A Shift Towards Iterative and Open-Source Design for Musical Interfaces

Owen Vallis, Jordan Hochenbaum, and Ajay Kapur

Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression

Abstract:

The aim of this paper is to define the process of iterative interface design as it pertains to musical performance. Embodying this design approach, the Monome OSC/MIDI USB controller represents a minimalist, open-source hardware device. The open-source nature of the device has allowed for a small group of Monome users to modify the hardware, firmware, and software associated with the interface. These user driven modifications have allowed the re-imagining of the interface for new and novel purposes, beyond even that of the device's original intentions. With development being driven by a community of users, a device can become several related but unique generations of musical controllers, each one focused on a specific set of needs.

Citation:

Owen Vallis, Jordan Hochenbaum, and Ajay Kapur. 2010. A Shift Towards Iterative and Open-Source Design for Musical Interfaces. Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1177919

BibTeX Entry:

  @inproceedings{Vallis2010,
 abstract = {The aim of this paper is to define the process of iterative interface design as it pertains to musical performance. Embodying this design approach, the Monome OSC/MIDI USB controller represents a minimalist, open-source hardware device. The open-source nature of the device has allowed for a small group of Monome users to modify the hardware, firmware, and software associated with the interface. These user driven modifications have allowed the re-imagining of the interface for new and novel purposes, beyond even that of the device's original intentions. With development being driven by a community of users, a device can become several related but unique generations of musical controllers, each one focused on a specific set of needs. },
 address = {Sydney, Australia},
 author = {Vallis, Owen and Hochenbaum, Jordan and Kapur, Ajay},
 booktitle = {Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression},
 doi = {10.5281/zenodo.1177919},
 issn = {2220-4806},
 keywords = {Iterative Design, Monome, Arduinome, Arduino.},
 pages = {1--6},
 title = {A Shift Towards Iterative and Open-Source Design for Musical Interfaces},
 url = {http://www.nime.org/proceedings/2010/nime2010_001.pdf},
 year = {2010}
}