Tuesday, 25 March 2008

The S+7 Method

The S+7 Method is an Oulipian constraint used to create new texts from existing works by replacing words with the next same word type - nouns, verbs, etc. - 7 on in a word list, usually a dictionary.

I shall apply this constraint to my music collection as follows:
  • 1) The collection shall be organised by track. The seventh track in this list shall be selected as a starting point.
  • 2) On the album of this track the seventh track on from the previously selected track shall be chosen, wrapping around (i.e. skipping from the last track to the first) if necessary.
  • 3) In the full list - sorted again by title - the seventh track below that track will be selected. This is the sample track and shall be blogged.
  • 4) Repeat steps 2-4, ad infinitum.
All tracks selected I shall try to write about or justify, with links where possible - particularly to artist pages and places where the track may be purchased. No personal hosting will be done at this stage, though may be considered at a later date. Links will be removed upon request. I shall begin when I am ready.
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2 comments:

James! said...

What about tracks that you don't have the full album for? Would you then consider THAT track the 7th track down from itself in the album and just go 7 down from it in the full list?

Very interesting idea.

2 April 2008 at 06:58
Eiron Page said...

Where I haven't got the full album (I am in the habit of refusing to carry repeat tracks when spread across several albums, unless there are marked differences between them) I count through the tracks that I have uploaded. I always use my collection as the data set. It may not be the purest form of manipulation, but it prevents potential dead ends.

2 April 2008 at 16:18

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