As an independent creative music producer and performer, I am often accused of being experimental. And this label feels quite appropriate and comfortable for me to describe my creativity is largely channelled through music and the spoken word. But this oft used term can be very broad and vague. What does the term experimental actually mean? And what constitutes experimental music?
Within and amidst most if not all of the many genres and sub genres of music, there is an experimental approach, style and strand that at least a few artists are responsible for. These somewhat more maverick music makers, music players or composers can therefore tend to adhere to a musical style up to a certain extent. But then they will deviate from the norms of approaching, composing and performing that style or genre of music. For example, an experimental jazz saxophonist will still play with in the confines of the a particular jazz style with recognisable phrasing and harmonic progressions. But he or she may then add an element that is outside of the traditional formulas for this style – perhaps adding a different harmony or disharmony to their instrument playing.
Modern and contemporary classical music from the early twentieth century was considered very experimental when composers started to add more dissonance and new chordal progressions and instrument combinations to their orchestral scores. Debussy, Wagner and Arvo Paert composed very experimental music for their time. Even the instruments themselves can be toyed with to open up the possibilities of tone and timbre. For example, one can play with the sounds of a piano by adding objects to or altering the strings within the instrument to give what is called a 'prepared piano' sound.
Music is usually constructed of a few basic elements. These are melody, harmony, rhythm and tempo (how fast or slow the music is to be played). Experimental music would tend to play with these elements in a fresh and perhaps new way. The key to being experimental seems to be to surprise the listener. The predictable does not usually take place and safe patterns are disrupted, even if slightly. Electronic experimental outfit Boards of Canada are reknown for their signature style of bending the pitch on most melodies they compose, rendering their music sweet but also slightly warped or wayward. And of course silence is part of music too – the gaps between the notes and sounds can be considered just as important as the notes or beats themselves. John Cage tried to make this point with his highly experimental score call 4 minutes and 33 seconds which is in fact scored silence.
Experimental musicians can also mix up genres. One can hear this in the early dubstep or grime music as the influences of techno, dub and ambient music were apparent. As an artist that toys with conventions by bringing together lots of music genres including juxtaposing music and the spoken word. Essentially for me, being experimental means making music that surprises and brings the listener into a more personal voice that is hopefully interesting and refreshing to discover. There is usually a pattern in there, though it may not be so obvious to feel at first.