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Assistive Technology and Performance Behaviours in Music Improvisation

Three workshops are described within this paper and the video records for all of these are included here for reference. The workshops are noted within the methodology (Section 3) and form the basis for substantial discussion during Section 5 where a number of key observations and comments are offered.

The first record (New Horizons May 2011) is of the preliminary visit to New Horizons where both authors engaged with a typical workshop using only those technologies and techniques that were readily available to the group. References are made to the lack of harmonic and/or melodic opportunity being available to the group and this can be observed throughout the entire workshop. One of the key observations that led to the suggestion of synchronised approaches to improvisation is the difficulty the group experienced in maintaining accurate rhythm as a collective. Again, this can be observed throughout the whole of the first workshop though a specific example can be viewed during a relatively simple rhythmic piece “Rhythm 3” (New Horizons May 2011 – 00:11:54).

References are also made to the group being introduced to a number of new technologies in the second workshop in preparation for the final session where these would be synchronised. Examples of these preliminary explorations can be viewed at the following locations:

1. Roland Handsonic: New Horizons 15 Aug 2011 – 00:10:26

2. Korg Kaossilator Pro: New Horizons 15 Aug 2011 – 00:23:45

3. Arpeggiators: New Horizons 15 Aug 2011 – 00:51:50

Observations on, and comments by, the group are also referenced at various points within the main discussion. They can be found in “Feedback 1” (New Horizons 15 Aug 2011 – 01:01:40), “Feedback 2” (New Horizons 15 Aug 2011 – 01:05:28) and in the final feedback session (New Horizons 22 Aug 2011 – 00:57:23).

This article was presented at ArtAbilitation 2011 (ArtsIT2011).