Η σημειωτική διαλεκτική του μουσικού οργάνου: λειτουργίες, πλαίσια, νοήματα

Abstract

The semiotics of music investigates the relationships between the musical sounds and what these sounds mean to those who produce and employ them in specific socio-cultural contexts (Tagg, 2013). In the semantic network of a communicative musical system, we may state that the value given to a sign is a representational value relative to another sign. This results in a chain of operations and relationships between signs and users. But what exactly is the musical instrument as a musical sign? What are its uses? In the present paper, we will discuss the functions and complexity of instruments as signs in various contexts, through specific examples of musical expression. We will focus on the ways in which musical instruments acquire meaning (bodily mastery, work, tradition, conventions, etc.) and will document the reciprocal relationship between musical instruments and contexts. We will discern musical instruments not only as sound sources but also as signifiers of culture and social interaction. The field in question is unexplored, as the majority of semiotic studies have only researched the musical text or gestures in specific genres.

Keywords

• musical instruments, social sign, bodily experience, functions