Cueing and composing for long distance network music collaborations.

Long distance network music collaborations beyond the ensemble performance threshold (EPT) as exposed by Schuett in 2002 [14] where playability is affected beyond a roundtrip network delay of 50ms calls for the development of cueing mechanisms that are methodical and linked to musical parameters. The cueing strategies involved in such musical interactions will depend on the type of repertoire played and the network distance (ND) between the nodes involved in the performance. This paper proposes a semi-standardized cueing framework for real time collaborations over the network with latencies of more than 50ms. The paper also explores a compositional methodology for creating network centric performances, which couldn’t occur outside of a networked situation

Interfacing the Network: An Embedded Approach to Network Instrument Creation

This paper discusses the design, construction, and development of a multi-site collaborative instrument, The Loop, developed by the JacksOn4 collective during 2009-10 and formally presented in Oslo at the arts.on.wires and NIME conferences in 2011. The development of this instrument is primarily a reaction to historical network performance that either attempts to present traditional acoustic practice in a distributed format or utilises the network as a conduit to shuttle acoustic and performance data amongst participant nodes. In both scenarios the network is an integral and indispensible part of the performance, however, the network is not perceived as an instrument, per se. The Loop is an attempt to create a single, distributed hybrid instrument retaining traditionally acoustic interfaces and resonant bodies that are mediated by the network. The embedding of the network into the body of the instrument raises many practical and theoretical discussions, which are explored in this paper through a reflection upon the notion of the distributed instrument and the way in which its design impacts the behaviour of the participants (performers and audiences); the mediation of musical expression across networks; the bi-directional relationship between instrument and design; as well as how the instrument assists in the realisation of the creators’ compositional and artistic goals

Aesthetically driven design of network based multi-user instruments.

Digital networking technologies open up a new world of possibilities for music making, allowing performers to collaborate in ways not possible before. Network based Multi-User Instruments (NMIs) are one novel method of musical collaboration that take advantage of networking technology. NMIs are digital musical instruments that exist as a single entity instantiated over several nodes in a network and are performed simultaneously by multiple musicians in realtime. This new avenue is exciting, but it begs the question of how does one design instruments for this new medium? This research explores the use of an aesthetically driven design process to guide the design, construction, rehearsal, and performance of a series of NMIs. This is an iterative process that makes use of a regularly rehearsing and performing ensemble which serves as a test-bed for new instruments, from conception, to design, to implementation, to performance. This research includes details of several NMIs constructed in accordance with this design process. These NMIs have been quantitatively analysed and empirically tested for the presence of interconnectivity and group influence during performance as a method for measuring group collaboration. Furthermore qualitative analyses are applied which test for the perceived e ectiveness of these instruments during real-world performances in front of live audiences. The results of these analyses show that an aesthetically driven method of designing NMIs produces instruments that are interactive and collaborative. Furthermore results show that audiences perceive a measurable impression of interconnectivity and liveness in the ensemble even though most of the performers in the ensemble are not physically present

Camadas tecnológicas da música feita através da rede de Internet

Este artigo se propõe a refletir sobre a minha pesquisa de mestrado no Programa de Pós-graduação em Música da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG. Tenho investigado as questões relacionadas ao uso da computação musical e das tecnologias de redes avançadas de telecomunicação, como meio para o desenvolvimento de sistemas de composição interativo e distribuído geograficamente. Aqui, destacarei as camadas de softwares envolvidas na produção de Música em Rede os quais foram discutidos e implementados durante o estágio docente por mim realizado com a disciplina “Teoria e Prática da Música em Rede”, ministrada em 2015 e oferecida como optativa para o curso de graduação em música na UFMG. Quais são as habilidades e conhecimentos tecnológicos que o músico tradicional precisa ter para tocar remotamente com outros músicos? Quais as implicações técnicas e estéticas da Música em Rede? Perguntas como estas nos guiaram durante a realização da disciplina, permitindo elucidar o modus operandi desta realização. Destacaremos camadas tecnológicas envolvendo captura e roteamento de áudio, codificação de vídeo e monitoramento das conexões da rede de Internet. A abordagem escolhida engloba a multiplicidade de tarefas existentes na produção e performance de música em rede, numa tentativa de oferecer um conhecimento abrangente, para trazer autonomia aos participantes

Computer Musicking: Designing for Collaborative Digital Musical Interaction.

PhDThis thesis is about the design of software which enables groups of people to make music together. Networked musical interaction has been an important aspect of Sound and Music Computing research since the early days, although collaborative music software has yet to gain mainstream popularity, and there is currently limited research on the design of such interfaces. This thesis draws on research from Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) to explore the design of systems for Collaborative Digital Musical Interaction (CDMI). A central focus of this research is the concept of Awareness: a person’s understanding of what is happening, and of who is doing what. A novel software interface is developed and used over three experimental studies to investigate the effects different interface designs have on the way groups of musicians collaborate. Existing frameworks from CSCW are extended to accommodate the properties of music as an auditory medium, and theories of conventional musical interaction are used to elaborate on the nature of music making as a collaborative and social activity which is focused on process-oriented creativity. This research contributes to the fields of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer Supported Cooperative Work, and Sound and Music Computing through the identification of empirically derived design implications and recommendations for collaborative musical environments. These guidelines are demonstrated through the design of a hypothetical collaborative music system. This thesis also contributes towards the methodology for evaluating such systems, and considers the distinctions between CDMI and the forms of collaboration traditionally studied within CSCW.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Doctoral Training Account Award (DTA)