Three tools for the manipulation of musical texture: concepts and applications in compositional planning

This article aims to conceptualize and exemplify the use of three tools designed to manipulate musical texture. Two tools are computer programs: TexturalCalc, to calculate degrees of textural complexities, and Strawberry, to calculate density distribution in time. The third tool is called Vetor Textural (Textural Vector), and summarizes the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of a textural event. The three tools were developed in the course of the proposed research in the project entitled 'Development of compositional processes related to textural music'. The definition of musical texture and a brief overview of the main theoretical frameworks are presented in the introduction. Examples of use of these tools occur in the creation of four compositional plans as described in this article. The plans resulted in four works: Textural Variations I, composed by the author of the article; TexturalCalc, composed by Felipe Grisi Correia Pontes; Dimensoes (Dimensions), composed by Pedro Miguel de Moraes, and Congelamento (Freezing), composed by Weskley Roberto Dantas da Silva. The three tools allowed speed and precision in the calculation of textural settings, intensifying the creativity of the composer.