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Different Strokes: a Prototype Software System for Laptop Performance and Improvisation

Mark Zadel, and Gary Scavone

Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression

Abstract

This paper presents progress in the design of a new software interface for laptop performance and improvisation. These performances can lack a sense of active creation, as well as a visual connection between the performer’s actions and the audio output. This stems partly from certain patterns in laptop performance in which musicians resort to heavy automation to cope with performing complex compositions. The software presented here attempts to address this by requiring that the user create all of the control sequences on-stage. The user defines graphical control patterns that are mapped to sample playback. The current prototype resembles a freehand drawing interface where the strokes create looping and cascading animations that generate corresponding audio, ultimately creating music. This style of interface minimizes the use of prepared material and takes advantage of the computer’s unique capabilities.

Citation

Mark Zadel, and Gary Scavone. 2006. Different Strokes: a Prototype Software System for Laptop Performance and Improvisation. Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1177025 [PDF]

BibTeX Entry


@inproceedings{nime2006_Zadel,
author = {Zadel, Mark and Scavone, Gary},
title = {Different Strokes: a Prototype Software System for Laptop Performance and Improvisation},
pages = {168--171},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression},
year = {2006},
address = {Paris, France},
issn = {2220-4806},
doi = {10.5281/zenodo.1177025},
url = {https://nime.org/proceedings/2006/nime2006_168.pdf},
keywords = {Software control of computer music, laptop performance, graphical interfaces, freehand input, dynamic simulation },
abstract = {This paper presents progress in the design of a new software interface for laptop performance and improvisation. These performances can lack a sense of active creation, as well as a visual connection between the performer’s actions and the audio output. This stems partly from certain patterns in laptop performance in which musicians resort to heavy automation to cope with performing complex compositions. The software presented here attempts to address this by requiring that the user create all of the control sequences on-stage. The user defines graphical control patterns that are mapped to sample playback. The current prototype resembles a freehand drawing interface where the strokes create looping and cascading animations that generate corresponding audio, ultimately creating music. This style of interface minimizes the use of prepared material and takes advantage of the computer’s unique capabilities.}
}