The Grain of Things: From Epicurean Atomism to Granular Synthesis Technology and Composition

<p><strong>Atomic theories are deeply rooted in many sound art practices. Originating from philosophical thought in ancient Greece, atomism evolved into the modern era through advancements in scientific observations and modelling. In turn, many researchers and artists in the past century have developed numerous musical practices and techniques drawing on atomism – such as granular synthesis.</strong></p><p>This thesis explores my work in granular synthesis music technology and composition inspired by the atomism of Epicureanism – one of the ancient Greek atomist philosophies. This begins with a two-part literature review. First is a review of granular synthesis and its parent field, microsound, focused on musical interpretations of atomism. Second is an analysis of Epicurean atomic philosophy and Epicurean-inspired sound artworks; the Epicurean poem 'The Nature of Things', by Lucretius, is pinpointed as a key inspiration source for both myself and other artists in the field.</p><p>In the chapters that follow, these two domains merge as the foundation for my creative research project, applying atomic concepts to both technology development and composition. My collection of custom-built granular synthesisers is presented, showcasing their novel deconstructive techniques for controlling sound grain streams at a per-grain (‘atomic’) level. Then, my portfolio’s two major granular soundscape compositions – made using my new synthesisers – are analysed. These works depict journeys through earthly and cosmic environments inspired by Lucretius’ poetic descriptions of reality and its elemental origins. Most importantly, these works highlight my project’s core atomic interpretation – sound grains as metaphors for Epicurean atoms.</p>