Touching Sound

About Touching Sound

Richard Hoadley as a composer has in recent years focused in particular on the investigation of the use of technology, indeterminacy and generative procedures in the expressive compositional process and the effect of embodiment and the musical instrument itself on the creative process.

This exciting and innovative technique is explored further with a new music composition which continues his exploration of automatic musical expression, is inspired by physical computing, appearance and interaction and encourages wide public engagement with both the performance and its legacy exhibition. It is also a real artistic collaboration between music, dance and site-specific visual art.

The work includes the conception, design and implementation of a collection of sculptures of a variety of sizes and complexities. Reflecting Jean Tinguely's metamatic sculptures, these pieces then function as interfaces with a variety of algorithms for automatic musical expression, so that the movements of a dancer or other theatrical performer in a sense become the musician. Performances are a unique blend of musicianship, improvisation, plastic art and drama and as such could last for either a specified time or an indeterminate length.

After the performance, an installation comprising the sculptures could then be brought into other arts venues (galleries or similar spaces) providing an artistic legacy. As an installation it would encourage wider engagement with the composition and concept behind this genre of music and British composers.

Currently, the devices include:

• Gaggle
• Gagglina (a single, mini-gaggle unit)
• Touchtree/wired
• The metapiano

These devices have been supported by Anglia Ruskin University Digital Performance Laboratory and CoDE.

Examples

Gaggle music interface: performance 2 at HCI2009 (25MB) from Richard Hoadley on Vimeo.

Triggered / 1: Intro @ New Materialism Conference, June 2010, Cambridge UK from Richard Hoadley on Vimeo.

Triggered / 3: Melodia @ New Materialism Conference, June 2010, Cambridge UK from Richard Hoadley on Vimeo.

Triggered / 5: Conclusion @ New Materialism Conference, June 2010, Cambridge UK from Richard Hoadley on Vimeo.

Gaggle Demo at MIST Conference, March 2010, Cambridge UK from Richard Hoadley on Vimeo.

Other and higher resolution videos of Gaggle performances are available at Videos on Vimeo.