Korean language

Hoonmin Park

Hoonmin Park is a composer and drummer who studies computer composition at Korea National University of Arts, specializing in Music Technology. He explores various techniques and technologies in the realms of macro and micro, bridging the gap between the ever-changing present and the past. His work is focused on creating ideal structures through sound, structures that may carry visual elements and vary in emphasis on external or internal images depending on the specific piece. While his creative process is rooted in logic, he aspires to produce works that are both sensory and intuitively accessible.

Hoomin Park, “Discrete, Indiscrete”, single channel video, 11m 24s, 2018

Hoomin Park, “Discrete, Indiscrete”, publication, 297 x 420cm, 2018

“Discrete, Indiscrete”

Discrete, indiscrete.Taking a point on an analog signal makes it digital. Connecting the points of a digital signal turns it back into analog. People desire connection with others, yet they also seek isolation. Humans are born from the fusion and division of cells. Life begins when the gate signal turns to 1. Passing through the winding path of the phoromes until receiving the note-off message, the shape of that curve remains unpredictable.If an ideal balance between separation and connection is found, many of the world's issues, including 'lonely death' and war, could be significantly resolved. As a composer, I strive to find this balance through sound, staying true to my primary role.

Initial Work Plan

In the electronic music room at Korean National University of Arts, there is a vintage modular synthesizer System 100m that was created about 40 years ago. The project started with a simple idea: to create music using the curiosity about this vintage and beautiful instrument and the sounds it produces. Current digital technology has advanced so remarkably that tasks that electronic musicians used to spend days and nights on, such as cutting and splicing tapes in the 1950s, can now be done in minutes using editing software. Even sine waves that used to require using a large sine generator can be easily created with just one line of code. We live in an age where digital technology is prevalent, yet, paradoxically, recent statistics from the UK show that vinyl record sales have surpassed CD sales. Furthermore, the use of voltage-controlled modular synthesizers among music creators is on the rise. Is this a vague longing for a past that digital generations have not experienced? Is digital inherently inferior to analog, or superior? It's not a matter of a blanket preference for "analog is better" or "digital is better." Instead, the question is: how can these two technologies and sounds harmoniously coexist in the current context? What notation suits these electronic music compositions? How can they be recorded for preservation and performance longevity? With these considerations in mind, I studied the graphic scores of John Cage and Karlheinz Stockhausen while exploring suitable notation for contemporary electronic music and used this notation to record the composition process and create music.

Work Process

To create electronic music works using analog and digital devices spanning different eras, I intended to mix analog sound synthesis using the vintage modular synthesizer and digital sound synthesis using SuperCollider. The work process can be outlined as follows:
1) Control the analog synthesizer with a computer.2) Input the sound produced by the analog synthesizer into the computer.3) Experiment with various sound synthesis methods including analog, digital, and digitally modified analog.4) Create electronic music compositions using the diverse sounds that have been generated.

“Discrete, Indiscrete,” creating sounds with the System 100m vintage modular analog synthesizer.

“Discrete, Indiscrete," creating sounds with SuperCollider

"Discrete, Indiscrete," a sound synthesis experiment and performance exercise.

“Discrete, Indiscrete,” a handwritten sheet music

"Discrete, Indiscrete," a graphic score redrawn in Illustrator

Epilogue

While participating in the 2018 Creation Support program, I revisited and redrawn the graphic notation I had originally drawn by hand. Through this process, I was able to strengthen the structure of the work. I initially aimed to include more detailed information about sound synthesis techniques, instruments, circuits, and code within the sheet music, but I believe that there is still a lot lacking in the content for now. Given the opportunity, I hope to fill in these gaps and create notation that retains its research value even after a long time.

Hoonmin Park, “Discrete, Indiscrete,” 2018

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