Writings in the Dust, for Guitar and Electronic Sounds: Reflections on Mixed Music with Tape and Its Relationship with Tradition

Abstract

This article analyzes the piece Writings in the Dust, for guitar and electronic sounds, aiming to reflect on compositional and performance aspects of mixed electroacoustic music in deferred time—that is, music that involves interaction between live acoustic instruments and a pre-recorded electroacoustic part (tape). Based on the analysis of this work, it discusses how procedures and strategies from traditional chamber music remain relevant in this context, revealing continuities between acoustic and electroacoustic compositional practices. It is argued that the fixity of the technological medium or the composer’s direct work with sound does not nullify the expressiveness of the piece, but rather characterizes a fusion between performance and composition. The compositional experience described here shows that mixed music in deferred time can be approached as a development, rather than a rupture, of musical tradition, presenting itself as a fertile ground for renewing creative thought through technical mediation.