#07 Noise ordinance

In the earliest days of modular synthesis, noise was the go-to source for out-of-this-world special effects. From the whooshing winds of distant shores to the random bursts of imaginary alien artillery, noise was the obvious choice for aural experimentation.

But what do we mean by “noise”? Can’t any sound be considered noise? Technically, the old folks were wrong in their assessment of rock ‘n’ roll, for example. When used in the strictest sense, noise is how we describe the sound of many frequencies being produced at equal levels or intensity. Specifically, this is white noise, the form you’ll likely encounter