This paper describes the design, implementation, and application of an audio-driven computer-base... more This paper describes the design, implementation, and application of an audio-driven computer-based system for live and interactive performance with an orchestra. We begin by describing the compositional and musical goals, emphasizing the electronics aspect. We then discuss the challenges of working with an orchestra and integrating the electronics in a concert hall. We describe the hardware setup and then detail the software implementation, from audio analysis and "perceptual parameter" estimation to the generative algorithm.
The Electronic Fox Ears helmet is a listening device that changes its wearer's experience of hear... more The Electronic Fox Ears helmet is a listening device that changes its wearer's experience of hearing. A pair of headmounted, independently articulated parabolic microphones and built-in bone conduction transducers allow the wearer to sharply direct their attention to faraway sound sources. Joysticks in each hand control the orientations of the microphones, which are mounted on servo gimbals for precise targeting. Paired with a mobile device, the helmet can function as a specialized, wearable field recording platform. Field recording and ambient sound have long been a part of electronic music; our device extends these practices by drawing on a tradition of wearable technologies and prosthetic art that blur the boundaries of human perception.
Twitter has provided a social platform for everyone to enter the previously exclusive world of th... more Twitter has provided a social platform for everyone to enter the previously exclusive world of the internet, enriching this online social tapestry with cultural diversity and enabling revolutions. We believe this same tool can be used to also change the world of music creation. Thus we present MMODM, an online drum machine based on the Twitter streaming API, using tweets from around the world to create and perform musical sequences together in real time. Users anywhere can express 16-beat note sequences across 26 di↵erent instruments using plain text tweets on their favorite device, in real-time. Meanwhile, users on the site itself can use the graphical interface to locally DJ the rhythm, filters, and sequence blending. By harnessing this duo of website and Twitter network, MMODM enables a whole new scale of synchronous musical collaboration between users locally, remotely, across a wide variety of computing devices, and across a variety of cultures.
My consistent and overriding artistic goal, ever since the earliest compositions of my student da... more My consistent and overriding artistic goal, ever since the earliest compositions of my student days, has been to create m usical forms that suggest the search for psychological and spiritual unity beyond seemingly impenetrable veils of confusion and juxtaposition. That such unity exists — must exist — is one of my deepest convictions. That modern society presents an unprecedented network of complex parallel worlds, apparently so completely disconnected from each other, only amplifies my feeling that the search for deeper truths lies at the heart of our attempt to keep inter-personal and inter-cultural communication from breaking down and disappearing entirely. Because of its very neutrality and flexibility, computer music technology has long suggested itself to me as the ideal medium in which, paradoxically, the differentiation of musical materials can be intensified while ever-deeper layers of sonic coherence are established.
Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, May 1, 1994
Chair's Introduction-8:00 Invited Papers 8K)5 3aMUl. Bits of perspective on the advent of digital... more Chair's Introduction-8:00 Invited Papers 8K)5 3aMUl. Bits of perspective on the advent of digital music. Michael Hawley (MIT Media Laboratory, 20 Ames St., Rm. El5-489, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307) There has always been an interplay between musical tools and musical forms-a succession of instruments, from serpent horns to saxophones, and of styles, from chant to grand opera. All of this tends to echo aspects of the ambient technology infrastructure, for example, the rise of large buildings coincides to some extent with the breakup of Gregorian chant, and the development of steam engines and ironworks made possible the modern concert grand (and the globetrotting piano virtuoso). In much the same vein, broadcast and recorded media are associated with the wane of live concerts. This talk will discuss history and trends of music and technology. In particular, our culture is in the throes of a singular and massive transition from largely analog to largely digital media. The mass-deployment of MIDI and other computer-based music forms, and the diffusion of increasingly intelligent instruments, a symptom of that trend, has begun a drastic change that will lead...where?
Immersive installation with floating cube at the center. 2 Static spaces containing dynamic sound... more Immersive installation with floating cube at the center. 2 Static spaces containing dynamic sounds vs. dynamic spaces containing dynamic sounds diagram.
We introduce a family of fragile electronic musical instruments designed to be "played" through t... more We introduce a family of fragile electronic musical instruments designed to be "played" through the act of destruction. Each Fragile Instrument consists of an analog synthesizing circuit with embedded sensors that detect the destruction of an outer shell, which is destroyed and replaced for each performance. Destruction plays an integral role in both the spectacle and the generated sounds. This paper presents several variations of Fragile Instruments we have created, discussing their circuit design as well as choices of material for the outer shell and tools of destruction. We conclude by considering other approaches to create intentionally destructible electronic musical instruments.
Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, May 1, 2017
David Wessel was a musical visionary who combined scientific rigor, technological savvy, and soni... more David Wessel was a musical visionary who combined scientific rigor, technological savvy, and sonic adventure to powerfully influential the formative years of Pierre Boulez’s IRCAM in Paris. Wessel was trained in mathematics and percussion, receiving a Stanford Ph.D. in musical psychoacoustics. He brought these specialties to computer music at the crucial moment when real-time digital synthesis was being developed. His Antony (1977) was the first musical work to use Giuseppe di Giugno’s 4A machine, and his Timbre Maps (1978) demonstrated for the first time that sonority alone could produce structural relationships. Wessel brought free-jazz principles to live computer music performance, and was a pioneer in understanding and influencing the development of MIDI. Wessel became IRCAM’s Director of Pedagogy in 1980, and in that role inspired a generation of international composers, technologists and scientists, a veritable Who’s Who of today’s most prominent creators. As a member of IRCAM’s Artistic Committee, Wessel influenced the selection of artists for IRCAM residences and helped to invent a successful model for combining pedagogy, research and creation. Above all, David Wessel’s omnivorous love of all kinds of music, and his deep generosity, brought an unequaled spark of humanity to the world of man, music, and machines.
This paper explores how an actuated pin-based shape display may serve as a platform on which to b... more This paper explores how an actuated pin-based shape display may serve as a platform on which to build musical instruments and controllers. We designed and prototyped three new instruments that use the shape display not only as an input device, but also as a source of acoustic sound. These cover a range of interaction paradigms to generate ambient textures, polyrhythms, and melodies. This paper first presents existing work from which we drew interactions and metaphors for our designs. We then introduce each of our instruments and the back-end software we used to prototype them. Finally, we offer reflections on some central themes of NIME, including the relationship between musician and machine.
... CiteULike is a free online bibliography manager. Register and you can start organising your r... more ... CiteULike is a free online bibliography manager. Register and you can start organising your references online. Tags. Hyperinstruments: Musically intelligent and interactive performance and creativity systems. ...
Analog Days The Invention and Impact of the Moog Synthesizer. Trevor Pinch and Frank Trocco. Harv... more Analog Days The Invention and Impact of the Moog Synthesizer. Trevor Pinch and Frank Trocco. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 2002. 384 pp. $29.95. ISBN 0-674-00889-8. Constructing their account from interviews with the inventors, engineers, and musicians who worked with the Moog, the authors discuss the invention, development, and impact of electronic synthesizers in the 1960s through mid-1970s.
Morton Subotnick and Tod Machover discuss a variety of issues relating to the use of computers in... more Morton Subotnick and Tod Machover discuss a variety of issues relating to the use of computers in music, and the integration of new resources into the culture. They discuss new instrument development, performance practice and the assimilation of new musical materials in the context of Subotnick's long history of activity in these domains. The interview took place at the 1989 International Computer Music Conference at Ohio State University, and was updated in 1994.
This paper describes the design, implementation, and application of an audio-driven computer-base... more This paper describes the design, implementation, and application of an audio-driven computer-based system for live and interactive performance with an orchestra. We begin by describing the compositional and musical goals, emphasizing the electronics aspect. We then discuss the challenges of working with an orchestra and integrating the electronics in a concert hall. We describe the hardware setup and then detail the software implementation, from audio analysis and "perceptual parameter" estimation to the generative algorithm.
The Electronic Fox Ears helmet is a listening device that changes its wearer's experience of hear... more The Electronic Fox Ears helmet is a listening device that changes its wearer's experience of hearing. A pair of headmounted, independently articulated parabolic microphones and built-in bone conduction transducers allow the wearer to sharply direct their attention to faraway sound sources. Joysticks in each hand control the orientations of the microphones, which are mounted on servo gimbals for precise targeting. Paired with a mobile device, the helmet can function as a specialized, wearable field recording platform. Field recording and ambient sound have long been a part of electronic music; our device extends these practices by drawing on a tradition of wearable technologies and prosthetic art that blur the boundaries of human perception.
Twitter has provided a social platform for everyone to enter the previously exclusive world of th... more Twitter has provided a social platform for everyone to enter the previously exclusive world of the internet, enriching this online social tapestry with cultural diversity and enabling revolutions. We believe this same tool can be used to also change the world of music creation. Thus we present MMODM, an online drum machine based on the Twitter streaming API, using tweets from around the world to create and perform musical sequences together in real time. Users anywhere can express 16-beat note sequences across 26 di↵erent instruments using plain text tweets on their favorite device, in real-time. Meanwhile, users on the site itself can use the graphical interface to locally DJ the rhythm, filters, and sequence blending. By harnessing this duo of website and Twitter network, MMODM enables a whole new scale of synchronous musical collaboration between users locally, remotely, across a wide variety of computing devices, and across a variety of cultures.
My consistent and overriding artistic goal, ever since the earliest compositions of my student da... more My consistent and overriding artistic goal, ever since the earliest compositions of my student days, has been to create m usical forms that suggest the search for psychological and spiritual unity beyond seemingly impenetrable veils of confusion and juxtaposition. That such unity exists — must exist — is one of my deepest convictions. That modern society presents an unprecedented network of complex parallel worlds, apparently so completely disconnected from each other, only amplifies my feeling that the search for deeper truths lies at the heart of our attempt to keep inter-personal and inter-cultural communication from breaking down and disappearing entirely. Because of its very neutrality and flexibility, computer music technology has long suggested itself to me as the ideal medium in which, paradoxically, the differentiation of musical materials can be intensified while ever-deeper layers of sonic coherence are established.
Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, May 1, 1994
Chair's Introduction-8:00 Invited Papers 8K)5 3aMUl. Bits of perspective on the advent of digital... more Chair's Introduction-8:00 Invited Papers 8K)5 3aMUl. Bits of perspective on the advent of digital music. Michael Hawley (MIT Media Laboratory, 20 Ames St., Rm. El5-489, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307) There has always been an interplay between musical tools and musical forms-a succession of instruments, from serpent horns to saxophones, and of styles, from chant to grand opera. All of this tends to echo aspects of the ambient technology infrastructure, for example, the rise of large buildings coincides to some extent with the breakup of Gregorian chant, and the development of steam engines and ironworks made possible the modern concert grand (and the globetrotting piano virtuoso). In much the same vein, broadcast and recorded media are associated with the wane of live concerts. This talk will discuss history and trends of music and technology. In particular, our culture is in the throes of a singular and massive transition from largely analog to largely digital media. The mass-deployment of MIDI and other computer-based music forms, and the diffusion of increasingly intelligent instruments, a symptom of that trend, has begun a drastic change that will lead...where?
Immersive installation with floating cube at the center. 2 Static spaces containing dynamic sound... more Immersive installation with floating cube at the center. 2 Static spaces containing dynamic sounds vs. dynamic spaces containing dynamic sounds diagram.
We introduce a family of fragile electronic musical instruments designed to be "played" through t... more We introduce a family of fragile electronic musical instruments designed to be "played" through the act of destruction. Each Fragile Instrument consists of an analog synthesizing circuit with embedded sensors that detect the destruction of an outer shell, which is destroyed and replaced for each performance. Destruction plays an integral role in both the spectacle and the generated sounds. This paper presents several variations of Fragile Instruments we have created, discussing their circuit design as well as choices of material for the outer shell and tools of destruction. We conclude by considering other approaches to create intentionally destructible electronic musical instruments.
Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, May 1, 2017
David Wessel was a musical visionary who combined scientific rigor, technological savvy, and soni... more David Wessel was a musical visionary who combined scientific rigor, technological savvy, and sonic adventure to powerfully influential the formative years of Pierre Boulez’s IRCAM in Paris. Wessel was trained in mathematics and percussion, receiving a Stanford Ph.D. in musical psychoacoustics. He brought these specialties to computer music at the crucial moment when real-time digital synthesis was being developed. His Antony (1977) was the first musical work to use Giuseppe di Giugno’s 4A machine, and his Timbre Maps (1978) demonstrated for the first time that sonority alone could produce structural relationships. Wessel brought free-jazz principles to live computer music performance, and was a pioneer in understanding and influencing the development of MIDI. Wessel became IRCAM’s Director of Pedagogy in 1980, and in that role inspired a generation of international composers, technologists and scientists, a veritable Who’s Who of today’s most prominent creators. As a member of IRCAM’s Artistic Committee, Wessel influenced the selection of artists for IRCAM residences and helped to invent a successful model for combining pedagogy, research and creation. Above all, David Wessel’s omnivorous love of all kinds of music, and his deep generosity, brought an unequaled spark of humanity to the world of man, music, and machines.
This paper explores how an actuated pin-based shape display may serve as a platform on which to b... more This paper explores how an actuated pin-based shape display may serve as a platform on which to build musical instruments and controllers. We designed and prototyped three new instruments that use the shape display not only as an input device, but also as a source of acoustic sound. These cover a range of interaction paradigms to generate ambient textures, polyrhythms, and melodies. This paper first presents existing work from which we drew interactions and metaphors for our designs. We then introduce each of our instruments and the back-end software we used to prototype them. Finally, we offer reflections on some central themes of NIME, including the relationship between musician and machine.
... CiteULike is a free online bibliography manager. Register and you can start organising your r... more ... CiteULike is a free online bibliography manager. Register and you can start organising your references online. Tags. Hyperinstruments: Musically intelligent and interactive performance and creativity systems. ...
Analog Days The Invention and Impact of the Moog Synthesizer. Trevor Pinch and Frank Trocco. Harv... more Analog Days The Invention and Impact of the Moog Synthesizer. Trevor Pinch and Frank Trocco. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 2002. 384 pp. $29.95. ISBN 0-674-00889-8. Constructing their account from interviews with the inventors, engineers, and musicians who worked with the Moog, the authors discuss the invention, development, and impact of electronic synthesizers in the 1960s through mid-1970s.
Morton Subotnick and Tod Machover discuss a variety of issues relating to the use of computers in... more Morton Subotnick and Tod Machover discuss a variety of issues relating to the use of computers in music, and the integration of new resources into the culture. They discuss new instrument development, performance practice and the assimilation of new musical materials in the context of Subotnick's long history of activity in these domains. The interview took place at the 1989 International Computer Music Conference at Ohio State University, and was updated in 1994.
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