[Column] When sine waves change the space—Sachiko M and the aesthetics of extreme minimalism

Column en Experimental Installation Minimal

17 Apr 2026

[Column] When sine waves change the space—Sachiko M and the aesthetics of extreme minimalism

Prologue: Begins where the sound is about to disappear

Text: mmr｜Theme: The intersection of visual art and the far north of acoustic art that redefines space using only sine waves

Music is usually made up of melody, rhythm, and harmony. However, there is music that strips away all of that and is made up of almost a single frequency. Sachiko M is the embodiment of this extreme.

Her works go beyond the framework of ““music” and instead function as devices that transform the perception of space itself. By using the purest unit of sound, the sine wave, and presenting a sustained sound that hardly changes, the listener is guided into a state where the listener does not ““hear” the sound, but ““experiences it as an environment.’’

This isn’t just minimalism. Rather, it is an act that shakes the boundary between the presence and absence of sound, and is deeply connected to the exhibition space and the context of art.

The less sound there is, the more the space itself stands up as a work of art.

Sachiko M’s methodology: the limit of sine waves

Sine wave selection

A sine wave is a pure single frequency sound with no overtones. Normal musical instruments and electronic sounds have complex overtone structures, but sine waves completely eliminate this.

Sachiko M mainly uses a test tone generator to sustain a fixed frequency for a long time. Although this method is in the context of improvisation, it is based on extremely restrictive rules.

Refusal of change

In her performances, changes in sound are suppressed to the utmost. There is almost no volume or movement, and in some cases, you can”t even tell if it”s ringing or not.

This is an attitude that completely rejects the ““development” and ““drama” of conventional music.

Transformation of physicality

Music usually involves the physicality of the performer. However, in Sachiko M”s performance, the presence of the body is minimized. Manipulation is minimal; rather, the space and the listener”s body take center stage.

The subject of the sound shifts from the performer to the space

Near-silent space: Reconstruction of hearing

From “listening” to “noticing”

The persistence of the sine wave obscures the auditory focus. Listeners are unable to actively follow the sounds, and instead focus on environmental sounds and their own body sounds.

For example, the following phenomena occur:

*Tinnitus-like perception

Emphasis on air conditioning noise and clothing rustling
Becoming conscious of the existence of others

Boundary with silence

Sachiko M’s sound is often described as “almost silent.” However, it is not actually completely silent. Rather, its subtle existence relativizes the concept of silence.

In this respect, her practice resonates with John Cage”s 4:33. However, whereas Cage”s approach was to accept environmental sounds as music, Sachiko M brings them out through extremely low artificial sounds.

There is no silence, only the frame of perception changes

Departures and deviations from improvised music

Japanese improvisational scene

Sachiko M has occupied an important position in the Japanese improvisational music scene since the 1990s. Yoshihide Otomo and Tetsuji Akiyama are involved in this context.

This scene focused more on the textures and relationships of the sounds themselves than on musical structure.

reductionism

Her style is associated with a trend called “reductionism.” This is an approach that reduces sound elements to the absolute minimum, and has the following characteristics:

Extremely low volume
Long lasting
Non-dramatic structure

Redefining improvisation

Normally, improvisation means ““instantaneous creation,” but in Sachiko M’s case, it appears as ““the act of continuing to choose not to change anything.”

Improvisation is not about change, but also about choosing continuity.

Connection with visual arts: Transformation of exhibition space

Installation-like nature

Sachiko M’s sound is more strongly associated with museums and gallery spaces than with concert halls. Since sound functions as part of the environment, the entire space becomes a work of art.

In this respect, her practice resembles a sound installation.

Perception transformation of space

With little sound present, the following elements are emphasized:

Light changes
Architectural structure
Movement of people

Sound is not a background, but a medium that changes the frame of perception.

Masterpiece: The moment when a sine wave becomes space

Sachiko M’s practice is difficult to talk about in terms of “songs.” This is because her works are not temporally closed structures, but exist as sustained states that extend throughout space. However, some important practices clearly define her methodology.

《I’m Here》(2001)

This album is considered one of Sachiko M’s representative works. Here, the extremely small sound of a sine wave persists for a long time, and there is almost no musical development.

The importance of this work lies in its thoroughness that ““nothing happens.’’ The sound does not change, and the listener loses track of the flow of time, gradually becoming aware of the space itself.

As a result, the listening experience changes as follows:

Awareness of the act of listening itself, not the content of the sound
Disappearance of boundaries with environmental sounds
Emergence of one’s own physical sensations

This work functions more as an auditory installation than as music.

Lack of change maximizes perceptual change

Improvisational performance (since 2000s)

Sachiko M’s most essential expression is in live performances. Particularly in performances held in gallery spaces in Europe and Japan, the relationship between sound and space is honed to the utmost.

Performance features:

Fixed sine wave duration
Extreme volume suppression
Maintaining near-silence

The audience comes to exist not as an ““audience” but as ““part of the space.” Rather than attracting attention, sound changes the very nature of attention.

This format is different from a traditional concert and creates an experience closer to an art exhibition.

Performance appears not as an event but as the creation of an environment

Reductionism sessions (late 1990s~)

Sachiko M, along with Yoshihide Otomo and Tetsuji Akiyama, worked in the context of so-called reductionism.

In this session:

Avoid sound collisions
Extend the pause (ma) to an extreme extent
Concentrate on minute differences in sound

Her sine waves can also create beats and beats (interference sounds) by interfering with the sounds of other performers. This is not an intended rhythm, but a sound that appears as a physical phenomenon.

What is important here is not the ““performance” but the ““condition setting.” Music changes from being an expression of the performer to a phenomenon born from the situation.

Sound is not something that is created, but a phenomenon that appears depending on conditions.

Sound installation practice in art space

Since the 2000s, Sachiko M’s activities have expanded to include museums and galleries. Here, sound is arranged not as a temporal event but as a part of space.

Characteristic points:

The presence of the sound source is often invisible
Homogeneous sound spreads throughout the space *Perception changes as the listener moves

In this format, sound functions not as an “exhibit” but as an “environmental condition.” As with any visual work, the audience’s position and movement determine the experience.

This can be said to be one of the important turning points in sound art.

Sound becomes a property of the space itself, not an object.

Perceptual model diagram: Relationship between sine waves and space

Perceptual structure in “I”m Here”

flowchart TD A[sine wave single frequency] --> B[duration] B --> C[lack of change] C --> D[loss of auditory focus] D --> E[The emergence of environmental sounds] E --> F[空間認識の強化] F --> G[Changes in self-perception]

この作品では、音そのものは極めて単純であるにもかかわらず、知覚のプロセスは段階的に変化していく。特に重要なのは、「音を追えなくなる瞬間」であり、その時点で聴覚は環境全体へと拡張される。

単純な音が複雑な知覚を引き起こす

Spatial distribution in improvisational performance

flowchart TB A[音源サイン波発生装置] --> B[spread throughout the space] B --> C1[Audience A] B --> C2[Audience B] B --> C3[Audience C] C1 --> D1[subtle perceptual differences] C2 --> D2[Changes due to position] C3 --> D3[Differences due to physical condition] D1 --> E[personalized experience] D2 --> E D3 --> E

Even when the same sound is playing, the experience varies greatly depending on the position in space and physical conditions. As a result, the work diverges into multiple perceptions rather than a single one.

The same sound is perceived as different works

Interference model in Reductionism session

flowchart LR A[sine wave] --> D[Interference in space] B[Other musical instruments subtle sounds] --> D D --> E[roar] D --> F[phase difference] D --> G[accidental rhythm] E --> H[unpredictable perception] F --> H G --> H

The musical structure is not pre-designed here. Instead, the physical interference between sounds creates new perceptions. This is not ““composition” but ““the occurrence of a phenomenon.”

Sound arises from relationships, not intentions.

Sound placement model in art space

flowchart TB A[whole space] --> B[homogeneous sine wave] B --> C[wall] B --> D[floor] B --> E[air] C --> F[reflection] D --> F E --> G[diffusion] F --> H[fluctuation of perception] G --> H H --> I[Reconstruction of space]

Sound is perceived as permeating the entire space rather than emanating from a specific location. At this time, the architectural elements begin to function as acoustic bodies.

The space itself becomes a speaker

Listener’s internal change model

flowchart LR A[Listening begins] --> B[search for sounds] B --> C[notice that there is no change] C --> D[Diffusion of attention] D --> E[Environmental sound recognition] E --> F[Emergence of self-consciousness] F --> G[Transformation of time sense]

This process occurs in stages, but not necessarily in a linear manner. By repeating concentration and diffusion, an unusual perceptual state is formed.

The act of listening changes your own cognitive structure

Frequency band model: positioning of sine wave

flowchart TD A[Low frequency 20Hz or less] --> B[Near the lower audible limit] B --> C[Midrange 100Hz-1kHz] C --> D[High range 2kHz-10kHz] D --> E[Super high range 10kHz or more] E --> F[Upper audible limit around 20kHz]

The sine waves used by Sachiko M are often located at relatively high frequencies within this audible band. This is to create a sense of diffusion within the space and to elicit a sharp auditory response.

Also, since it uses a single frequency, it does not occupy the entire band like normal music, leaving a ““gap’’ in the space. The result is a structure in which environmental and body sounds stand out.

Areas not occupied by sound expand perception

Audible/inaudible boundary model

flowchart TB A[complete silence] --> B[inaudible area] B --> C[Near perceptual threshold] C --> D[audible range] D --> E[clear sound]

Sachiko M’s sound is often placed on the border between being audible and not being audible. Sounds near this perceptual threshold have the following characteristics:

You can hear it when you pay attention to it.
Disappears when attention is diverted
Varies depending on environmental conditions

In this state, sound appears not as a fixed object but as a perceptual process itself.

Sound does not exist, but is established by being perceived.

Frequency perception distribution in space

flowchart TD A[Sound source sine wave] --> B[Go straight] A --> C[reflection] A --> D[attenuation] C --> E[Phase shift] B --> F[direct sound] E --> G[interference] F --> H[perception] G --> H D --> H

Even with a single frequency, minute changes occur in space due to reflection and interference. This creates a different perception in each location, rather than a completely homogeneous sound.

This effect is particularly noticeable at high frequencies, and slight differences in position can change the impression of the sound.

Simple sounds become complex depending on the space

Relationship between audible boundaries and the body

flowchart TB A[Sine wave small volume] --> B[ear] B --> C[auditory nerve] C --> D[brain] D --> E[Perception established] E --> F[unstable perception] F --> G[Amplification of physical sensations]

Sounds near the perceptual threshold are connected not only to the sense of hearing but also to the senses of the entire body. In particular, the following phenomena occur:

Feeling that the sound is coming from inside
Confusion with tinnitus
Blurring of boundaries between space and body

In this state, sound appears not as an external object but as an internal experience of the body.

Sound is not an external sensation, but a sensation generated internally.

Resonance with art

This approach resonates deeply with minimal and conceptual art. for example:

Perceptual delay
Repetition
Attention to space

Sound, like visual works, becomes a device for manipulating the consciousness of the audience.

Sound is not a work of art, but a device that changes the way we read space.

Stretching Time: A Philosophy of Persistence

Non-temporal structure

It”s hard to feel a clear beginning or end to Sachiko M”s music. Time is not linear, but is experienced as a stagnant or expanded state.

Changes in listening experience

The listener gradually enters the following states:

Loss of sense of time
Going back and forth between concentration and distraction *Changes in self-consciousness

Relationship with Feldman

This sense of time has also been compared to Morton Feldman’s long-duration works. However, Sachiko M has further reduced the elements, reaching almost a single note.

Time appears not as something that flows, but as something that stays.

Chronology: Sachiko M and acoustic minimalism

timeline title Sachiko M 関連年表 1990 : 即興音楽シーンに参加 1998 : サイン波中心のスタイル確立 2000 : reductionismの文脈で国際的に注目 2003 : 欧州ツアー・美術空間での演奏増加 2010 : サウンドアートとの接続が深化 2020 : インスタレーション的実践が定着

Structural diagram: Relationship between sound and space

flowchart TD A[sine wave] --> B[very small sound] B --> C[Hearing instability] C --> D[The emergence of environmental sounds] D --> E[Reconception of space] E --> F[Turning the exhibition space into a work of art]

Significance in modern times: Why is it extreme now?

Responding to information overload

Modern times are always filled with sound and information. Among these, Sachiko M’s approach paradoxically sharpens the senses through extreme “reduction.”

Perceptual Reeducation

Her work redefines the act of listening. Music is not something to be consumed, but rather a process of reconstructing perception.

Sound as art

Sound is no longer limited to temporal art, but functions as spatial art. In that sense, Sachiko M is an entity that traverses the boundaries between music and art.

Sound stripped to its limits opens up the widest space

Conclusion: What can be seen when the sound disappears

Sachiko M’s practice not only expands the possibilities of music, but also questions the framework of perception itself. Through the smallest unit of sine waves, she reconstructs the relationship between space, time, and the body.

What emerges as a result is a ““place’’ rather than a sound.

At that moment when the sound begins to disappear, we begin to hear the space for the first time.

The absence of sound brings out the existence of space most strongly

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