Poster for ACMC'o6

Smart Controller

Abstract

My particular interest lies in spontaneity of music, especially in a concert situation. This paper talks about few ideas of implementing Mini MIDI con-troller in a live performance. One key limitation with laptop performance is interaction of a com-puter with a human player or vice versa. In an im-provised performance this device would act as a source of communication. between man and a ma-chine. The endless options it gives you by convert-ing voltages into bytes and sending it across to mul-tiple devices, opens up a whole new world of com-position process either in a concert situation or in a studio environment.

Introduction:

The Mini MIDI Controller is a device used for con-verting control voltages to definable MIDI mes-sages and visa versa. I believe making use of CV-MIDI Controller could solve some of the limita-tions, which we encounter in improvised computer performances.

Generating multiple sound sources from a single sound source – By generating MIDI note values from voltages of a single sound source, these values can be used to generate tones for different instruments. For instance piano sound can be used to generate ambience, bass or percus-sions when manipulated in applications such as Max/Msp. Hence forming a sense of ensemble from a single player complimenting the music both harmonically and rhythmically.

Visual representation: Within the area of live improvisation using computers as the medium I am practising how to generate a visual represen-tation of the performance. By converting the final mix of a performance into MIDI values, these bytes could to be used to generate a visual representation of the performance or manipulate projections or still images taken from that space. Hence achiev-ing an audio-visual result, which is truly real time.
Sending Messages: Open Sound Control is a new protocol for communication among computers, sound synthesizers, and other multimedia devices using modern technologies. It would form a chain between hardware and software devices used in the performance.
It comes with an upgradeable feature of wireless networking via Bluetooth. In other words by mak-ing use of “Open Sound Control” I can send and re-ceive messages without being physically connect-ing the devise.

References :
Fraietta, Angelo. Mini MIDI Controller Manual. http://www.smartcontroller.com.au/miniMidi/miniMidiController.html 3 July’06
Matthew, Wright and Freed,Adrian.2006. Docmentation on Open Sound Control. Center for New Music and Audio Technologies, U.C. Berkeley