Kim Myhr: Shimmering Sound

Fagområde: Kunstnerisk utviklingsarbeid

The project is an investigation into the resonant qualities of the 12-string guitar. As a guitarist, composer, and improviser, Myhr has been working with this instrument for 15 years, and in this project he delves deeper into its sonic possibilities through a research process.

The project is divided into two main areas: sonic resonance, which examines the instrument’s rich and orchestral sound, and social resonance, which, in addition to being a timbral investigation in guitar ensemble music, also looks at the guitar’s potential to establish a community through the creation of collective listening spaces. By combining artistic research, instrument development, and social engagement, the goal is to expand the understanding of the 12-string guitar’s potential in both musical and social contexts, through both solo and ensemble work.

Sonic Resonance

At the foundation of Myhr's musical research is the creation of new solo works for acoustic 12-string guitar. To strengthen the guitar’s resonant qualities, he will collaborate with luthier Simen Omang to build a guitar with resonant strings. The research project will also include a collaboration with sound engineer Benjamin Maumus, where the exploration of different acoustic spaces will be central, and Kim Myhr plans to document this in a recording project.

Social Resonance

Another focus for Myhr is the guitar as a social instrument, which is interesting from sonic, historical, and methodological perspectives. In his work with Celeste, where 50 amateurs played together on 12-string guitars, he became aware of how an inclusive and resonant social space can be created through the creation of new, sonic music. Myhr plans to organize monthly 12-string meetings, open to both professionals and amateurs, to explore and develop new timbral ideas. These meetings will also include discussions on sound phenomena and sound perception and will contribute to a greater understanding of the sonic possibilities inherent in the instrument.

Theoretical Approach

Myhr draws on theoretical support from acousmatic (Pierre Schaeffer), phenomenological (Merleau-Ponty), and sociological (Hartmut Rosa) theories on the body, resonance, and sound objects. He is also interested in the idea of sonic memory - how the sonic music may carry traces of the guitar’s rich, sonic history, without consciously referencing other musical forms. Myhr's work will include a critical reflection on both the musical and social processes, and I plan to publish a book about the project at the end of the research period.

The study can be divided into four parts:

1. Building a guitar with resonant strings and sonic investigations
2. Organising group projects and monthly 12-string meetings
3. Producing works for solo guitar, guitar ensemble, a quartet with two drummers, and possibly a piece for Acousmonium
4. Publishing a critical reflection, concluding with a final concert and record release.

Collaborators include luthier Simen Omang, GMEA in Albi, INA GRM in Paris, as well as Myhr's artistic network and NMH students.

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Kim Myhr is enrolled in the PhD programme in Artistic Research from 1 September 2025.