Comparison of input devices in an ISEE direct timbre manipulation task

The representation and manipulation of sound within multimedia systems is an important and currently under-researched area. The paper gives an overview of the authors' work on the direct manipulation of audio information, and describes a solution based upon the navigation of four-dimensional scaled timbre spaces. Three hardware input devices were experimentally evaluated for use in a timbre space navigation task: the Apple Standard Mouse, Gravis Advanced Mousestick II joystick (absolute and relative) and the Nintendo Power Glove. Results show that the usability of these devices significantly affected the efficacy of the system, and that conventional low-cost, low-dimensional devices provided better performance than the low-cost, multidimensional dataglove

Musical accompaniments in the preparation of marimba concerti: a survey of selective interactive music software programs

The purpose of this study was to investigate the features of three interactive music software programs and their application in preparing marimba concerti. Specifically, the study evaluated Finale, NOTION, and SmartMusic for their viability in preparing Concerto No. 1 in D Minor for Marimba and Orchestra by Noah Taylor. A review of the literature relating to interactive music software programs revealed a lack of studies examining the use of these types of programs in the preparation of marimba concerti. All three software programs were installed on a 15-inch MacBook Pro computer that met system requirements for all three programs. Documentation indicated that all three interactive music software programs offered viable alternatives to preparing marimba concerti with piano reductions. Finale and NOTION provided comparable instrument sounds in terms of quantity and quality. Finale improved its instrument sound quality and quantity through its integrated Garritan Instruments sound library. NOTION offered improved sound quality and quantity through the purchase of Sound Expansion Kits. Finale’s Tempo Tap feature and NOTION’s NTempo function provided real-time tempo adjustment and the Audio Mixer mechanism for both programs allowed the user to isolate instruments. SmartMusic offered comparable instrument realizations through its SoftSynth device. The program, however, did not offer a tempo control feature that was compatible with marimba. Also, SmartMusic’s export options and Practice Loop feature allowed the user to effectively isolate instruments. Further research recommendations included empirical studies examining the benefits of interactive music software programs on the preparation of marimba concerti and applying earlier studies performed on the Vivace interactive music software program to current music software programs. Descriptive study recommendations included investigating the applications of interactive music software in the preparation of orchestral percussion excerpts and marimba concertos with wind ensemble, percussion ensemble, or chamber ensemble accompaniments

A microtonal wind controller building on Yamaha’s technology to facilitate the performance of music based on the “19-EDO” scale

We describe a project in which several collaborators adapted an existing instrument to make it capable of playing expressively in music based on the microtonal scale characterised by equal divsion of the octave into 19 tones (“19-EDO”). Our objective was not just to build this instrument, however, but also to produce a well-formed piece of music which would exploit it idiomatically, in a performance which would provide listeners with a pleasurable and satisfying musical experience. Hence, consideration of the extent and limits of the playing-techniques of the resulting instrument (a “Wind-Controller”) and of appropriate approaches to the composition of music for it were an integral part of the project from the start. Moreover, the intention was also that the piece, though grounded in the musical characteristics of the 19-EDO scale, would nevertheless have a recognisable relationship with what Dimitri Tymoczko (2010) has called the “Extended Common Practice” of the last millennium. So the article goes on to consider these matters, and to present a score of the resulting new piece, annotated with comments documenting some of the performance issues which it raises. Thus, bringing the project to fruition involved elements of composition, performance, engineering and computing, and the article describes how such an inter-disciplinary, multi-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary collaboration was co-ordinated in a unified manner to achieve the envisaged outcome. Finally, we consider why the building of microtonal instruments is such a problematic issue in a contemporary (“high-tech”) society like ours

Analysis and resynthesis of polyphonic music

This thesis examines applications of Digital Signal Processing to the analysis, transformation, and resynthesis of musical audio. First I give an overview of the human perception of music. I then examine in detail the requirements for a system that can analyse, transcribe, process, and resynthesise monaural polyphonic music. I then describe and compare the possible hardware and software platforms. After this I describe a prototype hybrid system that attempts to carry out these tasks using a method based on additive synthesis. Next I present results from its application to a variety of musical examples, and critically assess its performance and limitations. I then address these issues in the design of a second system based on Gabor wavelets. I conclude by summarising the research and outlining suggestions for future developments

Embouchure Interaction Model for Brass Instruments

A common approach for simulating brass instrument sounds is that of a mass-spring system strongly coupled to an air tube resonator of a certain length. This approach, while yielding good quality timbre results for the synthesized audio, does not aid expressive sound synthesis. An improvement of this modeling design is proposed, which takes into account the independent movement of the embouchure and its influence on the sound. To achieve this interaction, vortex-induced vibration (VIV) is taken into account as an additional source of excitation for the mass-spring system. In addition to this, the model also simulates breath noise of a brass instrument player, which is dependent of the embouchure’s aperture dimensionality. The end result is a real-time VST application of a brass instrument with augmented embouchure interaction. The process loop of the VST is presented step-by-step and the application is evaluated both through informal listening and spectral measurements. From this evaluation, the model showcases a more varied and veridic timbre of brass sound, that supports a more expressive playing style

Exploring the Digital Music Instrument Trombosonic with Extreme Users and at a Participatory Performance

We introduce the “Trombosonic” as a new digital music instrument inspired by the slide trombone. An ultrasonic sensor combined with a red laser allows the performer to play the instrument using similar movements to playing a trombone to change the pitch, despite the absence of a physical slider, by moving one hand back and forth. Additional sensors enhance the potential for musical expression by movement of the whole interface and by using the breath. We identify and discuss a variety of design issues arising from the Trombosonic. Due to its compact size and the lack of a slider, the Trombosonic can be played in many different ways. In order to explore varied potential uses of the Trombosonic, we carried out a series of informal evaluations. These included experts in new musical instruments, an older user, a younger user, an interaction design expert, and the audience at an experimental concert with audience participation. Future work is also discussed. Further technical development might include a built-in microphone to use the human voice and an expansion of the synthesiser’s features

Assessment of the Versatility of Virtual Orchestra Technology as a Rehearsal Tool

This is an assessment of the versatility of Sinfonia virtual orchestra technology for use in a technological rehearsal environment in music education

Buttons, Handles, and Keys: Advances in Continuous-Control Keyboard Instruments

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Buttons, Handles, and Keys: Advances in Continuous-Control Keyboard Instruments, which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/COMJ_a_00297. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with MIT Press Journal's Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving. © 2015, MIT Press Journal