Inner Sound

Inner Sound examines how altered states of consciousness—such as dreaming, psychedelic experience, meditation, and trance—have influenced the design of electronic music and audio-visual media. The book reviews shamanic traditions to show how indigenous societies expressed visionary experiences through art and music, then considers how analogue and digital audio technologies represent or induce these states in genres like psychedelic rock and electronic dance music. It also discusses altered states in films, visual music, VJ performances, video games, and virtual reality. The author identifies common mechanisms and proposes a conceptual model for 'Altered States of Consciousness Simulations,' describing how sound can simulate subjective states from a first-person perspective. Ethical implications for digital society are explored.

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Abstract

Abstract Inner Sound explores how altered states of consciousness have shaped the design of electronic music and audio-visual media. The book begins by discussing consciousness, and how this may change during states such as dreaming, psychedelic experience, meditation, and trance. Next, a variety of shamanic traditions are reviewed, in order to explore how indigenous societies have reflected visionary experiences through visual art and music. This provides the necessary background from which to consider how analogue and digital audio technologies enable specific capabilities for representing or inducing altered states of consciousness in psychedelic rock, electronic dance music, and electroacoustic music. Developing the discussion to consider sound in the context of audio-visual media, the role of altered states of consciousness in films, visual music, VJ performances, interactive video games, and virtual reality applications is also discussed. Through the analysis of these examples, the author uncovers common mechanisms, and ultimately proposes a conceptual model for ‘Altered States of Consciousness Simulations’. This theoretical model describes how sound can be used to simulate various subjective states of consciousness from a first-person perspective, in an interactive context. Throughout the book, the ethical issues regarding altered states of consciousness in electronic music and audio-visual media are also explored, ultimately allowing the reader to consider not only the design of Altered States of Consciousness Simulations, but also the implications of their use for digital society. In this way, Inner Sound explores the limits of technology for representing and manipulating consciousness, at the frontiers of electronic music and art.