metal through a hole in a die or draw plate. Standard sizes are determined by various...
is extended across a large room, clamp
Clamp (tool)
A clamp is a fastening device to hold or secure objects tightly together to prevent movement or separation through the application of inward pressure...
ed to tables at both ends. The ends of the wire are connected to the loudspeaker
Loudspeaker
A loudspeaker is an electroacoustic transducer that produces sound in response to an electrical audio signal input. Non-electrical loudspeakers were developed as accessories to telephone systems, but electronic amplification by vacuum tube made loudspeakers more generally useful...
terminal
Terminal (electronics)
A terminal is the point at which a conductor from an electrical component, device or network comes to an end and provides a point of connection to external circuits. A terminal may simply be the end of a wire or it may be fitted with a connector or fastener...
s of a power amplifier placed under one of the tables. A sine wave
Sine wave
The sine wave or sinusoid is a mathematical function that describes a smooth repetitive oscillation. It occurs often in pure mathematics, as well as physics, signal processing, electrical engineering and many other fields...
oscillator is connected to the amplifier. A magnet
Magnet
A magnet is a material or object that produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field is invisible but is responsible for the most notable property of a magnet: a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, and attracts or repels other magnets.A permanent magnet is an object...
straddles the wire at one end. Wooden bridges are inserted under the wire at both ends to which contact microphone
Microphone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
s are imbedded, routed to the stereo
Stereophonic sound
The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective...
sound system
Sound reinforcement system
A sound reinforcement system is the combination of microphones, signal processors, amplifiers, and loudspeakers that makes live or pre-recorded sounds louder and may also distribute those sounds to a larger or more distant audience...
. The microphones pick up the vibration
Oscillation
Oscillation is the repetitive variation, typically in time, of some measure about a central value or between two or more different states. Familiar examples include a swinging pendulum and AC power. The term vibration is sometimes used more narrowly to mean a mechanical oscillation but sometimes...
s that the wire imparts to the bridges and are sent through the playback system. By varying the frequency
Frequency
Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit time. It is also referred to as temporal frequency.The period is the duration of one cycle in a repeating event, so the period is the reciprocal of the frequency...
and loudness
Loudness
Loudness is the quality of a sound that is primarily a psychological correlate of physical strength . More formally, it is defined as "that attribute of auditory sensation in terms of which sounds can be ordered on a scale extending from quiet to loud."Loudness, a subjective measure, is often...
of the oscillator, a rich variety of slides, frequency shifts, audible beat
Beat (acoustics)
In acoustics, a beat is an interference between two sounds of slightly different frequencies, perceived as periodic variations in volume whose rate is the difference between the two frequencies....
s and other sonic phenomena may be produced."
However, Lucier admits a long thin wire is only used to impress, a short thin wire would have worked as well if not better, and he discovered that the best way to produce variation in the sonic phenomena was to pick a setting and leave the setup alone. He praised David Rosenboom
David Rosenboom
David Rosenboom is an American composer and a pioneer in the use of neurofeedback, cross-cultural collaborations and compositional algorithms...
for his ability to pick interesting settings.
It has been exhibited:
- 1979, Winrock Shopping CenterWinrock Shopping CenterThe Winrock Shopping Center is a shopping mall located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. The mall is anchored by Dillard's and Bed Bath and Beyond. Currently the mall is vacant except for the anchor tenants who own their own spaces...
, Albuquerque, and broadcast uninterrupted on KUNM-FMKUNM-FMKUNM is a public radio station broadcasting on FM 89.9 MHz from high atop Sandia Crest, with broadcasts originating from the third floor of Oñate Hall, on the campus of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico...
for five days and nights - 1980, Landmark Center, Saint Paul
- 1988, Gallery of the Center for the Arts at Wesleyan, Middletown, CT
- 2011, Tom DuffTom DuffThomas Douglas Selkirk Duff is a computer programmer. He was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and grew up in Toronto and Leaside. In 1974 he graduated from the University of Waterloo with a B.Math and, two years later, got an M.Sc...
was duplicating the 1979 performance from Albuquerque on sfSoundRadio, an internet radio station from the San Francisco bay area, again broadcasting uninterrupted for five days (April 8–12).
Sources
- Music On a Long Thin Wire (1992). Lovely Music LCD 1011. Recorded 1979, Rotunda of the U.S. Customs House, Bowling Green, New York City, and containing four recordings of four different "tunings" or settings.
- OHM: The Early Gurus of Electronic MusicOHM: The Early Gurus of Electronic MusicOHM: The Early Gurus of Electronic Music is a compilation of early electronic music and excerpts from the period of 1948 to 1980. Many included works are essentially experiments with sound, using a variety of non-traditional instruments including homemade circuits, tape ribbon and early...
, 2000. 3-CD compilation includes an excerpt from Music On A Long Thin Wire.