Loop Fracture Loop

Chris Kiefer, and Betty Accorsi

Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression

Abstract

An free improvisation between players of two augmented instruments, both with tunable machine learning. Accorsi plays an augmented saxophone, whose sound is processed through effects that are controlled by an audio-reactive machine learning system. The same system is used by Kiefer in the feedback loop of their string instrument, the Xiasri. Both instruments use a novel reinforcement learning system, NISPS, that the player trains through performative exploration and expression of musical preferences, with the interface built into the instrument.

Citation

Chris Kiefer, and Betty Accorsi. 2026. Loop Fracture Loop. Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.20782122 [PDF]

BibTeX Entry

@inproceedings{nime2026_music_33,
 abstract = {An free improvisation between players of two augmented instruments, both with tunable machine learning. Accorsi plays an augmented saxophone, whose sound is processed through effects that are controlled by an audio-reactive machine learning system. The same system is used by Kiefer in the feedback loop of their string instrument, the Xiasri. Both instruments use a novel reinforcement learning system, NISPS, that the player trains through performative exploration and expression of musical preferences, with the interface built into the instrument.},
 address = {London, United Kingdom},
 articleno = {33},
 author = {Chris Kiefer and Betty Accorsi},
 booktitle = {Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression},
 doi = {10.5281/zenodo.20782122},
 editor = {Lia Mice and Nicole Robson and Tara Pattenden},
 issn = {2220-4806},
 month = {June},
 note = {Live Performance},
 numpages = {3},
 pages = {134--136},
 presentation-video = {https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q63vylNbmIU},
 title = {Loop Fracture Loop},
 track = {Music},
 url = {http://nime.org/proceedings/2026/nime2026_music_33.pdf},
 year = {2026}
}