Art of Noises: risk, live music, play and power

Art Of Noises represents an experimental board game centered on avant-garde musical improvisation. Players receive five words (such as purple, Communism, Taj Mahal, scared, or snooker) and take turns performing them using toy instruments. The game functions similarly to Pictionary but operates through sound rather than visual representation.

The project emerged from PhD research examining listening practices and aims to encourage participants to consider how sounds communicate meaning. It draws inspiration from John Cage’s philosophy regarding experimentation and chance, positioning players as performers within their own scratch orchestra.

Historical Context

The game’s title references Luigi Russolo’s foundational text on compositional sound theory. Russolo’s work established frameworks for understanding man-made sounds as compositional elements—laying groundwork for both experimental music and musique concrète movements.

The Problem with Modern Performance Culture

Contemporary performance contexts emphasize “spectacle,” where audiences remain passive observers following unwritten social rules. Henri Lefebvre’s concept of “Dressage”—social conditioning through repetition—discourages genuine interaction.

The personal catalyst came when accompanying a friend to a noise performance. The friend’s conversational attempt felt transgressive despite the experimental music context, revealing internalized attitudes about appropriate performance conduct.

Experimental Music Redefined

True experimental music prioritizes process over predetermined sonic outcomes. John Cage exemplified this through scores describing actions rather than sounds—such as his Prepared Piano works. This contrasts with Serialist approaches that specify exact parameters.

Contemporary experimental music often prioritizes particular sonic aesthetics over genuine experimentation, abandoning the movement’s core investigative spirit.

Cultural Shift from Aural to Visual

Society has transitioned from cultures emphasizing oral communication and performance participation to visual-dominant consumption models. Historical practices—broadsides, community music-making, amateur dramatics—have diminished significantly.

Design Solution

Art Of Noises addresses these concerns by:

• Breaking performer-audience hierarchies through mandatory participation
• Creating low-entry creative barriers
• Establishing shared aural vocabulary among participants
• Encouraging spontaneous interpretation and collaboration

Players progress from tentative exploration to confident experimentation, discovering novel instrumental techniques and building group cultural references through sound.

Broader Implications

Sound production represents power—a consideration artists should approach thoughtfully. Reconsidering power dynamics implicit in all noise and sound work could help recover historical aural sensibilities.

Drawing on William Morris’s philosophy, functional and beautiful collaborative practices might address contemporary cultural alienation and emotional disconnection through interactive music and play.

The game rules remain available under Creative Commons licensing on GitHub, with physical copies available through performances.