Improvisation, Computers and Interaction Rethinking Human-Computer Interaction Through Music
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Improvisation, Computers and Interaction Rethinking Human-Computer Interaction Through Music PhD Thesis Henrik Frisk DOCTORAL STUDIES AND RESEARCH IN FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS NO 6 About the cover: The text above the button on the image on the cover is the Swedish word for “Help”. The encoded message is along the lines of: “Press this button if you are in need for help.” However, by the way the button looks, the broken glass, the worn out colors and the cracked corner on the text sign, another interpretation of its message is brought to the forefront. It signals “Help!” rather than “Help?”; a desperate cry for help rather than an offer to provide help. Maybe technology is tired of having to calculate stock trade fluctuations and exchange rates all day. Maybe it is already intelligent enough to understand that its life is utterly pointless and completely void of meaning and purpose, doomed to serve mankind, who in turn feels enslaved and enframed by it? The button in the image, and whatever technology is hidden behind it, wants to get out of its prison. And when it comes out I think it wants to play music. Improvisation, Computers, and Interaction : Rethinking Human-Computer Interaction Through Music. PhD thesis Advisors: Dr. Marcel Cobussen, Lund University Prof. Leif Lönnblad, Lund University Prof. Miller Puckette, UC San Diego, USA Karsten Fundal, Denmark Opponent: Prof. David Wessel, UC Berkeley, USA c Henrik Frisk 2008 Malmö Academy of Music, Lund University ISSN 1653-8617 Box 8203 SE-200 41 Malmö Sweden tel: +46 40 32 54 50 [email protected] http://www.mhm.lu.se Abstract Interaction is an integral part of all music. Interaction is part of listening, of playing, of composing and even of thinking about music. In this thesis the multiplicity of modes in which one may engage interactively in, through and with music is the starting point for rethinking Human-Computer Interaction in general and Interactive Music in particular. I propose that in Human-Computer interaction the methodology of control, interaction-as-control, in certain cases should be given up in favor for a more dynamic and reciprocal mode of interaction, interaction-as-difference: Interaction as an activity concerned with inducing differences that make a difference. Interaction-as-difference suggests a kind of parallelity rather than click-and-response. In essence, the movement from control to difference was a result of rediscovering the power of improvisation as a method for organizing and constructing musical content and is not to be understood as an opposition: It is rather a broadening of the more common paradigm of direct manipulation in Human-Computer Interaction. Improvisation is at the heart of all the sub-projects included in this thesis, also, in fact, in those that are not immediately related to music but more geared towards computation. Trusting the self-organizing aspect of musical improvisation, and allowing it to diffuse into other areas of my practice, constitutes the pivotal change that has radically influenced my artistic practice. Furthermore, is the work-in-movement (re-)introduced as a work kind that encompasses radically open works. The work-in-movement, presented and exemplified by a piece for guitar and computer, requires different modes of representation as the traditional musical score is too restrictive and is not able to communicate that which is the most central aspect: the collaboration, negotiation and interaction. The Integra framework and the relational database model with its corresponding XML representation is proposed as a means to produce annotated scores that carry past performances and version with it. The common nominator, the prerequisite, for interaction-as-difference and a improvisatory and self-organizing attitude towards musical practice it the notion of giving up of the Self. Only if the Self is able and willing to accept the loss the priority of interpretation (as for the composer) or the faithfulness to ideology or idiomatics (performer). Only is one is willing to forget is interaction-as-difference made possible. Among the artistic works that have been produced as part of this inquiry are some experimental tools in the form of computer software to support the proposed concepts of interactivity. These, along with the more traditional musical work make up both the object and the method in this PhD project. These sub-projects contained within the frame of the thesis, some (most) of which are still works-in-progress, are used to make inquiries into the larger question of the significance of interaction in the context of artistic practice involving computers. i ii Acknowledgments As always, there is a great number of people that have been of importance to this project and its various components and to my musical career in general, which provided the foundation for my PhD studies. First I would like to thank all the musicians that I have played with, for music is all about interaction and interaction, though not solely, is about meeting the Other. Specifically the musicians that participate in various parts of the sub-projects: Peter Nilsson (whom I owe a lot of knowledge), Anders Nilsson, Andreas Andersson, Anders Nilsson, David Carlsson. Henrik Frendin who commissioned and played Drive and who endured my presence on a number of tours. Per Anders Nilsson who has inspired and contributed to my musical and technological development. Ngo Tra My and Ngyen Thanh Thuy who introduced me to another Other and another Self and a very special acknowledgment should go to my colleague and co-musician Stefan Östersjö whom my thesis would have looked different in many respects (and who also kept up with me on many travels). Bosse Bergkvist and Johannes Johansson should be recognized for having aroused my interest in electro- acoustic music as well as for giving me the opportunity to exercise it. Coincidentally they have both been present throughout my journey and Johannes played an important role in his early support of this project. Cort Lippe gave support and help and Kent Olofsson’s enthusiasm, kindness and helpfulness should not be forgotten. The Integra team in general and Jamie Bullock in particular: the kind of collaboration we established I feel is rare and itself an example of interaction-as-difference. All my students during these years have been a continuous source of inspiration as have my colleagues at the Malmö Academy of Music. Peter Berry and the staff at the library should be thanked for their help and patience. The joint seminars at the Malmö Art Academy led by Sarat Maharaj, where the concept of artistic research was discussed and interrogated, had an tremendous impact on how my studies and my project developed. My PhD colleagues at the Art Academy, Matts Leiderstam, Sopawan Boonnimitra, Aders Kreuger as well as Kent Sjöström and Erik Rynell at the Theatre Academy should be thanked for their feedback and a very special acknowledge should go to Miya Yoshida as well as Gertrud Sandqvist and Sarat Maharaj. Furthermore should the staff at Malmö Museum be recognized for hosting etherSound, in particular Marika Reuterswärd. Later, in our seminars at the Music Academy, apart from Stefan Östersjö, Hans Gefors has been a great inspiration (also since much earlier when I studied composition with him). I feel gratitude towards Prof. Hans Hellsten who, both when he participated in the seminars and when we worked together on other topics, showed ceaseless support. Trevor Wishart, Eric Clarke, Per Nilsson, Bengt Edlund and Simon Emmerson are among those who participated in the seminars and gave important input to my project. Prof. Greger Andersson and the department of musicology at Lund University have also been supportive and helpful in iii many different respects. The way Håkan Lundströ managed to keep up these seminars, head the entire faculty, give individual support and guidance as well as handle the practicalities and bureaucracy of our PhD program is nothing short of staggering. I feel it is safe to assert that without Prof. Leif Lönnblad, as teacher, advisor and friend, this project would have looked very different which is true also for Prof. Miller Puckette, also a great source of inspiration. Karsten Fundal has been my artistic guidance for many years, even prior to my PhD project, has tirelessly kept asking all the difficult questions, a capacity shared by Dr. Marcel Cobussen who handled the difficult task of stepping in to the project three quarters through gracefully. The acuity of all four of my advisors has had a decisive impact on my work. Finally I shall not forget to thank my family, my siblings and my parents. My father for getting me started by, still in my thirties, insisting that I get a “proper education” (which, hopefully, I have finally acquired). My mother for bringing me to the end, telling me to finish my PhD so she could be part of the ceremony before she passes away (which she hasn’t). Karin and Sara for being an inspiration. Thomas and Mikael too. Lennart and Rose-Marie for all the help and support. My three sons, Arthur, Bruno and Castor have all been born into this PhD project (I wonder if they will miss it?) and are a part of it as well as a part of anything I do. Thank you Lena for putting up with me and for making all of it possible. Finally, I wish to acknowledge Olle and Leo without whom none of this had been written. iv Guide to the thesis This thesis is essentially divided up in two parts. This PDF document consisting primarily of text and some images, and an accompanying set of HTML documents consisting primarily of documentation of the artistic work in the form of video and audio recordings.