DOCSLIB.ORG

Music, Space and Performance in Grid Music Systems

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Music, Space and Performance in Grid Music Systems The HarmonyGrid: Music, space and performance in Grid Music Systems by Roland Adeney A thesis submitted to the Music and Sound Discipline, Creative Industries Faculty, Queensland University of Technology in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2011 Abstract This research explores music in space, as experienced through performing and music-making with interactive systems. It explores how musical parameters may be presented spatially and displayed visually with a view to their exploration by a musician during performance. Spatial arrangements of musical components, especially pitches and harmonies, have been widely studied in the literature, but the current capabilities of interactive systems allow the improvisational exploration of these musical spaces as part of a performance practice. This research focuses on quantised spatial organisation of musical parameters that can be categorised as grid music systems (GMSs), and interactive music systems based on them. The research explores and surveys existing and historical uses of GMSs, and develops and demonstrates the use of a novel grid music system designed for whole body interaction. Grid music systems provide plotting of spatialised input to construct patterned music on a two-dimensional grid layout. GMSs are navigated to construct a sequence of parametric steps, for example a series of pitches, rhythmic values, a chord sequence, or terraced dynamic steps. While they are conceptually simple when only controlling one musical dimension, grid systems may be layered to enable complex and satisfying musical results. These systems have proved a viable, effective, accessible and engaging means of music-making for the general user as well as the musician. GMSs have been widely used in electronic and digital music technologies, where they have generally been applied to small portable devices and software systems such as step sequencers and drum machines. This research shows that by scaling up a grid music system, music-making and musical improvisation are enhanced, gaining several advantages: (1) Full body location becomes the spatial input to the grid. The system becomes a partially immersive one in four related ways: spatially, graphically, sonically and musically. (2) Detection of body location by tracking enables hands-free operation, i thereby allowing the playing of a musical instrument in addition to “playing” the grid system. (3) Visual information regarding musical parameters may be enhanced so that the performer may fully engage with existing spatial knowledge of musical materials. The result is that existing spatial knowledge is overlaid on, and combined with, music-space. Music-space is a new concept produced by the research, and is similar to notions of other musical spaces including soundscape, acoustic space, Smalley's “circumspace” and “immersive space” (2007, 48-52), and Lotis's “ambiophony” (2003), but is rather more textural and “alive”—and therefore very conducive to interaction. Music-space is that space occupied by music, set within normal space, which may be perceived by a person located within, or moving around in that space. Music-space has a perceivable “texture” made of tensions and relaxations, and contains spatial patterns of these formed by musical elements such as notes, harmonies, and sounds, changing over time. The music may be performed by live musicians, created electronically, or be prerecorded. Large-scale GMSs have the capability not only to interactively display musical information as music representative space, but to allow music-space to co-exist with it. Moving around the grid, the performer may interact in real time with musical materials in music-space, as they form over squares or move in paths. Additionally he/she may sense the textural matrix of the music-space while being immersed in surround sound covering the grid. The HarmonyGrid is a new computer-based interactive performance system developed during this research that provides a generative music-making system intended to accompany, or play along with, an improvising musician. This large-scale GMS employs full-body motion tracking over a projected grid. Playing with the system creates an enhanced performance employing live interactive music, along with graphical and spatial activity. Although one other experimental system provides certain aspects of immersive music-making, currently only the HarmonyGrid provides an environment to explore and experience music-space in a GMS. ii Table of Contents Statement of Originality...................................................................................xii Acknowledgements.........................................................................................xiii Preface.............................................................................................................xiv Chapter 1.Introduction.................................................................................................1 1.1 What is a Grid Music System?...........................................................................1 1.1.1 Grids in human history...............................................................................2 1.2 Conceptual threads.............................................................................................3 1.2.1 Games.........................................................................................................4 1.2.2 Interactivity.................................................................................................4 1.2.3 Installation art.............................................................................................5 1.2.4 Movement...................................................................................................6 1.2.5 Music..........................................................................................................6 1.2.6 Computer games.........................................................................................7 1.2.7 Collecting the threads.................................................................................8 1.3 Play and performance with GMSs.....................................................................9 1.3.1 Music-making...........................................................................................10 1.4 Personal background and motivations for the research....................................11 1.5 Overview of the HarmonyGrid........................................................................13 1.6 Aims and outcomes of the Research................................................................16 1.6.1 The Research questions............................................................................16 1.6.2 Design of the research..............................................................................17 1.6.3 Research outcomes...................................................................................18 1.7 Structure of the Exegesis..................................................................................19 Chapter 2. Methodology............................................................................................22 2.1 Approach..........................................................................................................22 2.2 Research process and documentation...............................................................24 2.3 The creative process.........................................................................................26 2.3.1 External space...........................................................................................26 2.3.2 Virtual space.............................................................................................27 2.3.3 Combined Space.......................................................................................31 2.4 Summing up the research process....................................................................32 iii Chapter 3. Grid Music Systems.................................................................................34 3.1 Description of Grid Music Systems (GMSs)...................................................34 3.1.1 Topologies................................................................................................35 3.1.2 Activation.................................................................................................37 3.1.3 Interface....................................................................................................38 3.1.4 Input..........................................................................................................39 3.1.5 Detection...................................................................................................41 3.1.6 Outputs.....................................................................................................42 3.1.7 Grid cells..................................................................................................43 3.1.8 Paths.........................................................................................................45 3.1.9 Modes of operation...................................................................................46 3.2 Other Systems..................................................................................................48 3.2.1 Block Systems..........................................................................................48 3.2.2 M...............................................................................................................50
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Proceedings of the 20Th International Seminar of the ISME Commission on Music in Special Education, Music Therapy, and Music Medicine
    Proceedings of the 20th International Seminar of the ISME Commission on Music in Special Education, Music Therapy, and Music Medicine Faculdade de Artes do Paraná – FAP CuritiBa, Brazil 17-18 July 2014 Editor Melita Belgrave ©International Society for Music Education 2014 www.isme.org All abstracts presented at the 2014 ISME World Conference in Porto Alegre, Brazil, were peer refereed before inclusion in the Conference program. In addition, completed papers were fully (blind) refereed by a panel of international authorities before inclusion in the Seminar Proceedings. Editorial Board Melita Belgrave, Editor Jessie Chen Helen Farrell Markku Kaikkonen Bo Nilsson Lyn Schraer-Joiner National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication Author: ISME Commission on Music in Special Education, Music Therapy, and Music Medicine International Seminar (20th: 2014: Curitba, Brazil) Title: Proceedings of the 20th International Seminar of the Commission on Music in Special Education, Music Therapy, and Music Medicine, Curitiba, Brazil [electronic resource] / ISBN: 978-0-9942055-3-7 (ebook) Notes: Includes bibliographical references. Subjects: Music--Congresses. Music in education--Congresses. ISME Commission on Music in Special Education, Music Therapy, and Music Medicine Dewey Number: 780.7 ii The Conference Organizing Committee and ISME are grateful to the following people who provided expert, independent advice and who acted as referees for selecting papers and workshops for presentation at the 2014 ISME World Conference: Commissioners 2012-2014
    [Show full text]
  • Space Rock, the Popular Music Inspired by the Stars Above Us
    SPACE ROCK, THE POPULAR MUSIC INSPIRED BY THE STARS ABOVE US JARKKO MATIAS MERISALO 79222N ASTRONOMICAL VIEW OF THE WORLD PART B S-92.3299AALTO UNIVERSITY 0 TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of contents ................................................................................................................. 1 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 2 2. What is space rock and how it was born? ..................................................................... 3 3. The Golden era ............................................................................................................. 5 3.1. Significant artists and songs to remember ................................................................ 5 3.2. Masks and Glitter – Spacemen and rock characters ................................................. 7 4. Modern times .............................................................................................................. 10 5. Conclusions ................................................................................................................. 12 6. References .................................................................................................................. 13 7. Appendices ................................................................................................................. 14 1. INTRODUCTION When the Soviets managed to launch “Sputnik 1”, the first man-made object to the Earth’s orbit in November 1957,
    [Show full text]
  • Educational Materials to Go with the Video & Extra Materials For
    Educational Materials to go with the Video & extra materials for preparation and extension of the concert Prepared by Valerie Trollinger ([email protected], or [email protected] ) October 2012 Discovery Concert Series The Science of Sound Reading Symphony Orchestra Discovery Concert Series October, 2012 The Thrill of Resonance (Grades 4 , and above; Grade 3 with help) Teacher Quick-Start Guide The video is the second one in our sequence about the Science of Sound. There are three (3) ways to use this series at this point: 1) For students to get the full benefit of the science behind the sounds, then viewing the first video “The Science of Sound” is strongly recommended. a. Show the first video in the sequence (The Science of Sound) with the accompanying worksheet, go over the worksheet as needed. When the students are familiar with the meaning of the words Frequency, Amplitude, Time, Dynamics, and the rest of the terms on the worksheet, then go on to the second video (The Thrill of Resonance) with that accompanying worksheet. From there you can continue with activities that are relevant to your curriculum. There are a lot of other activities that go with both of these videos, addressing STEM technology ( adding the arts ) and building on creative thinking, problem solving, critical thinking, reading, writing, and even engineering. 2) If you don’t have time for the first video at this point and want to only show the second-- a) The students still need to be familiar with the terms Frequency, Amplitude, and Time. Definitions will follow in the teacher pack.
    [Show full text]
  • The Futurism of Hip Hop: Space, Electro and Science Fiction in Rap
    Open Cultural Studies 2018; 2: 122–135 Research Article Adam de Paor-Evans* The Futurism of Hip Hop: Space, Electro and Science Fiction in Rap https://doi.org/10.1515/culture-2018-0012 Received January 27, 2018; accepted June 2, 2018 Abstract: In the early 1980s, an important facet of hip hop culture developed a style of music known as electro-rap, much of which carries narratives linked to science fiction, fantasy and references to arcade games and comic books. The aim of this article is to build a critical inquiry into the cultural and socio- political presence of these ideas as drivers for the productions of electro-rap, and subsequently through artists from Newcleus to Strange U seeks to interrogate the value of science fiction from the 1980s to the 2000s, evaluating the validity of science fiction’s place in the future of hip hop. Theoretically underpinned by the emerging theories associated with Afrofuturism and Paul Virilio’s dromosphere and picnolepsy concepts, the article reconsiders time and spatial context as a palimpsest whereby the saturation of digitalisation becomes both accelerator and obstacle and proposes a thirdspace-dromology. In conclusion, the article repositions contemporary hip hop and unearths the realities of science fiction and closes by offering specific directions for both the future within and the future of hip hop culture and its potential impact on future society. Keywords: dromosphere, dromology, Afrofuturism, electro-rap, thirdspace, fantasy, Newcleus, Strange U Introduction During the mid-1970s, the language of New York City’s pioneering hip hop practitioners brought them fame amongst their peers, yet the methods of its musical production brought heavy criticism from established musicians.
    [Show full text]
  • Drone Music from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
    Drone music From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Drone music Stylistic origins Indian classical music Experimental music[1] Minimalist music[2] 1960s experimental rock[3] Typical instruments Electronic musical instruments,guitars, string instruments, electronic postproduction equipment Mainstream popularity Low, mainly in ambient, metaland electronic music fanbases Fusion genres Drone metal (alias Drone doom) Drone music is a minimalist musical style[2] that emphasizes the use of sustained or repeated sounds, notes, or tone-clusters – called drones. It is typically characterized by lengthy audio programs with relatively slight harmonic variations throughout each piece compared to other musics. La Monte Young, one of its 1960s originators, defined it in 2000 as "the sustained tone branch of minimalism".[4] Drone music[5][6] is also known as drone-based music,[7] drone ambient[8] or ambient drone,[9] dronescape[10] or the modern alias dronology,[11] and often simply as drone. Explorers of drone music since the 1960s have included Theater of Eternal Music (aka The Dream Syndicate: La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Tony Conrad, Angus Maclise, John Cale, et al.), Charlemagne Palestine, Eliane Radigue, Philip Glass, Kraftwerk, Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream, Sonic Youth,Band of Susans, The Velvet Underground, Robert Fripp & Brian Eno, Steven Wilson, Phill Niblock, Michael Waller, David First, Kyle Bobby Dunn, Robert Rich, Steve Roach, Earth, Rhys Chatham, Coil, If Thousands, John Cage, Labradford, Lawrence Chandler, Stars of the Lid, Lattice,
    [Show full text]
  • Melodies in Space: Neural Processing of Musical Features A
    Melodies in space: Neural processing of musical features A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA BY Roger Edward Dumas IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Dr. Apostolos P. Georgopoulos, Adviser Dr. Scott D. Lipscomb, Co-adviser March 2013 © Roger Edward Dumas 2013 Table of Contents Table of Contents .......................................................................................................... i Abbreviations ........................................................................................................... xiv List of Tables ................................................................................................................. v List of Figures ............................................................................................................. vi List of Equations ...................................................................................................... xiii Chapter 1. Introduction ............................................................................................ 1 Melody & neuro-imaging .................................................................................................. 1 The MEG signal ................................................................................................................................. 3 Background ........................................................................................................................... 6 Melodic pitch
    [Show full text]
  • The Thumper C Docx
    Project Number: MQPWZM-RB08 MQPECC-B708 The Thumper Robotic Bass A Major Qualifying Project Report Submitted to the Faculty Of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science By ______________________________________ Matt Brown, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Class of 2008 ______________________________________ Barry Kosherick, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Class of 2009 ______________________________________ Adam Teti, Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2008 April 18, 2008 ________________________________ Prof. William R. Michalson, Co-Advisor ________________________________ Prof. Eben C. Cobb, Co-Advisor Abstract The Thumper Robotic Bass MQP is an attempt at creating a self-playing bass guitar that responds to MIDI input as well as input from an electric guitar to provide accompaniment. By bringing together a team of electrical and mechanical engineers, the project was structured to emulate an engineering design as encountered in industry. Table of Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1 Problem Statement ................................................................................................................................... 1 Background ............................................................................................................................................... 2 Economics and Target Market .................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Irregular Incurve Xiaoyang Feng Media Researcher, NYU ITP 721 Broadway, 4Th Floor New York, NY 10003 503 953 4862 [email protected]
    Proceedings of the 2010 Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME 2010), Sydney, Australia Irregular Incurve Xiaoyang Feng Media Researcher, NYU ITP 721 Broadway, 4th floor New York, NY 10003 503 953 4862 [email protected] developed based on the prototype of traditional instruments only for people. Unlike traditional instruments, Irregular Incurve is designed as an acoustic instrument played by a robot. Twelve strings of same thickness but different lengths are laid out on a sound box. The robot operates twelve corresponding guitar picks to pluck each string. The musical scale of this instrument can be potentially expanded through connecting it with more robotic musical instruments of the same type. The design philosophy behind Irregular Incurve is to visualize and enhance the aesthetic expression of the music generating process. The designer believes that the enjoyment of music appreciation does not only happen at the moment when music reaches the Figure 1. First Prototype without control interface audience, but is also stimulated by watching the visual interactions between the musician and the instrument. Irregular Incurve attempts to enlarge this imagination about music by ABSTRACT visually expressing the beauty of mechanical movements. Irregular Incurve is a MIDI controllable robotic string instrument. The twelve independent string-units compose the complete musical scale of 12 units. Each string can be plucked by a motor control guitar pick. A MIDI keyboard is attached to the instrument and serves as an interface for real-time interactions between the instrument and the audience. Irregular Incurve can also play pre- programmed music by itself. This paper presents the design concept and the technical solutions to realizing the functionality of Irregular Incurve.
    [Show full text]
  • Enhancing the Visualization of Percussion Gestures by Virtual Character Animation
    Proceedings of the 2008 Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME08), Genova, Italy Enhancing the visualization of percussion gestures by virtual character animation Alexandre Bouenard¨ Sylvie Gibet∗ Marcelo M. Wanderley∗ Samsara / VALORIA Bunraku / IRISA IDMIL / CIRMMT Univ. Europeenne´ Bretagne Univ. Europeenne´ Bretagne McGill University Vannes, France Rennes, France Montreal, Qc, Canada [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] ABSTRACT is composed of different views of both the virtual character A new interface for visualizing and analyzing percussion ges- and the instrument. It is finally enhanced with interactions tures is presented, proposing enhancements of existing mo- between graphics modeling, physics synthesis of gesture and tion capture analysis tools. This is achieved by offering a sound replay. percussion gesture analysis protocol using motion capture. The paper is organized as follows. In section 2, previous A virtual character dynamic model is then designed in or- work and motivations are discussed. The analysis process der to take advantage of gesture characteristics, yielding to of percussion (timpani) gestures is detailed in section 3. Vi- improve gesture analysis with visualization and interaction sualization and interaction concerns are discussed in section cues of different types. 4. Finally, we conclude with further perspectives. Keywords 2. RELATED WORK Gesture and sound, interface, percussion gesture, virtual Previous works concern both percussion-related models character, interaction. and interfaces, and works combining virtual character ani- mation and music. Most of the work about percussion gesture and sound 1. INTRODUCTION deals with the design of new electronic percussion devices, Designing new musical interfaces is one of the most impor- thus creating either new interfaces (controllers) and/or new tant trends of the past decades.
    [Show full text]
  • Nightlight: Tradition and Change in a Local Music Scene
    NIGHTLIGHT: TRADITION AND CHANGE IN A LOCAL MUSIC SCENE Aaron Smithers A thesis submitted to the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Curriculum of Folklore. Chapel Hill 2018 Approved by: Glenn Hinson Patricia Sawin Michael Palm ©2018 Aaron Smithers ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii ABSTRACT Aaron Smithers: Nightlight: Tradition and Change in a Local Music Scene (Under the direction of Glenn Hinson) This thesis considers how tradition—as a dynamic process—is crucial to the development, maintenance, and dissolution of the complex networks of relations that make up local music communities. Using the concept of “scene” as a frame, this ethnographic project engages with participants in a contemporary music scene shaped by a tradition of experimentation that embraces discontinuity and celebrates change. This tradition is learned and communicated through performance and social interaction between participants connected through the Nightlight—a music venue in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Any merit of this ethnography reflects the commitment of a broad community of dedicated individuals who willingly contributed their time, thoughts, voices, and support to make this project complete. I am most grateful to my collaborators and consultants, Michele Arazano, Robert Biggers, Dave Cantwell, Grayson Currin, Lauren Ford, Anne Gomez, David Harper, Chuck Johnson, Kelly Kress, Ryan Martin, Alexis Mastromichalis, Heather McEntire, Mike Nutt, Katie O’Neil, “Crowmeat” Bob Pence, Charlie St. Clair, and Isaac Trogden, as well as all the other musicians, employees, artists, and compatriots of Nightlight whose combined efforts create the unique community that define a scene.
    [Show full text]
  • Interactive Music System Based on Pitch Quantization and Tonal Navigation
    Interactive music system based on pitch quantization and tonal navigation Leonardo Aldrey MASTER’S THESIS UPF / 2011 Master in Sound and Music Computing September 3, 2011 Sergi Jordà Puig - Supervisor Department of Information and Communication Technologies Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona 1 Abstract Recent developments in the field of human computer interaction have led to new ways of making music using digital instruments. The new set of sensors available in devices such as smartphones and touch tablets propose an interesting challenge in the field of music technology regarding how they can be used in a meaningful and musical way. One to one control over parameters such as pitch, timbre and amplitude is no longer required thus making possible to play music at a different level of abstraction. Lerdahl and Jackendoff presented in their publication “Generative theory of tonal music” a perspective that combines Heinrich Schenker’s theory of music and Noam Chomsky linguistics to eXplain how tonal music is organized and structured. This idea opens up the possibility of investigating ways to manipulate a “wider” aspect of music through an assisted interactive musical system that takes into account the “principles” or common knowledge used in music composition and performance. Numerous publications exist in the field of music theory regarding how the tonal aspect of music works. Due to aspects related to psychoacoustics and cultural inheritance, there is a certain common base on how to form and use chords and scales, and how they are organized in terms of hierarchies, movement tendencies and tonal functions. This project deals with the design of a graphical representation about the use of tonality in jazz and popular music, organizing chords and scales in a hierarchical, semanticall and practical way.
    [Show full text]
  • Real Time Music Visualization: a Study in the Visual Extension of Music
    REAL TIME MUSIC VISUALIZATION: A STUDY IN THE VISUAL EXTENSION OF MUSIC A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Fine Arts in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Matthew Neil Bain, B.F.A. The Ohio State University 2008 Master’s Examination Committee: Approved by Professor Alan Price, Advisor Professor Maria Palazzi ____________________________________ Dr. Gregory Proctor Advisor Graduate program in the department of Industrial, Interior, and Visual Communication Design Copyright by Matthew Neil Bain 2008 ABSTRACT This work documents a design-led process of discovery for artistic development of real time 3D animations functioning as a visual extension to a live music performance. Musical dynamics, patterns, and themes are transposed into a visual form that develops over time through a carefully orchestrated process driven by the artist and the computer. Historical animations by Fischinger, Whitney, and “light organ” projections by Wilfred inform the work’s conceptual development. Various systems automate camera controls, audio analysis, and layers of motion in addition to providing the artist with a unique set of controls that demonstrate the effectiveness of the computer as a visual instrument for the artist. The complete system balances artistic responses, live multi-channel audio input, and computer control systems to orchestrate a real time visualization of a live music performance. The artist’s sensibilities and the computer’s generative capabilities combine to create a visually-focused member in the performing music ensemble. ii Dedicated to my Grandad iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my advisor, Alan Price, for his guidance, thought provoking conversations, and lunches.
    [Show full text]