2005: Towards a Dimension Space for Musical Devices

Abstract

While several researchers have grappled with the problem of comparing musical devices across performance, installation, and related contexts, no methodology yet exists for producing holistic, informative visualizations for these devices. Drawing on existing research in performance interaction, human-computer interaction, and design space analysis, the authors propose a dimension space representation that can be adapted for visually displaying musical devices. This paper illustrates one possible application of the dimension space to existing performance and interaction systems, revealing its usefulness both in exposing patterns across existing musical devices and aiding in the design of new ones. KeywordsHuman-Computer Interaction, Design Space Analysis, New Interfaces for Musical Expression EXAMINING MUSICAL DEVICESMusical devices can take varied forms, including interactive installations, digital musical instruments, and augmented instruments. Trying to make sense of this wide variability, several researchers have proposed frameworks for classifying the various systems.As early as 1985, Pennycook [15] offered a discussion of interface concepts and design issues. Pressing [18] proposed a set of fundamental design principles for computer-music interfaces. His exhaustive treatment of the topic laid the groundwork for further research on device characterization.Bongers [3] characterized musical interactions as belonging to one of three modes: Performer-System interaction, such as a performer playing an instrument, System-Audience interaction, such as those commonly found at interactive sound installations, and Performer-System-Audience interaction, which describes interactive systems in which both artist and audience interact in real time.Wanderley et al.[24] discussed two approaches to classification of musical devices, including instruments and inPermission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. To copy otherwise, to republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. stallations: the technological perspective and the semantical perspective. Jordà [7] characterizes instruments in terms of music output complexity, control input complexity and performer freedom. Focusing on interactive installations, Winkler [25] discussed digital, physical, social, and personal factors that should be considered in their design. In a similar way, Blaine and Fels [1] studied design features of collaborative musical systems, with the particular goal of elucidating design issues endemic to systems for novice players.While these various approaches contribute insight to the problem of musical device classification, most did not provide a visual representation, which could facilitate device comparison and design. One exception is [24], who proposed...

3D interaction techniques for musical expression

“…More advanced techniques such as multiscale navigation by Kopper, Ni, Bowman, and Pinho (2006) offer additional possibilities such as different levels of control on the same musical process. This might allow one to switch between the process, note and timbre levels of the dimension space for digital musical instruments proposed by Birnbaum, Fiebrink, Malloch, and Wanderley (2005) by navigating at different levels of zooms.…”

Musical Organics: A Heterarchical Approach to Digital Organology

“…The system has been criticised for being too complex (Kunst, 1959, p. 61) and is not in wide use, although clusters as parameter spaces have been applied to some degree in the NIME literature, as we will see later (e.g. Birnbaum, Fiebrink, Malloch, & Wanderley, 2005;Magnusson, 2010;Spiegel, 1992).…”

“…Can it be easily controlled and allow for virtuosic playing? In a NIME paper published the same year, Birnbaum et al (2005) introduce a visual representation of a dimension space of digital musical devices. Their approach is phenomenological; it focuses primarily on the performer's body and what the instrument can offer in the performance context.…”

Supporting Music Composition with Interactive Paper

“…Prior work on musical instruments evaluation introduced metrics such as degrees of freedom or required expertise (Birnbaum et al, 2005). Unfortunately, such indicators do not appear to exist for composition support tools.…”