Zoe (Yi-Cheng) Lin 的樂享--作曲家、程式寫作、作曲個別課程、樂曲分析

去年三月，由於自己的作品『冰川』榮幸透過國際徵件入選，得以到法國龐畢度聲學中心 IRCAM 展演，原本以為是 16 聲道，最後現場展出是以 24 聲道版本的 ambisonic 系統展演（這裡需更正媒體報導有誤），於 IRCAM Studio 1，時間為 11am-1pm, 3/20/2024。事後中央社、空總也有報導：https://www.cna.com.tw/postwrite/chi/366061、https://clab.org.tw/news/ircam-forum-workshops-30/ 

以下是展演時我的講稿中文翻譯（原文放後面），其實也大略說明這幾年我為何從 VR 這樣的多媒體創作轉回 fixed-media 的視聽聯覺創作。

講稿：

感謝大家參加這場示範演出，這次的音樂作品以環境保護為核心，並將透過 25 組揚聲器，以沉浸式 Ambisonic 系統播放。

在正式進入音樂之前，我想先分享為何選擇 Ambisonic 系統來創作這首作品，並說明它如何成為塑造我音樂創作的重要工具。

自從取得 DMA（音樂藝術博士）學位以來，我的首要目標一直是縮小當代音樂與更廣泛觀眾之間的距離，同時挑戰傳統音樂形式的界限。2015 年，我開始自學並嘗試電子音樂創作。到了 2016 年，我利用 Google Cardboard 開發了第一個多媒體 VR 項目，這是一部長達 30 分鐘、分為六個樂章的作品。在那個時期，VR 技術仍處於商業化初期，3D 物件的品質相對基礎。

該作品發佈到 App Store 並在各大國際會議上展出後，我收到的回饋普遍認為，這部作品的音樂「可親且易於理解」，即使是沒有音樂背景的人，甚至是兒童，都能欣賞和接受。這次經驗讓我深刻體會到，當代音樂若能透過多媒體技術呈現，將具有打破學術與大眾之間隔閡的潛力。

然而，近年來對電子音樂的探索讓我發現，將新技術融入當代音樂也面臨諸多挑戰，包括：

1. VR 最初的發展前景受到了設備成本高昂、程式設計複雜，以及受眾可及性有限的阻礙。

2. 消費級個人電腦的限制。例如在 2021 年，元宇宙（Metaverse）技術使 Web XR 獲得關注，但大多數消費者的電腦無法提供足夠的處理能力與網路速度來支援 3D 渲染，因此 WebXR 的體驗品質低落。

3. 音訊設備的挑戰：沉浸式音樂需要專業耳機來精確呈現頻率響應。然而，許多人仍習慣使用手機擴音播放音樂，這會大幅影響音質。

4. 生活節奏的影響：沉浸式音樂通常需要一個安靜的環境才能充分體驗。但在現代忙碌的生活中，即使技術允許遠端體驗，許多人仍然難以抽出時間靜心聆聽。換言之，如果音樂作品不夠容易接觸，它很可能會被日常瑣事掩蓋，逐漸被遺忘。

為了解決上述問題，我發展出一種新的創作方式——透過 Ambisonic 技術，創作出不依賴預先建構視覺元素，而是直接喚起心靈畫面的沉浸式音樂。

這種方法與我自幼以來對繪畫的熱愛密不可分。繪畫的經驗讓我在創作音樂時，能夠在腦海中構築清晰的視覺畫面。在過去三年裡，隨著我不斷精進電子音樂作曲、聲音合成及沉浸式 Ambisonic 技術，我還發現自己能夠「看見」聲音對應的色彩。此外，我的音樂創作也能與這些內在畫面的色彩與空間維度相呼應，形成獨特的音響場景。

當我將這些作品呈現給不同背景的觀眾時，即使是沒有正式音樂訓練的人，也能感受到與我腦海中相似的畫面。這項發現促使我逐步從多媒體音樂作品轉向另一種形式的創作——一種能夠直接在聽眾腦海中喚起鮮明視覺意象的音樂。

過去，我的 VR 作品是透過視覺技術來展現我內在世界的景象。而現在，我希望透過純粹的聲音來傳達這些畫面，使聽眾的內心也能產生相應的意象。

這種新的音樂呈現方式，使音樂與視覺的結合不再受限於播放設備，而是開啟了無邊界的創作可能性，讓作曲家與聽眾都能享受更靈活的藝術體驗。

現在，讓我們來談談這首名為《Glacier》（冰川）的音樂作品。

自 20 世紀初以來，全球冰川持續縮小，影響範圍遍及阿爾卑斯山、喜馬拉雅山和格陵蘭等地。南極作為地球上最大的冰川儲存地，也正面臨冰層變薄和冰架崩解的危機。

每年，冰川釋放出約 46 立方公里的冰，並伴隨巨大聲響。當冰川在海岸邊崩裂時，巨大的冰塊掉落海中，產生劇烈震動，形成類似海嘯的巨大波浪。即便是遠在海上的船隻，也必須格外小心。

這部作品透過 3D 沉浸式音景創造跨感官體驗，生動刻畫冰川的質地、高度、浮冰流動以及崩解過程。在迷人的聽覺畫面之外，它同時象徵著人類對地球的破壞與暴力行為。

這段敘事進一步延伸至 21 世紀的戰爭場景，帶有末世預言的氛圍。雖然作品主要以電子音樂為基礎，但亦融入了類似合唱的聲音元素，象徵人類與神性的聯繫，探索末日、救贖，並在最終的輓歌中傳達寬恕。

在創作過程中，我模糊了繪畫與作曲之間的界線，依循內在藝術視覺來雕琢聲音。請閉上眼睛，感受冰川的質地、溫度、重量，以及浪潮吞噬它的那一刻。

Thank you all for joining me in this demonstration showcasing my musical composition centered around environmental protection. The music will be played through 25 speakers in immersive ambisonic systems.

Before we delve into the music, I'd like to share the reasoning behind choosing the ambisonic system for my composition and elaborate on how I consider it a crucial tool in shaping my musical creations.

Since obtaining my DMA degree, my primary goal has been to bridge the gap between contemporary music compositions and wider audiences while pushing the boundaries of traditional musical forms. In 2015, I embarked on a journey of self-learning and experimentation with electronic music composition. By 2016, I had developed my first multimedia VR project using Google Cardboard, which featured a 30-minute composition spanning six movements. During this period, VR technology was still in its early stages of commercialization, and the quality of 3D objects was relatively basic.

After releasing the project on the App Store and showcasing it at various international conferences, I received feedback indicating that the music was remarkably "accessible" and comprehensible, even to individuals without a musical background, including children. This experience highlighted for me the transformative potential of music technology, particularly when presented in multimedia formats, in bridging the gap between academic contemporary music and the broader public.

However, my exploration of electronic music in recent years has revealed that the integration of new technologies into contemporary music also presents several challenges, as outlined below:

1. VR's initial promise was hindered by high device costs, complex coding, and limited audience access.

2. About Consumer PC Constraints. For example, in 2021, Web XR for the Metaverse gained attention, but most consumer PCs lacked the processing power and internet connectivity for effective 3D rendering, resulting in subpar WebXR experiences.

3. Audio Equipment Hurdles: Immersive music demands professional headphones with varying response frequencies. Smartphone usage for music amplification often compromises audio quality.

4. Leisure Preferences: Immersive music tends to require a quiet setting for full enjoyment. However, busy schedules make finding time difficult, even with remote access. In essence, if not easily accessible, the artistic work risks being forgotten amongst the demands of daily life.

To address the challenges outlined above, I have developed a solution, which is composing immersive music that draws from the imagery of the mind's eye, rather than relying on pre-constructed visual elements, all facilitated through the utilization of ambisonic technologies.

My affinity for painting, cultivated since childhood, has played a pivotal role in this approach. It has enabled me to craft vivid mental images as I compose music. Over the past three years, as I have worked to develop my expertise in electroacoustic composition, sound synthesis, and immersive ambisonic techniques, I have also discovered an ability to "see" specific colors in response to auditory stimuli. Furthermore, I am also able to create music that seamlessly corresponds to the colors and spatial dimensions of the mental images I conjure.

Presenting these compositions to diverse audiences, I have found that the imagery I envisage resonates with listeners of all ages, even those without formal musical training. This confirmation led me to shift away from multimedia musical works and toward a new dimension of music that evokes vivid mental imagery for the audience.

In the past, my VR compositions breathed life into the visual landscapes of my inner world. Now, these mental images are conveyed aurally, with the aim of eliciting similar imagery in the listener's mind.

By presenting music in this innovative manner, the marriage of music and visual effects is liberated from the confines of playback devices. This opens up a boundless realm of creative possibilities and flexibility for both composers and audiences.

Now, let's talk about the music piece titled "Glacier."

Since the early 20th century, glaciers worldwide have been steadily shrinking, affecting regions like the Alps, Himalayas, and Greenland. Antarctica, Earth's largest glacier store, is facing thinning ice and shelf collapses.

Every year, glaciers release a huge amount of ice, about 46 cubic kilometers, making loud noises. When glaciers near the sea break, massive ice parts fall into the ocean with strong shaking, creating big waves like tsunamis. Even people on faraway ships need to be careful.
This composition utilizes 3D immersive soundscapes, creating synesthetic experiences. It vividly depicts glacier texture, height, floating ice flow, and their disintegration. Beyond the mesmerizing imagery, it symbolizes human violence and destruction toward our planet.

This narrative extends to the 21st-century realm of warfare, expressing an apocalyptic sentiment. Although primarily electronic, it integrates choir-like elements symbolizing the human and God connections, delving into themes of apocalypse, redemption, and, in the final elegy, forgiveness.
Throughout its creation, I blurred the lines between painting and composing, sculpting sounds guided by my inner artistic vision. Close your eyes to sense the glacier's texture, temperature, weight, and the waves enveloping its consumed essence.