Surface Electromyography for Direct Vocal Control

This paper introduces a new method for direct control using the voice via measurement of vocal muscular activation with surface electromyography (sEMG). Digital musical interfaces based on the voice have typically used indirect control, in which features extracted from audio signals control the parameters of sound generation, for example in audio to MIDI controllers. By contrast, focusing on the musculature of the singing voice allows direct muscular control, or alternatively, combined direct and indirect control in an augmented vocal instrument. In this way we aim to both preserve the intimate relationship a vocalist has with their instrument and key timbral and stylistic characteristics of the voice while expanding its sonic capabilities. This paper discusses other digital instruments which effectively utilise a combination of indirect and direct control as well as a history of controllers involving the voice. Subsequently, a new method of direct control from physiological aspects of singing through sEMG and its capabilities are discussed. Future developments of the system are further outlined along with usage in performance studies, interactive live vocal performance, and educational and practice tools

residUUm: user mapping and performance strategies for multilayered live audiovisual generation

We propose residUUm, an audiovisual performance tool that uses sonification to orchestrate a particle system of shapes, as an attempt to build an audiovisual user interface in which all the actions of a performer on a laptop are in- tended to be explicitly interpreted by the audience. We pro- pose two approaches to performing with residUUm and dis- cuss the methods utilized to fulfill the promise of audience- visible interaction: mapping and performance strategies ap- plied to express audiovisual interactions with multilayered sound-image relationships. The system received positive feedback from 34 audience participants on aspects such as aesthetics and audiovisual integration, and we identified fur- ther design challenges around performance clarity and strat- egy. We discuss residUUm’s development objectives, modes of interaction and the impact of an audience-visible inter- face on the performer and observer