designing professional instruments for computer …...characteristics of professional instruments...

Designing Professional Instruments forComputer Music Performance

Justin MullinDecember 4, 2010

Introduction

Computer Music Performance

What IS computer music performance?live performance of computermusic by a human performer

(this excludes human compositionsplayed by a computer)

Introduction

Professional Computer Music Instruments

I am investigating the ideal of a professional instrument:an instrument which…

…could become a respectable entitywithin the music world.…could develop a following of musicianswho identify as players of the instrument.

…could be functionally competitivealongside typical traditional instruments.

IntroductionOutline

§ DESIRABLE CHARACTERISTICSWhat are the primary characteristics aprofessional instrument should possess?

§ DESIGN PRINCIPLESWhat are the important factors to considerwhen designing professional instruments?

§ INSTRUMENT ANALYSISHow do real world instruments hold upagainst these criteria?

Characteristics of Professional Instruments

Overview

The literature suggests three primary desirablecharacteristics:

§ VIRTUOSITY

§ EXPRESSIVITY

§ FLEXIBILITY


Virtuosity

VIRTUOSO: an individual who possesses outstanding technicalability at singing or playing a musical instrument

(Wikipedia)

A virtuosic instrument is an instrumentwhich can support virtuosic players.


Virtuosity

An instrument which possesses

(a) a high ceiling for technical play (depth) and (b) broad technical potential (complexity)

will tend to promote virtuosity.


Virtuosity

Difficulty does NOT imply depth.

- NOTE -

(Obfuscation ≠ virtuosity)

Depth is derived from relevant difficulty:difficulty which is productively

employed in musical output


Expressivity

EXPRESSION: that element of musical performancewhich is something more than mere notes

An expressive instrument is an instrumentwhich can facilitate this type of expression.

(Brittanica)

(musical)


Expressivity

Typical modes of musicalexpression include…

Dynamics – variation of softness/loudnessArticulation – variation in ‘connectedness’ of notesVibrato – rapid and subtle change in pitchTremolo – rapid and subtle change in volume


Expressivity

An instrument which possesses

(a) varied methods of altering sound texture and (b) fine control over these methods

will tend to promote expressivity.


Expressivity

Expressivity is a challenge for computer music instruments.

Traditional instruments tend to havevery multi-dimensional inputs…

…electronic interfaces tend to bevery one-dimensional.

Creating interfaces which allow fornuanced input is challenging task.


Flexibility

FLEXIBILITY: a ready capability to adapt to new,different, or changing requirements

(Merriam-Webster)

A flexible instrument is an instrument which canbe adapted on-the-fly with minimal effort.


Flexibility

Computer music instruments have thepotential to be uniquely flexible.

Software allows for radical and rapid changesin an instrument’s behavior during aperformance…for example:

§ The type of sound can be changed.§ The instrument can be ‘retuned.’§ The method of input can be altered.


Flexibility

Accessing this flexibilitybecomes a question ofinterface:

A feature which cannot be easily usedduring play does not contributemeaningful flexibility.


Summary

So, let’s recap – we are searching for instrumentswhich are:

§ VIRTUOSIC

§ EXPRESSIVE

§ FLEXIBILE

(technically deep and complex)

(allowing for nuanced control of sound)

(adaptable mid-performance)

DesignPrinciple

sOverview

Next, we’ll discuss two important principles for thedesign of computer music instruments:

§ MAPPING

§ BODY/GESTURE

DesignPrinciple

sMapping

MAPPING: taking advantage of physical analogiesand cultural standards

(Design of Everyday Things)

Mapping is the correspondence between actionand reaction in an interactive object.

(natural)

Good mapping in the context of acomputer music instrument meansinteractions correspond to changes insound:

DesignPrinciple

sMapping

§ Displacement of a hand may be mapped to pitch.§ Velocity of struck key may be mapped to volume.§ The location of a key press may be mapped to timbre.

Natural mapping requires not only thatactions are mapped to reactions, but thatthey are mapped in a reasonable manner.

DesignPrinciple

sMapping

Faster key presses should equate to alouder sound, not a softer one.

DesignPrinciple

sBody and Gesture

Gesture: a movement usually of the body orlimbs that expresses or emphasizes anidea, sentiment, or attitude

(Merriam-Webster)

The body-instrument connection, sometimesreferred to as gesture, is the incorporation of theplayer’s physical actions into the sound produced.

(natural)

DesignPrinciple

sBody and Gesture

Traditional instruments make thisconnection necessary – the physicalaction is literally what produces thesound…

…by contrast, electronic interfacesmake this connection hard – thecausal chain between body andsound is tenuous and incidental.

DesignPrinciple

sBody and Gesture

We can emulate the body-instrumentconnection, and provide strong gesture by…

…building interfaces which are astangible as possible.…allowing the movement or positioningof the performer’s body to influence thesound.

…adding more depth to physicalinteractions.

DesignPrinciple

sSummary

We now have an established set of characteristicsand design principles we can apply to a computermusic instrument.

Virtuosity

Expressivity

Flexibility

Desirable Characteristics Design PrinciplesMapping

Body/Gesture

Analysis of Existing Instruments

Overview

Let’s turn to this analysis now, to seehow the criteria interact in practice.

The characteristics and principleswe’ve established should serve asuseful criteria for analysis of realinstruments.


Overview

I will briefly discuss and analyze twoelectronic instruments:

§ The Theremin§ The Eigenharp


The Theremin

The Theremin wascreated in 1920 byLéon Theremin, andwas the result ofresearch in proximitysensing technology.


The Theremin

The Theremin operates bymeasuring the distancefrom two antennae toeach of the performer’shands.


The Theremin

One hand controlsthe instrument’spitch:

…the other controlsthe instrument’s volume.


The Theremin

A violin virtuosa from a youngage, Clara Rockmoretransitioned to the Thereminafter bone problems left herunable to play violin.

Rockmore became a universallyestablished Theremin virtuosa…so what makes the Theremin avirtuosic instrument?


The Theremin

Playing even a single noteon the Theremin is anextremely technicalevent…playing a run ofnotes is exponentiallymore challenging.

Each successive note isconceptually located atan unmarked position inthe air…and each mustbe hit with precision.

Virtuosity

The technique involved in playing the Theremin isenormous, creating great potential for virtuosity


The Theremin

Expressivity

On the Theremin, pitch and volumeare totally free, on a continuous level.

This allows for great expressivefreedom – altering the shape of thesound is natural and powerful.


The Theremin

Flexibility

Although pitch and volume are totallyfree, the Theremin constrains theplayer’s actions to these two inputs.

With the exception of additional footpedals, there is no license for on-the-fly adaptation in the Theremin’sinterface, so flexibility is limited.


The Theremin

Mapping

The Theremin’s action-reaction connectionsare strong and straightforward: the distanceof one hand maps to pitch, and the distanceof the other maps to volume…

…mapping is not necessarily natural, though;does moving the pitch hand closer raise orlower the pitch?


The Theremin

Body/Gesture

On the one hand, there is no tangibleinteraction between the Theremin and itsperformer…

Evaluating the body-instrument connectionof the Theremin is interesting.

…on the other hand, the player’s body reallydoes become the instrument.

In the long run, gesture is a strong part of theTheremin’s design.


The Eigenharp

The Eigenharp was released in2009 by UK company Eigenlabs.

Its creators tout it as “the mostrevolutionary new musicalinstrument of the last 60years,” and “the mostexpressive electronicinstrument ever made.”


The Eigenharp

The interface is a huge array ofinputs:

§ 120 keys, which detect howfar they are depressed, as wellas their tilt on two axes§ A wind controller for breathcontrol§ Two touch strips along bothsides of the instrument§ 12 large keys at the bottomfor percussion


The Eigenharp

It’s difficult to succinctlyexplain how one plays theEigenharp, since there aremany ways to do so…

We will analyze theinstrument with respect toits typical configurations,as in the video.


The Eigenharp

Virtuosity

Technique abounds with theEigenharp – the depth andcomplexity of the instrumentguarantee a high skill ceiling.

The instrument is still fairlyyoung, but it seems likelyvirtuosos could develop intime.


The Eigenharp

Expressivity

Expression is a key focus of theEigenharp’s design. The instrument’swide range of inputs and high level ofprecision allows for extensive controlover the sound, and each input is builtto be very precise and accurate.

Managing all of the different modes ofinteraction may prove difficult, but thepotential for expressivity is great.


The Eigenharp

Flexibility

The greatest strength of the Eigenharp isits flexibility.

As we’ve seen the challenge of flexibility, as we’vebeen using the term, is in providing an interfacewhich allows the performer to adapt withoutsignificantly interrupting the performance.


The Eigenharp

Flexibility

The Eigenharp addresses this difficulty with asystem which utilizes the instrument’s primarykeys, called Belcanto.

This allows the performer to quickly andunobtrusively issue commands while playing.

After entering a special mode with a buttonpress, a short sequence of keys are pressed,issuing a command to the Eigenharp.


The Eigenharp

MappingMapping is difficult to assess on theEigenharp, because the inputs are usedfor many different things.

At default, however, most mappings arefairly natural and direct:§ Successive notes are laid out linearly

down the instrument, much like a guitar.§ Each axis of each key is mapped to one

effect (pitch bend, modulation)§ The wind controller is often mapped to

note volume


The Eigenharp

Body/Gesture

The body-instrument connection isstrong when playing the Eigenharp.

Each interaction with a key is veryinvolved, since effectively the angle andforce of the key press factor heavily intothe resulting sound.

The interface is very tangible, andencourages many forms of physicalinteraction.

Conclusions

We’ve now evaluated two real-worldexamples against our criteria forprofessional computer musicinstruments.

These analyses should provide an ideaof how the desirable characteristics anddesign principles come into play ininstrument design.

Questions?

Thank You!

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