Synesthetic: Composing Works for Marimba and Automated Lighting

This paper describes a series of explorations aimed at developing new modes of performance using percussion and computer-controlled lighting, linked by electronic sensing technology. Music and colour are often imagined to be related and parallels have been drawn between the colour spectrum and keyboard. Some people experience a condition, chromesthesia (a type of synesthesia), where experiences of colour and sound are linked in the brain. In our work, we sought to explore such links and render them on stage as part of a musical performance. Over the course of this project, tools and strategies were developed to create a performance work consisting of five short movements, each emphasising a different interactive strategy between the performer, lights, and composition. In this paper, we describe the tools created to support this work: a custom wearable lighting and sensing system, and microcontroller-based OSC to DMX lighting controller. We discuss each composition and how the interactions reflect ideas about synesthesia.Arts Council Norwa

Ensemble Metatone: Research Rehearsal 2013-04-21

This free-improvised musical work was performed by Ensemble Metatone in April 2013 at the Australian National University. It was part of a series of rehearsals-as-research arranged to investigate percussive interactions with touch-screen computer music instruments developed by Charles Martin. These performances were recorded with multiple channels of audio and video. Touch-screen data from the computer music instruments was also recorded and animated to help understand the performers’ touch gestures throughout the performance. The video of this performance and interaction log data are included in this record

Ensemble Metatone: Research Rehearsal 2013-04-20, Set 2

This performance was part of a series of rehearsals-as-research by Ensemble Metatone to investigate percussive interactions with touch-screen computer music instruments developed by Charles Martin. These performances were recorded with multiple channels of audio and video. Touch-screen data from the computer music instruments was also recorded and animated to help understand the performers’ touch gestures throughout the performance. The performance was free-improvised with no instructions given to any of the performers. The end of the improvisation was defined to be when all performers had stopped playing. In this set, the members of Ensemble Metatone used iPads with the MetaTravels app as their only instruments. The performance took place on 20-04-2013 in the Listening Space studio at the ANU School of Music

Ensemble Metatone: Research Rehearsal 2013-05-04, Set 1

This free-improvised musical work was performed by Ensemble Metatone in May 2013 at the Australian National University. It was part of a series of rehearsals-as-research arranged to investigate percussive interactions with touch-screen computer music instruments developed by Charles Martin. These performances were recorded with multiple channels of audio and video. Touch-screen data from the computer music instruments was also recorded and animated to help understand the performers’ touch gestures throughout the performance

Ensemble Metatone: Research Rehearsal 2013-04-20, Set 1

This free-improvised musical work was performed by Ensemble Metatone in April 2013 at the Australian National University. It was part of a series of rehearsals-as-research arranged to investigate percussive interactions with touch-screen computer music instruments developed by Charles Martin

Ensemble Metatone: Research Rehearsal 2013-08-03

This free-improvised set of musical works was performed by Ensemble Metatone in August 2013 at the Australian National University. It was part of a series of rehearsals-as-research arranged to investigate percussive interactions with touch-screen computer music instruments developed by Charles Martin. Two works were included in this rehearsal: MetaLonsdale, using just iPads, and MetaTravels, using iPads as well as percussion instruments. The performances were recorded with multiple channels of audio and video. Touch-screen data from the computer music instruments was also recorded and animated to help understand the performers’ touch gestures throughout the performance. The video of this performance and interaction log data are included in this record

Ensemble Metatone: Research Rehearsal 2013-04-27

This free-improvised musical work was performed by Ensemble Metatone in April 2013 at the Australian National University. It was part of a series of rehearsals-as-research arranged to investigate percussive interactions with touch-screen computer music instruments developed by Charles Martin. These performances were recorded with multiple channels of audio and video. Touch-screen data from the computer music instruments was also recorded and animated to help understand the performers’ touch gestures throughout the performance. The video of this performance and interaction log data are included in this record

Ensemble Metatone: Research Rehearsal 2013-05-04, Set 2

This free-improvised musical work was performed by Ensemble Metatone in May 2013 at the Australian National University. It was part of a series of rehearsals-as-research arranged to investigate percussive interactions with touch-screen computer music instruments developed by Charles Martin. These performances were recorded with multiple channels of audio and video. Touch-screen data from the computer music instruments was also recorded and animated to help understand the performers’ touch gestures throughout the performance. The video of this performance and interaction log data are included in this record

Ensemble Metatone: Research Concert 2013-08-03

This free-improvised set of musical works was performed at a research concert by Ensemble Metatone in August 2013 at the Australian National University. It formed the end of a series of rehearsals-as-research arranged to investigate percussive interactions with touch-screen computer music instruments developed by Charles Martin. Two works were included in the concert: MetaLonsdale, using just iPads, and MetaTravels, using iPads as well as percussion instruments. The performances were recorded with multiple channels of audio and video. Touch-screen data from the computer music instruments was also recorded and animated to help understand the performers’ touch gestures throughout the performance. The video of this performance and interaction log data are included in this record