Vocal Cords

The inaugural issue of High Pitch Magazine delves into voice as technology—a fundamental tool intertwined with the body yet extending beyond it. As voice becomes our central sonic attribute, we engage with artists, curators, and theorists who think through listening and reexamine what voice is and does. Voice, as a matter of interest, has gained traction in recent years, not least because of its significance for computing and human-machine interaction. As speech technology evolves, AI developers shape how machines sound, and voice-synthesizing algorithms create eerily accurate deepfakes. These innovations extend questions around ownership, authenticity, and identity, echoing longstanding concerns about how we perceive and define voice. While some of our contributors examine the intersection of voice and computing technologies, others explore our hearing culture’s limitations, how listeners produce what they hear, the regulation of voice throughout history, or the underlying implications of ‘giving voice.’ The featured contributions include essay excerpts, exhibition reviews, conversations and interviews, personal reflections, audio tracks, and a performance score. Just as the “engaged voice must never be fixed and absolute, but always changing, always evolving in dialogue with a world beyond itself” (bell hooks), this issue will grow over time, acting as a repository for stories and critical inquiries as we continue to collect them.

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