Sonic Graphics: Seeing Sound

Multimedia-- and increasingly, the Internet-- has redefined the way we look at printed matter, how we listen to sound, and how we react to products. As crossovers of media broaden the possibility of both personal expression and commercial design, Sonic Graphics/Seeing Sound explores the fusion of music and graphics. How are melody, harmony and rhythm played out in graphics? How does music influence design? How is it captured in static form as design?

The precedents for representing music in pictorial form go back to the early twentieth century, when Vasily Kandinsky experimented with synaesthesia and rendered sound and instruments as colors. More recent explorations include the avant-garde composer John Cage's attempt to blend musical notation and calligraphy, capturing and blurring the essence of both. Today, digital technologies have augmented the dynamic interplay between sight and sound: it is this exciting area that Sonic Graphics examines.

Exemplary work from studios around the world is presented in three sections: "Notation" analyzes the use of sign and symbol systems in creating identity and branding for music artists, recording projects and performances; "Material" examines how products can package the essence of the music they contain; and "Atmosphere" looks at how space and multidimensional environments can be used to visualize sound. A reference section includes studio websites and a glossary.

The world of music has often been where today's designer superstars have forged their graphic-design language. From club flyers to CD-packaging to concert posters, the culture of music offers unlimited possibilities for visual experimentation. Sonic Graphics not only showcases this rich genre, but is the first book to get to the heart of the relationship between music and its successful graphic expression.

With over 600 color illustrations.

Matt Woolman is an assistant professor of communication design at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he is also the design director of the Center for Design Studies. He is co-author with Jeff Bellantoni of Type in Motion, also published by Rizzoli. In 1995 Matt Woolman and Jeff Bellantoni founded -IZATION, a communication design and media group. Inquiries: studio@ization.com.