The granular paradigm is a universal representation for sound: any signal decomposes into time-frequency grains

Gabor demonstrated that the granular paradigm is a universal representation for sound: any audio signal can be decomposed into elementary time-frequency atoms or grains. As Xenakis put it, ‘all sound is an integration of corpuscules, of elementary acoustic particles, of sound quanta.’ This universality means granular synthesis and analysis apply not only to specially constructed sounds but to any recording or signal whatsoever. Consequently the paradigm ‘refuses to die’ — it is foundational rather than a niche effect. The open challenge is not that grains are limited but ‘what to do with granular materials’: how to build meaningful multiscale musical structures from them.

Examples

DBP decomposing a violin recording into grain atoms for resynthesis; feeding any arbitrary sound file to a granulator to obtain grain material — no source is off-limits.

Assessment

What does it mean that the granular paradigm is a ‘universal representation for sound’? Name the theorist who demonstrated it and give one practical implication for sound design.