TWO EXAMPLES OF HOW TO INTERPRET IMLS (not the definitive way, but the two contrasting philosophies of reading art).
EXAMPLE ONE: THE ABSTRACT VIEW
This is from the bass part of Hydrophile. This IML has no other indicators on how to interpret or perform the bar, so this must be a True IML (TIML). This is also in Free Time (see the FT time signature), so the bar is of a non-descript length, ending when the next bar is cued. This is cued to be performed as the vocalist says “Hydrophile”.
As it is a TIML, we need to gather every factor of musicality from the squiggles. They take up a lot of physical space on the stave, so playing it loud makes sense. They are also congested and packed up within the space, so having a dense sound (achieved either by a “fat” tone/timbre or a lot of sequential notes) would be ideal. The direction of the lines isn’t clear, so it can be assumed that the lines aren’t an indication of where on the stave you should play. Instead, these lines are to be interpreted like a piece of abstract art: to draw meaning from the entirety of the image for impressions of mood and psyche. This IML is chaotic and frantic, and does not give a lot of space. To represent this, the player may change factors of their playing (tempo, note choice) frantically, contrastingly, and constantly. Especially notice how curved everything in this IML is. Curved shapes give the impression of softness, whether that be in timbre, dynamics, or effects, so bending notes, playing with a slow phaser, or inputting tonal, sweet phrases during the IML section would also be effective.
In conclusion, this phrase should be played without a sense of time once Izzy says “Hydrophile”. It should last for a non-descript amount of time. It should be loud and dense. There aren’t specific notes to play, but the general emotion is primarily chaotic and frantic, but it is often conflicting with a calm and gentle side. This is to be played constantly throughout this section.
As it is a TIML, we need to gather every factor of musicality from the squiggles. They take up a lot of physical space on the stave, so playing it loud makes sense. They are also congested and packed up within the space, so having a dense sound (achieved either by a “fat” tone/timbre or a lot of sequential notes) would be ideal. The direction of the lines isn’t clear, so it can be assumed that the lines aren’t an indication of where on the stave you should play. Instead, these lines are to be interpreted like a piece of abstract art: to draw meaning from the entirety of the image for impressions of mood and psyche. This IML is chaotic and frantic, and does not give a lot of space. To represent this, the player may change factors of their playing (tempo, note choice) frantically, contrastingly, and constantly. Especially notice how curved everything in this IML is. Curved shapes give the impression of softness, whether that be in timbre, dynamics, or effects, so bending notes, playing with a slow phaser, or inputting tonal, sweet phrases during the IML section would also be effective.
In conclusion, this phrase should be played without a sense of time once Izzy says “Hydrophile”. It should last for a non-descript amount of time. It should be loud and dense. There aren’t specific notes to play, but the general emotion is primarily chaotic and frantic, but it is often conflicting with a calm and gentle side. This is to be played constantly throughout this section.
EXAMPLE TWO: THE LITERAL VIEW
This is from bass part of There’s a Man in my Can of Beans. The time signature is a constant 4/4 throughout the piece, so this has a beat. However, a beat has not been indicated, so that is something for the performer to come up with. The bar is repeated with the x(infinity) note above, indicating that the repeats are open, or to keep repeating until the cue (shown on the other next stave not pictured) is cued.
The IML is (for the most part) linear, with one line following another. The line’s location on the stave is indicative of where you should be playing. There are five distinct lines, so there are five distinct phrases. See below for a possible transcript.
The IML is (for the most part) linear, with one line following another. The line’s location on the stave is indicative of where you should be playing. There are five distinct lines, so there are five distinct phrases. See below for a possible transcript.
The emotional weight of this IML is in its colour: a hot orange, like a flame. This would be exemplified in the performance with a roaring, thick timbre, and an intensity within the tone. As the point of IMLs are to be interpreted and the lines are gestural, the function of the repeats allow the performer to go over their interpretation of this IML again and again and again, creating the semblance of pattern.
Again, these are just suggestions, and very in-depth suggestions as that. You do not need to go that analytical every time an IML comes around, but the act of thinking a little bit more about what’s on the page is the point of an IML.