Thursday, April 15, 2010

Mutual Engagement in Mobile Music

Greetings from the ANU in Canberra where Ben Swift from the Information and Human Centred Computing Research Group is talking on "Engagement Relationships in Mobile Music". He is describing the "flow" which musicians experience when performing in a group and are "in the grove". He is researching this experience with multiple iPhones linked by WiFi to a "Viscotheque" server.

The Viscotheqe app for the iPhone allows for manipulating audio sampling. The samples from each iPhone of each performer are mixed by the server for a performance. Three groups of three performers tried the system and data was collected. Video cued recall was used t collect participant responses (video of the participants was played back while they commented to an interviewer). Ben discussed the results in terms of Bryan-Kinns work on enguagement networks. Ben is also involved in the organising of the Australasian Computer Music Conference 2010 at ANU, 24-26 June 2010 in Canberra.

This is an entertaining and scholarly use of ICT. It would make a good project for commercial development through the Innovation ACT program.

The app seems to use only the iPhone's touch screen interface. A useful extension would be to use the motion sensors, for an "Air Guitar" interface. Also it would be interesting to try with musicians blindfolded, or who are blind. Also it might be useful to aurally code each iPhone, so the musicians know who is playing what.

Engagement Relationships in Mobile Music

Ben Swift (SoCS CECS)

CS HDR MONITORING Info & Human Centred Computing Research Group

DATE: 2010-04-15
TIME: 11:00:00 - 11:30:00
LOCATION: Ian Ross Seminar Room
CONTACT: Michelle.Moravec@anu.edu.au

ABSTRACT:
Multi-user interactive music systems offer the possibility of accessible and engaging group experiences. Based on a recent user study of Viscotheque, an iPhone- based system for group musical creativity, this talk will present an analysis of engagement relationships in a group creative task and suggest directions for future research in this area. ...




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