Beige
for an indeterminate number of blank tape loops, tape players, amplification systems, and a performance environment
Concept
Beige is a composition concerned with the audible presence of material history. The tape loops used in this work are not considered carriers of musical information due to their silent nature. Rather they are physical objects whose conditions, imperfections, age, manufacture, and exposure to their surroundings are allowed to become audible.
The composition does not seek to imitate decay, simulate nostalgia, or produce intentional effects of malfunction. Any sound produced by the materials is accepted as the natural consequence of their existence.
The following establishes the conditions of the work but does not determine its audible outcome as that is left to the environment itself.
Materials
Tape loops
The work requires between 7 and 23 tape loops. Each tape loop must have following properties:
- contain no pre-recorded material i.e. be blank
- be a continuous loop capable of playback
- differ in duration from at least some of the other loops
Some tape loops may share the same duration, but complete uniformity among all loops is not permitted.
The tape loops may consist of different tape formats, manufacturers, ages, and physical conditions.
Both new and previously used blank tapes may be included.
No tape may be selected because of a known interesting sound, defect, or failure. Additionally no tape may be intentionally modified by a human hand.
Instead, before the performance, every tape loop must be exposed to the environmental conditions of the city or location in which the performance will occur. Each tape must be exposed to that at least once. The duration and exact circumstances of exposure are not prescribed. The tapes must remain physically intact to allow playback. The tapes may not be cleaned, repaired, restored, or altered after exposure.
Playback machines
Each tape loop must have its own playback machine.
Playback machines may be new, old, damaged, or partially malfunctioning, provided that they allow the assigned tape loop to be played audibly.
Any additional mechanical imperfections, instability, noise, or irregularities produced by the machine must remain uncorrected. No attempt should be made to improve the reliability, sound quality, or consistency of the playback machines before or during the performance.
Immediately before the performance, each tape loop must be assigned randomly to a playback machine. The relationship between a particular tape and a particular machine must not be planned. The performer or organizer should not know in advance which combination of tape and machine will occur.
Amplification
Each playback machine must be amplified. All playback systems should operate at comparable levels.
The amplification should be sufficient for every machine to contribute audibly to the performance, while avoiding the intention that any individual machine dominate the others. The natural character of each machine and tape combination should remain perceptible. No mixing, equalization, processing, or correction should occur during performance.
Environment
The work should preferably be performed in a location where surrounding sounds remain audible. The environment should not be treated as a distraction or an interruption. The sounds of the location exist simultaneously with the sounds of the tape loops. The listener should not be required to separate the composition from its surroundings.
Performer attitude
The performer should approach the materials as existing objects rather than instruments to be controlled. The purpose is to reveal the conditions already contained within the materials rather than purposely manipulate the results.
Performance
All playback machines begin operation approximately simultaneously. The starting moment does not need to be perfectly synchronized, but all machines should begin within a short period of one another.
Where possible, each tape machine should operate at the slowest available playback speed. If a machine does not provide variable speed control, it should be used at its available speed.
The performance has no predetermined duration. The performance may end at any moment chosen by the performer, organizer, or circumstance, but no intervention should occur solely to preserve, repair, or improve the sound.
If any of the following happens:
- a tape stops
- a machine fails
- a tape becomes silent
- a sound disappears
the absence itself becomes part of the performance and should not be interfered with.
Original idea circa 2017, refined and finished July 29th, 2026