Musical Interfaces
Professor Miller Puckette - Limitations of Computers as Musical Tools
Acoustic Interfaces
- Sound source and interface are the same.
- Fixed mapping.
- Haptic Feedback.
Electronic Instruments
- Sound and interface are separated by Mapping
- No built in feedback.
- Indirect / Abstract mapping possible.
Purpose / Context
The purpose / context of the interface is extremely important.
- Is the user an expert of amateur?
- What sort of music is created with the instrument?
- How might an interface for composition be different than an instrument for improvisation?
- Ergonomics?
- Relationship between performer and audience.
- Is it clear what the performer is doing? How she is manipulating sound?
- How does this change in the context of interactive music which might not have the same notion of audience?
Interaction Model
The interaction model is how people use the interface and how it responds to them (and importantly, how they respond back to it responding). Feedback!
Basic Interaction Model
Improvisatory Interaction Model
The above models, but add in another feedback loop in which the audience listening affects the performer.
Feedback / Feedforward
Helps articulating control.
Active Engagement.
Clarity of intent.
Instruments
Princeton Laptop Orchestra
Keith McMillen - K-Bow
Jazzmutant - LEMUR
Blendie - Kelly Dobson’s sitet
Artiphon
Is it possible to create an interface which is expressive for both novices and advanced players?
Prepared Instruments
Prepared instruments modify existing instruments with additional composed elements.
Cage Sonata for Prepared Piano
La Monte Young - Well Tuned Piano
Playing the Building - David Byrne