Performing Performance Spaces: Amplifying Context in Live Music

ana schon

Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression

Abstract

From basements, to clubs, to stadiums, the spaces that become venues for music performances carry unique acoustic qualities that can present sound reinforcement challenges, but aurally distinguish them from one another. Interactions between these qualities and the music become avenues through which audiences and musicians interface with the performance and with each other, building community and musical connections in physical space.The project described in this paper presents a series of concerts using a digital acoustic-exaggeration system built on the HISSTools Impulse Response Toolbox and other processing to capture, transform, and heighten acoustic qualities of each venue. It allows performers to modulate these qualities' prominence using a MIDI controller, encouraging participants, both musicians and audiences, to share musical experiences that foster awareness of context and strengthen relationships with the space and each other. Qualitative audience performer responses and spectral analysis of the spaces' IRs suggest a relationship between noticeable acoustic qualities and increased awareness of the relationships between sound, space, and people. The concerts' structure and framing as listening experiments, and venue choices, were also important factors in prompting reflection about both groups' participation. This opens up possibilities for live performance practices and interfaces that center these sound-space-participant relationships.

Citation

ana schon. 2026. Performing Performance Spaces: Amplifying Context in Live Music. Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.20784129 [PDF]

BibTeX Entry

@inproceedings{nime2026_36,
 abstract = {From basements, to clubs, to stadiums, the spaces that become venues for music performances carry unique acoustic qualities that can present sound reinforcement challenges, but aurally distinguish them from one another. Interactions between these qualities and the music become avenues through which audiences and musicians interface with the performance and with each other, building community and musical connections in physical space.The project described in this paper presents a series of concerts using a digital acoustic-exaggeration system built on the HISSTools Impulse Response Toolbox and other processing to capture, transform, and heighten acoustic qualities of each venue. It allows performers to modulate these qualities' prominence using a MIDI controller, encouraging participants, both musicians and audiences, to share musical experiences that foster awareness of context and strengthen relationships with the space and each other. Qualitative audience performer responses and spectral analysis of the spaces' IRs suggest a relationship between noticeable acoustic qualities and increased awareness of the relationships between sound, space, and people. The concerts' structure and framing as listening experiments, and venue choices, were also important factors in prompting reflection about both groups' participation. This opens up possibilities for live performance practices and interfaces that center these sound-space-participant relationships.},
 address = {London, United Kingdom},
 articleno = {36},
 author = {ana schon},
 booktitle = {Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression},
 doi = {10.5281/zenodo.20784129},
 editor = {Benedict Gaster and João Tragtenberg and Anna Xambó and Tom Mitchell},
 issn = {2220-4806},
 month = {June},
 note = {},
 numpages = {11},
 pages = {300--310},
 title = {Performing Performance Spaces: Amplifying Context in Live Music},
 track = {Paper},
 url = {http://nime.org/proceedings/2026/nime2026_36.pdf},
 year = {2026}
}