Call For Papers

We welcome submissions of original research on scientific and artistic development and use of new interfaces for musical expression.

There are three different paper submission categories:

• Full paper (up to 5000 words in proceedings, recorded-video & poster presentation, optional demo)
• Short paper (up to 3000 words in proceedings, recorded-video & poster presentation, optional demo)
• Demo paper (up to 1500 words in proceedings, recorded-video & demo presentation. The paper should include a link to audio-visual documentation showcasing the technology and/or activity to be demonstrated.)

Word counts include all the text starting from the abstract except references and what is inside images and tables. Word counts include the abstract, headings, and all captions.

General Topics:

Original contributions are encouraged in, but not limited to, the following topics:

• Novel controllers, interfaces or instruments for musical expression
• Augmented, embedded and hyper instruments
• Technologies or systems for collaborative music-making
• New performance paradigms for mobile music-making
• Music-related human-computer interaction
• Sensor and actuator technologies, including haptics and force feedback devices
• Musical mapping strategies
• Explorations of relationships between motion, gesture and music
• Evaluation and user studies of new interfaces for musical expression
• Evaluation and user studies of commercially available “off the shelf” interfaces
• Interfaces for musical expression for people with special needs
• Musical applications of robotics
• Interactive sound art and installations
• Performance rendering and generative algorithms
• Machine learning in musical performance
• Web-based music performance
• Software frameworks, interface protocols, and data formats, for supporting musical interaction
• Historical, theoretical or philosophical discussions about designing or performing with new interfaces
• Discussions about the artistic, cultural, and social impact of NIME technology
• Sonic interaction design
• Pedagogical perspectives or reports on student projects in the framework of NIME-related courses
• Practice-based research approaches/methodologies/criticism

Paper Review Process:

All paper submissions will be subjected to a rigorous double-blind peer review process by an international committee of experts. All of the submitted papers should demonstrate rigorous research methodology and will be evaluated according to the following criteria: novelty, academic quality, appropriateness of topic, importance, readability, ethical standards, and paper organization. Authors should also familiarize themselves with the NIME statements on diversity and environmental issues.

The review process is as follows:

1. Each paper submission will be assigned to at least 3 reviewers for independent evaluation.
2. A meta-reviewer will moderate a discussion amongst the reviewers, write a summary review, and recommend whether to accept the paper.
3. The paper chairs will make the final decision on paper acceptance and will inform the author(s) of their decision along with the reviewers’ comments.

Please note this review process is double-blind, meaning reviewers remain anonymous to the authors and vice-versa. It is expected that authors respect the NIME Ethical guidelines for NIME publications.

Submission Guide:

NIME uses two steps for a submission: Create your submission on PubPub, our multimedia platform for publication and then submit it through CMT, our conference management system. To submit a paper to NIME 2021, follow these steps (an illustrated guide to this process is forthcoming):

1. Create an account on PubPub if you do not have one already.
2. Create a Pub — Click the "Create Paper Submission" button on the PubPub Submissions page. This will be your submitted paper and will eventually be published if accepted by the review process. Save the URL for future reference.
3. Follow this template to create your submission. The easiest way to follow the template is to copy-paste it into your own Pub, where it will be available for quick reference. Of course, you will ultimately delete or replace everything from the template with your own content.
4. Make sure your Pub is anonymous. Find the pencil icon beside your name, click on it, and uncheck the “List on byline” checkbox. Close out of the pop-up window. (Do not click on the “x” button next to your name, this will remove you as a contributor to your own Pub).
5. Download your Pub as a PDF. Find the "Download" button to the right of the title near the top of your Pub.
6. Upload the PDF to the CMT, NIME2021's conference management system.

Presentation Format:

If the paper is accepted, authors will be asked to further provide 1) a poster and 2) a short recorded video of the presentation besides the camera-ready paper. All these files will be publicly available online. Moreover, online poster sessions will be held over Slack, which will be only open to registered attendees.