The body is inscribed in the set of instruments employed for the production and enjoyment of sound.
According to Gino Stefani and Stefania Guerra Lisi, the body is seen as a psychophysical place that is a matrix (mater) of the “meaning” of existence, in which subject and object, consciousness and the world, co-exist and interact in a circular intersubjectivity: body-consciousness-knowledge. The body is a “matrix of signs” and a “synesthetic device”, as it is a “generator of synesthesia” (Guerra Lisi and Stefani 2010, 71).
Synesthesia is considered in this model as an “innate, involuntary and inextinguishable capacity in all human beings to experience different sensations simultaneously through the stimulation of any one of them” and as a “psycho-physiological device by virtue of which any one sensory representation can refer to a given emotion through other sensory representations” (Guerra Lisi and Stefani 2010, 91).
As the semiologist and philosopher Massimo A. Bonfantini suggests, re-proposing and deepening Charles S. Peirce’s line of investigation, the body helps by making abductions (Bonfantini 1997). Abduction is the act of intuition by which a hypothesis is invented from certain clues to solve a problem. The phenomenon of abductions occurs in two instances: first, when stimuli reach the senses and second, when they are remembered and reconstructed as new. It is the most common form of knowledge. Perception can be defined as an abduction in a stronger and more active way than sensation1 (Bonfantini and Proni 1983, 137-55). Although still perceived as obliged, it is conscious, it is a “virtual judgement”, it is above all already a “mental construction”. Every perception manifests a clear deviation, a profound constitutive difference, from the structure of its specific sensation, as can be inferred from the results of research in the field of physiopsychology.
Bonfantini (2019) calls perception a “mental construction”. This assertion is corroborated by the empiricism of John Locke, which asserts that human beings “perceive in order to perceive” and thereby consciously discern that extension which implies a superior synthesis, which is precisely synesthesia (Guerra Lisi and Stefani 2010, 92). Synesthesia is arguably among the most sophisticated psychic faculties developed by our species, given that it involuntarily activates images of all the senses even in the stimulation of a single sense, according to associations that restore prenatal intersensoriality (Guerra Lisi and Stefani 2004). This synesthetic process is involuntary and inextinguishable even during sleep or in altered states of consciousness (it determines affective-associative atmospheres), constituting the unconscious flow that gives continuity to the human being by reconnecting the present (sensations) to the past, with emotional predisposition to the future (Guerra Lisi and Stefani 2004).
The triad of body, abduction and synesthesia constitutes the initial and terminal stages of sound production. The body is both the generator and the receptor of sound, and it is through this process that we ascribe meaning to sound production and perception. This attribution enables us to transition between the senses, apprehending and interpreting diverse auditory phenomena.
The incorporation of lofi techniques into my sound design work commenced in the early 2000s, initially driven by curiosity. However, from 2005 onward, the investigation of these techniques underwent a shift towards greater thoroughness and methodicalness. From 2008 to 2020, I used a paper diary as a supplementary tool in this ongoing inquiry.
At the beginning of the work, a precise mode of documentation had not been established. Consequently, the thoughts that emerged during the course of experimentation were simply collated, without the application of any specific criteria. The thoughts ranged from concise descriptions of the actions being performed to abstract concepts (interdisciplinary connections) that emerged from those actions.
The practice was initiated in the absence of any models from which inspiration could have been derived. During the 1990s, I had only fleetingly encountered a small number of diaries kept by fellow musicians and a few notebooks by sound engineers. It was not until 2011, with the advent of the internet and the facilitation of interaction with fellow sound designers that I became aware of the broader use of such diaries.
The diary has adopted various forms over time, with some ceasing operation for a period before being resumed or terminated in its entirety due to its suboptimal functionality. The most prevalent form has invariably been that of a physical document, a notebook in which to write down the sequences of operations, collect and attach previously created scores, make diagrams and paste a few snapshots of the instruments. At the same time, there was a blog, a Telegram account and a digital diary. Some of these forms coexisted at the same time.
Attached to these various forms were sessions of the softwares used, recorded files, everything that attested to my work. This was useful to leave a memory of the investigation but it was also always useful to “pick up the thread” when I had to stop for a while.
The notes on each experiment were divided into two parts, one concerning composition/production and the second concerning listening.
Every time I used lofi sound editing techniques I took note of what the sound originally looked like and what it became afterwards, the instruments used, how the setup was constructed and how the machines were configured. The working processes, even if they started and ended in a totally random way, were still described.
The second part, the listening part, contained notes on how the sound object was heard with various types of listening, as well as documents more suitable for a more quantitative part of the investigation, such as sonograms, frequency tracings and so on.
The utilisation of the diary in research on lofi techniques is advantageous for several reasons, two of which are particularly salient.
Primarily, it serves as a means of documenting the actions undertaken and their subsequent outcomes. The meticulous description of these actions, extending even to the minutiae, is paramount for the faithful replication of the processes. The objects utilised, the values of the potentiometers, and all other relevant factors, become significant.
Secondly, it fosters the expansion of vocabulary to facilitate more nuanced descriptions of timbre. The selection of vocabulary and the formulation of sentences aimed at conveying the ineffable. The timbre constitutes a pivotal element in this research on lofi techniques, and the capacity to articulate it is of equal significance.
The phase of incredible development linked to the spread of computer and digital technologies in the latter part of the 20th century, known as the New Economy, increased the dissemination of consumer tools, within the reach of many, both economically and in the form of use. In this way many people turned into bedroom producers. A part of the audience that had been on the side of the active listener switches to the role of the participative musician.
The bedroom producers identified a certain type of sound creator, amateurs, people who like to experiment in the audio field for their own pleasure.
Later, further research would create the professional role of the producer. This hybrid figure starts to develop new production methods, new ways of composing and arranging music.
In the 21st century, imperfections in the sound production chain can easily be avoided. Musicians, producers, sound designers, with the use of professional audio equipment and the right skills, can easily implement whatever their imagination suggests, in the most effective and immediate way possible. Lofi sound artefacts become truly intentional elements, which fit into a context where they could easily be avoided.
Lofi techniques have not only expanded a community of producers that had existed for many years, but have also helped the recovery of objects that might otherwise not have had a second life. The market for vintage musical instruments is certainly not an invention due to the lofi story, but the objects that are not really musical instruments and are used as such in these techniques owe much to this style of production. Dictaphones, used audio cassettes of all kinds, and portable recorders are being repurposed and used again in many different ways. In some cases, these objects are even hacked, modifying functions that were pre-existing or adding new features.
In the course of my research, I have employed a wide variety of objects and musical instruments. The following paragraphs will briefly describe some of these objects and then elaborate on their use.
The objects in consideration are characterised by a number of common traits. First, these objects possess an intrinsic nature of lofi devices, as they belong to an outdated technological context, with a sound quality currently considered low (e.g. the Akai sampler has a maximum bit depth of 12 bits). Second, artefacts are created naturally because they come from lofi tools. The producer’s intervention in this process serves to accentuate or modify these sounds, but not to the point of eliminating them. My use has been exclusively exploratory, thus encompassing all of the above directions.
The Casio SK-82 is a small keyboard from the 1980s with a rudimentary sampler. The SK-8 is a toy keyboard and therefore “born already lofi”. With its small microphone it is possible to record any sound coming from outside and then play it back.
Despite its “toy keyboard” character, reflected for example in the low quality of the keys, the SK-8 has many features that are very much in keeping with the spirit of experimentation and pioneering that this type of research requires.
fig.1 The Casio SK-8 is a little keyboard with sampling function. Two sampling methods are available: direct PCM sampling using a built-in microphone and a line input from another source such as a cassette tape recorder. These functions are truly remarkable for a small portable toy keyboard popular in the 1980s.
The Akai S9503 is a professional 12 bit sampler in rack format that was very popular in recording studios in the 1990s. It has since come back into fashion due to its acquired status as a lofi sampler.
The Akai S950, which retains the features of its predecessor (Akai S900) adds a number of improvements. The sample rate was variable from 7.5 to 48 kHz and it could hold up to 99 samples in memory. Memory could be expanded from 750 KB to 2.25 MB. Its also the first Akai sampler to implement Time Stretching as a feature to stretch the length of a sample without changing the pitch. A SCSI port allowed for the instrument to move and edit samples in PC/MAC software. This sampler is capable of capturing and reproducing the rich tonal characteristics of acoustic instruments such as pianos and strings with high precision. The result is a natural and lifelike sound.
A wide variety of audio effects were utilised in my production process. One such effect, Boss RV-3,4 is a reverb and delay pedal that was developed in the 1990s and continues to be produced by the manufacturer to this day. This pedal has been in my possession for approximately three decades, and its inclusion into my professional practice as a sidewoman guitarist has rendered it significantly lofi!
fig.2 The employment of audio filters in pedal format constitutes a commendable strategy for the exploration of timbre and tone and the construction of more complex layering. The construction of one or more modular and interchangeable pedal boards represents an even more advantageous approach. Often the “portability” factor helps to experiment in different environments, rather than being restricted to the recording studio, home studio and so on.
I have used many different types of recorders. From walkmans (small portable cassette players, the first example of which was made in 1978 in Japan) to multitracks.
The Tascam Porta02 mkII5 is a recorder where you can record and play back up to 4 tracks on an audio cassette, a small portable studio from the 1980s.
I have also used many reel-to-reel recorders such as the Aiwa portable one, as well as dictaphones of various types, which record onto microcassettes and are still very easily found now.
fig.3 Aiwa produced reel-to-reel tape recorders from 1962 to 1972 which were manufactured in Japan. These tape recorders targeted the consumer market. The early models of Aiwa tape recorders used tube electronics and later on they transitioned to solid-state tape recorders.This AIWA is a portable reel-to-reel recorder that I often use. It is very agile, given its size, and a lot of fun, not least because of the easy access to the reels; by touching them I can change the speed in playback and also in recording.
In relation to physical media such as audio cassettes, I have utilised and modified a wide variety of them. The construction of the loops in this context is primarily material, entailing the opening of the audio cassettes and the cutting of the tape required for their subsequent reassembly with a different duration. The samples in question were sourced from various materials, including vinyl records, which were modified by the author through a process of “preparation“, a term used to describe the modification of the audio cassettes and tape reels.
fig.4 Currently, it is very easy to find blank audio cassettes with which to do audio experiments. There are many different kinds: from simple, non-removable audio cassettes to those with screws so that they can be assembled and disassembled several times. Thanks to the retromania and thanks to many record labels that have returned to releasing audio cassettes as well, it is also easy to find audio cassette dubbing agencies with graphics services.
