Church Belles: An Interactive System and Composition Using Real-World Metaphors

This paper presents a brief review of current literature detailing some of the issues and trends in composition and performance with interactive music systems. Of particular interest is how musicians interact with a separate machine entity that exercises agency over the creative process. The use of real-world metaphors as a strategy for increasing audience engagement is also discussed. The composition and system Church Belles is presented, analyzed and evaluated in terms of its architecture, how it relates to existing studies of musician-machine creative interaction and how the use of a real-world metaphor can promote audience perceptions of liveness. This develops previous NIME work by offering a detailed case study of the development process of both a system and a piece for popular, non-improvisational vocal/guitar music. keywords: Interactive music systems, real-world, metaphor, physical model, popular musi

Audio-visual-olfactory resource allocation for tri-modal virtual environments

© 2019 IEEE. Virtual Environments (VEs) provide the opportunity to simulate a wide range of applications, from training to entertainment, in a safe and controlled manner. For applications which require realistic representations of real world environments, the VEs need to provide multiple, physically accurate sensory stimuli. However, simulating all the senses that comprise the human sensory system (HSS) is a task that requires significant computational resources. Since it is intractable to deliver all senses at the highest quality, we propose a resource distribution scheme in order to achieve an optimal perceptual experience within the given computational budgets. This paper investigates resource balancing for multi-modal scenarios composed of aural, visual and olfactory stimuli. Three experimental studies were conducted. The first experiment identified perceptual boundaries for olfactory computation. In the second experiment, participants (N=25) were asked, across a fixed number of budgets (M=5), to identify what they perceived to be the best visual, acoustic and olfactory stimulus quality for a given computational budget. Results demonstrate that participants tend to prioritize visual quality compared to other sensory stimuli. However, as the budget size is increased, users prefer a balanced distribution of resources with an increased preference for having smell impulses in the VE. Based on the collected data, a quality prediction model is proposed and its accuracy is validated against previously unused budgets and an untested scenario in a third and final experiment

Fundamental solutions for water wave animation

This paper investigates the use of fundamental solutions for animating detailed linear water surface waves. We first propose an analytical solution for efficiently animating circular ripples in closed form. We then show how to adapt the method of fundamental solutions (MFS) to create ambient waves interacting with complex obstacles. Subsequently, we present a novel wavelet-based discretization which outperforms the state of the art MFS approach for simulating time-varying water surface waves with moving obstacles. Our results feature high-resolution spatial details, interactions with complex boundaries, and large open ocean domains. Our method compares favorably with previous work as well as known analytical solutions. We also present comparisons between our method and real world examples

Church Belles: An Interactive System and Composition Using Real-World Metaphors: In Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression, Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University

Church Belles explores how creating and using an interactive system for popular songwriting based on a physical metaphor impacts the composition process and the liveness of performances. Composing the piece was central to the research process (Candy and Edmonds, 2018) which involved a cyclical, iterative process of literature review, system-building/composing and reflection. While common in more experimental styles, the use of interactive music systems in popular music tends to be limited (Marchini et al, 2017). Several studies have demonstrated the potential for physical metaphors to be used as a design strategy for interactive systems (Johnston et al, 2009) that both facilitates audience understanding and focuses the compositional process. In this piece, church bells were selected as the metaphor they are a highly familiar cultural object with a simple physical mechanism, capable of producing complex timbres and unpredictable rhythms. Church Belles explores the impact of using an interactive system throughout the songwriting process. Creating the system therefore began before any songwriting took place, maximising the system’s influence over each stage of the composition. The research reveals strategies for working with interactive systems in highly-structured popular music contexts, which have been disseminated by a paper and demonstration at New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME) (Waite, 2016). Performances with the piece demonstrate high levels of several aspects of liveness (Sanden, 2013). Findings have been shared with international academic and professional audiences at Innovations in Music 2017 (London); Tracking the Creative Process in Music 2017 (Huddersfield) and Loop 2017 (Berlin). Recordings of the piece and accompanying commentary have been published online and the piece has been performed at Sonorities 2016 (Queen’s University), MTI concerts (De Montfort University) and NoiseFloor (Staffordshire University). The software for the piece is available for free download

PROSIDING Teknologi Virtual dan Preservasi Nilai Tradisi dalam Seni Pertunjukan

Perubahan dinamika budaya perlu diperhatikan guna melestarikan nilai-nilai tradisional dalam seni pertunjukan. Dalam mewariskan nilai-nilai seni tradisional, perubahan pola pikir antargenerasi juga menjadi pertimbangan yang serius. Dalam perkembangan teknologi digital, pola pikir generasi mile-nial sangat praktis dan pragmatis terhadap apapun. Perkembangan teknologi digital memungkinkan para milenial menikmati berbagai aktivitas hiburan online tanpa harus mengikuti pagelaran seni tradi-sional. Diperlukan strategi dalam memanfaatkan keakraban generasi milenial dan teknologi untuk melestarikan nilai-nilai tradisional seni pertunjukan. Salah satu metode yang dapat digunakan adalah dengan menggunakan teknologi virtual. Artikel inimenggunakan studi literatur untuk membahas topik penggunaan teknologi virtual untuk melestarikan nilai-nilai tradisional dalam seni pertunjukan. Alha-sil, teknologi virtual dapat menampilkan kesenian tradisional dalam bentuk yang baru dan lebih inter-aktif. Teknologi ini juga sangat membantu proses pembelajaran seni pertunjukan tradisional. Tentu-nya hal ini berperan dalam pelestarian nilai seni tradisi. Selain itu, teknologi virtual juga dapat diguna-kan untuk memperkuat penyampaian pesan dari seniman kepada penonton. Kata kunci: virtual, seni, pertunjukan, digital, dan tradis

Spatial Sound Rendering – A Survey

Simulating propagation of sound and audio rendering can improve the sense of realism and the immersion both in complex acoustic environments and dynamic virtual scenes. In studies of sound auralization, the focus has always been on room acoustics modeling, but most of the same methods are also applicable in the construction of virtual environments such as those developed to facilitate computer gaming, cognitive research, and simulated training scenarios. This paper is a review of state-of-the-art techniques that are based on acoustic principles that apply not only to real rooms but also in 3D virtual environments. The paper also highlights the need to expand the field of immersive sound in a web based browsing environment, because, despite the interest and many benefits, few developments seem to have taken place within this context. Moreover, the paper includes a list of the most effective algorithms used for modelling spatial sound propagation and reports their advantages and disadvantages. Finally, the paper emphasizes in the evaluation of these proposed works

Towards the Perception of Sound Source Directivity Inside Six-Degrees-of-Freedom Virtual Reality

Sound source directivity is a measure of the distribution of sound, propagating from a source object. It is an essential component of how we perceive acoustic environments, interactions and events. For six-degrees-of-freedom (6-DoF) virtual reality (VR), the combination of binaural audio and complete freedom of movement introduces new influencing elements into how we perceive source directivity. This preliminary study aims to explore if factors attributed to 6- DoF VR have an impact on the way we perceive changes of simple sound source directivity. The study is divided into two parts. Part I comprises of a control experiment in a non-VR monaural listening environment. The task is to ascertain difference limen between reference and test signals using a method of adjustment test. Based on the findings in Part I, Part II implements maximum attenuation thresholds on the same sound source directivity patterns using the same stimuli in 6-DoF VR. Results indicate that for critical steady-state signals, factors introduced by 6-DoF VR potentially mask our ability to detect loudness differences. Further analysis of the behavioral data acquired during Part II provides more insight into how subjects assess sound source directivity in 6-DoF VR

Corporalité en performance électroacoustique : une approche

Mémoire en recherche-créationCe mémoire de maîtrise synthétise la démarche de recherche qui a mené à la création des œuvres audiovisuelles Interférences (String Network), DATANOISE et Pharmacologie, ainsi qu’à deux études de musique fixée. Ce texte propose une réflexion sur les possibilités d’utilisation des technologies numériques en temps réel, dans un contexte de performance électroacoustique. Il vise à développer des stratégies afin de pouvoir interpréter et incarner physiquement les musiques numériques. Les notions de risque, de collaboration et de symbolique en musique sont abordées. Ce mémoire défend la création de dispositifs audiovisuels spécifiques comme élément constituant de l’œuvre artistique. Il tend vers une corporalité de l’œuvre électroacoustique, par la recherche d’adéquation entre la nature des outils utilisés, l’attitude corporelle de l’interprète, la symbolique des éléments visibles, et le contenu de la composition musicale.This Master’s thesis summarizes the the research process that led to the creation of audiovisual works Interférences (String Network), DATANOISE and Pharmacologie, as well as two studies of fixed music. This text proposes a reflection on the possibilities of using digital technologies in real time, in a context of electroacoustic performance. It aims to develop strategies to perform and embody digital music. The notions of risk, collaboration and symbolism in music are discussed. This thesis defends the creation of specific audiovisual devices as constituent element of the artistic work. It tends towards a corporality of the electroacoustic work, by the search of adequacy between the nature of the tools used, the bodily attitude of the interpreter, the symbolism of the visible elements, and the content of the musical composition

Networks of Liveness in Singer-Songwriting: A practice-based enquiry into developing audio-visual interactive systems and creative strategies for composition and performance.

This enquiry explores the creation and use of computer-based, real-time interactive audio-visual systems for the composition and performance of popular music by solo artists. Using a practice-based methodology, research questions are identified that relate to the impact of incorporating interactive systems into the songwriting process and the liveness of the performances with them. Four approaches to the creation of interactive systems are identified: creating explorative-generative tools, multiple tools for guitar/vocal pieces, typing systems and audio-visual metaphors. A portfolio of ten pieces that use these approaches was developed for live performance. A model of the songwriting process is presented that incorporates system-building and strategies are identified for reconciling the indeterminate, electronic audio output of the system with composed popular music features and instrumental/vocal output. The four system approaches and ten pieces are compared in terms of four aspects of liveness, derived from current theories. It was found that, in terms of overall liveness, a unity to system design facilitated both technological and aesthetic connections between the composition, the system processes and the audio and visual outputs. However, there was considerable variation between the four system approaches in terms of the different aspects of liveness. The enquiry concludes by identifying strategies for maximising liveness in the different system approaches and discussing the connections between liveness and the songwriting process

Sonic interactions in virtual environments

This book tackles the design of 3D spatial interactions in an audio-centered and audio-first perspective, providing the fundamental notions related to the creation and evaluation of immersive sonic experiences. The key elements that enhance the sensation of place in a virtual environment (VE) are: Immersive audio: the computational aspects of the acoustical-space properties of Virutal Reality (VR) technologies Sonic interaction: the human-computer interplay through auditory feedback in VE VR systems: naturally support multimodal integration, impacting different application domains Sonic Interactions in Virtual Environments will feature state-of-the-art research on real-time auralization, sonic interaction design in VR, quality of the experience in multimodal scenarios, and applications. Contributors and editors include interdisciplinary experts from the fields of computer science, engineering, acoustics, psychology, design, humanities, and beyond. Their mission is to shape an emerging new field of study at the intersection of sonic interaction design and immersive media, embracing an archipelago of existing research spread in different audio communities and to increase among the VR communities, researchers, and practitioners, the awareness of the importance of sonic elements when designing immersive environments