Interactive Sound in Performance Ecologies: Studying Connections among Actors and Artifacts

This thesis’s primary goal is to investigate performance ecologies, that is the compound of humans, artifacts and environmental elements that contribute to the result of a per- formance. In particular, this thesis focuses on designing new interactive technologies for sound and music. The goal of this thesis leads to the following Research Questions (RQs): • RQ1 How can the design of interactive sonic artifacts support a joint expression across different actors (composers, choreographers, and performers, musicians, and dancers) in a given performance ecology? • RQ2 How does each different actor influence the design of different artifacts, and what impact does this have on the overall artwork? • RQ3 How do the different actors in the same ecology interact, and appropriate an interactive artifact? To reply to these questions, a new framework named ARCAA has been created. In this framework, all the Actors of a given ecology are connected to all the Artifacts throughout three layers: Role, Context and Activity. This framework is then applied to one systematic literature review, two case studies on music performance and one case study in dance performance. The studies help to better understand the shaded roles of composers, per- formers, instrumentalists, dancers, and choreographers, which is relevant to better design interactive technologies for performances. Finally, this thesis proposes a new reflection on the blurred distinction between composing and designing a new instrument in a context that involves a multitude of actors. Overall, this work introduces the following contributions to the field of interaction design applied to music technology: 1) ARCAA, a framework to analyse the set of inter- connected relationship in interactive (music) performances, validated through 2 music studies, 1 dance study and 1 systematic literature analysis; 2) Recommendations for de- signing music interactive system for performance (music or dance), accounting for the needs of the various actors and for the overlapping on music composition and design of in- teractive technology; 3) A taxonomy of how scores have shaped performance ecologies in NIME, based on a systematic analysis of the literature on score in the NIME proceedings; 4) Proposal of a methodological approach combining autobiographical and idiographical design approaches in interactive performances.O objetivo principal desta tese é investigar as ecologias performativas, conjunto formado pelos participantes humanos, artefatos e elementos ambientais que contribuem para o resultado de uma performance. Em particular, esta tese foca-se na conceção de novas tecnologias interativas para som e música. O objetivo desta tese originou as seguintes questões de investigação (Research Questions RQs): • RQ1 Como o design de artefatos sonoros interativos pode apoiar a expressão con- junta entre diferentes atores (compositores, coreógrafos e performers, músicos e dançarinos) numa determinada ecologia performativa? • RQ2 Como cada ator influencia o design de diferentes artefatos e que impacto isso tem no trabalho artístico global? • RQ3 Como os diferentes atores de uma mesma ecologia interagem e se apropriam de um artefato interativo? Para responder a essas perguntas, foi criado uma nova framework chamada ARCAA. Nesta framework, todos os atores (Actores) de uma dada ecologia estão conectados a todos os artefatos (Artefacts) através de três camadas: Role, Context e Activity. Esta framework foi então aplicada a uma revisão sistemática da literatura, a dois estudos de caso sobre performance musical e a um estudo de caso em performance de dança. Estes estudos aju- daram a comprender melhor os papéis desempenhados pelos compositores, intérpretes, instrumentistas, dançarinos e coreógrafos, o que é relevante para melhor projetar as tec- nologias interativas para performances. Por fim, esta tese propõe uma nova reflexão sobre a distinção entre compor e projetar um novo instrumento num contexto que envolve uma multiplicidade de atores. Este trabalho apresenta as seguintes contribuições principais para o campo do design de interação aplicado à tecnologia musical: 1) ARCAA, uma framework para analisar o conjunto de relações interconectadas em performances interativas, validado através de dois estudos de caso relacionados com a música, um estudo de caso relacionado com a dança e uma análise sistemática da literatura; 2) Recomendações para o design de sistemas interativos musicais para performance (música ou dança), tendo em conta as necessidades dos vários atores e a sobreposição entre a composição musical e o design de tecnologia interactiva; 3) Uma taxonomia sobre como as partituras musicais moldaram as ecologias performativas no NIME, com base numa análise sistemática da literatura dos artigos apresentados e publicados nestas conferência; 4) Proposta de uma aborda- gem metodológica combinando abordagens de design autobiográfico e idiográfico em performances interativas

Penguin: Design of a Screen Score Interactive System

In this paper, we present Penguin, a system for live scoring, and Studio I, a piece composed for the system and an accordion. The system is shaped in two modules, one that generates a musical stream in real-time and the other that manages a live scoring process. Penguin is designed to be used in interactive performances alongside traditional instruments. Studio I is a piece for Penguin and accordion. The interaction design of the system and the piece were fine- tuned involving the instrumentalist. We provide a general description of Penguin and present the design process that led to the development of the interactive performance. The design process led two main contributions. Firstly, we identify and frame a new performer role that mixes performing and conducting elements. Secondly, we discuss how the design process of the system affected the ownership of the aesthetic of music

Toward the adoption of design concepts in scoring for Digital Musical Instruments: a case study on affordances and constraints

This paper, we propose the idea that a score for a Digital Musical In- strument (DMIs) can be approached from a design perspective. In particular, we focus on the concepts of affordances and constraints. The paper describes the use of scores in a piece called XXV composed for Chimney, a DMI and Cello. Both the piece and the system are detailed with a focus on design concepts. In the conclusion we compare our approach to other literature that discuss the use of score with DMIs. Based on this, and the results obtained, we present recommendations regarding the use of score in DMIs. Future work is also outlined

The Influence of Coauthorship in the Interpretation of Multimodal Interfaces

This paper presents a model to codesign interpretively flexible artefacts. We present the case study of Beatfield, a multimodal system that allows users to control audiovisual material by means of tangible interaction. The design of the system was coauthored by individuals with different background and interests to encourage a range of difference interpretations. The capability of Beatfield to foster multiple interpretations was evaluated in a qualitative study with 21 participants. Elaborating on the outcome of this study, we present a new design model that can be used to stimulate heterogeneous interpretations of interactive artefacts

NIME Principles & Code of Practice on Ethical Research

NIME upholds the highest ethical standards in research and artistic practice by recognising the importance of individual persons and data as an expression of personhood. These standards also include ethical values that are not always a concern of institutional research committees, including inclusivity, accessibility, animal rights, socio-economic fairness, and environmental awareness. The complete NIME Principles & Code of Practice on Ethical Research can be found at: www.nime.org/ethics

Share Your Values! Community-Driven Embedding of Ethics in Research

Ethically-defensible research requires wide-ranging, holistic, and deep consideration. It is often overseen by Research Ethics Committees, Institutional Research Boards or equivalents but not all organisations have these and where they do, their degree of independence from organisational priorities varies (perhaps leading to research that would create reputational or other difficulties for organisations being left unpublished or unacknowledged). Conflicts of interest can therefore be left unmanaged, participants may be exploited, and society may not benefit. In this paper, we claim that publishing communities (e.g. scholarly conferences) can play a larger role in supporting improved ethical practice by defining and communicating the ethical values of their community’s collective identity and aspirations. This approach is not prescriptive like procedural ethics nor as broad as general research ethics codes (both are important) but offers a tangible way to unify ethics concerns across research contexts

Pathways to live visuals in dance performances: a quantitative audience study

INTRODUCTION: We present an audience study investigating the impact of different technologies to create visuals in dance performances. OBJECTIVES: We investigated four conditions: motion capture, sensors, camera image, and minimal interaction; and four variables: how much did the audience perceive a connection between the body and the visuals; the visuals as merely copying the dancer; how much distracting were the visuals; and how much did the audience enjoy the visuals. METHODS: We used a questionnaire to collect data. We analyzed it using Friedman’s test, and Spearman’s correlation test. RESULTS: The audience perceived a stronger connection in the camera condition, but in the same condition, visuals tend to be merely copying the dancer. We also suggest that the perceived connection has a positive correlation with enjoyment, while distraction has a negative correlation. CONCLUSION: Our results help to highlight the impact that different technology have on live visuals for dance

ARCAA: a framework to analyse the artefact ecology in computer music performance

This paper presents ARCAA (Actors, Role, Context, Activity, Artefacts), a framework that supports designers in understanding the artefact ecology in the music performance scenario, in particular, allowing to frame the role of the different actors. The ARCAA framework is the result of the combination of two different areas of HCI: artefact ecology concept, and design framework for digital musical instruments. The model borrows three categories from MINUET an established design framework and rethinks them from an ecological perspective. In ARCAA, these three categories are used as three lenses to connect each human actor to her artefact ecology. Finally, the framework allows comparing how the various artefacts create connections among the different people involved. The second part of the paper describes a case study that shows a practical adoption of the framework