The Cut-Up Technique

The Cut-Up Technique is an aleatory literary technique based on taking a text, cutting it up, and rearranging it into a new text. The idea was popularized by William S. Burroughs in the late 50's and early 60's. Now the technique is widely used, and in a variety of contexts. One of these contexts is in creating loops and cutting pieces from tracks in sound design. This lead to the first tape loops, and first loops in sound design. It was used by David Bowie extensively in creating some of his lyrics. This technique itself also helped to influence Kurt Cobain's songwriting.