Browsing by Author "Pon, Aura"

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    An Affective Music Recommendation System
    (2010-12-22T18:17:08Z) Pon, Aura; Sharlin, Ehud; Eagle, David
    Given that the affective features of music are often the most relevant criteria in selecting music, we propose in this abstract that a music database should be able to be categorized according to its affective influence, and likewise, music recommendations made with consideration to the user’s current affective state. This can be made possible using pre-existing emotion-measuring technology with new algorithms for selecting music with appropriate affective influence, as proven by several studies. An affective music recommender system could avoid many of the inadequacies of traditional recommender systems.
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    Designing for the Mindbody in Technology-Mediated Music-Making
    (2018-01-26) Pon, Aura; Carpendale, Sheelagh; Radford, Ronald Laurie Charles; Sallis, Friedemann; Tang, Anthony; Katz, Larry; McPherson, Andrew
    Together as attributes of one entity, the mind and body determine how we experience, understand, and make music. Our bodily experiences in the world shape how we comprehend music. In turn, our music cognition and expressive intentions, which are based on our bodily experiences, are mediated through the body when we make music. This inseparable mind-body interaction is essential to our sense of meaning, connection, and embodiment in our musical experiences, yet this dynamic is not always intact in today's technology-mediated music-making. Digital technology offers endless possibilities for new musical sounds and the mechanisms to control them, but the relationship between musical intentions, human action, and sound in such technology must be deliberately designed. Some current approaches to designing computer-based musical experiences dichotomize these mental and physical aspects of music-making, causing issues of disembodiment and disengagement. Employing a practice-based research methodology, the author's project explores the potential of considering the “mindbody” in the design of interactive computer systems for music-making. This thesis presents the motivation, background context, mindbody concept development, research methodology, and the documentation and analysis of practical project work. Five interactive systems for music-making designed for this practical exploration are: 1) Vuzik, an interface for composing through painting gestures, 2) Womba, a musical instrument for a fetal child to play in in utero, 3) R-oboe, a system for digitally extending an oboe, 4) Mindsets, a system using brainwaves to transform an instrumentalist’s sound, and 5) Torrent, a system that musifies and physicalizes muscle tension. Four music compositions composed with these systems are: 1) Concordia discors for Vuzik interactive display and three ChoirMob instruments, 2) Being and Becoming for oboe and interactive electronics, 3) Mindsets for violin, brainwaves and digital signal processing, and 4) Torrent for flutes and water. This exploratory creative and design process also yielded a set of design heuristics for considering the mindbody in technology design, pertaining to 1) valuing and awareness of process, 2) integrating intention, action, and sound, and 3) whole-body engagement.
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    Vuzik: An Interactive Surface Application for Music Visualization and Creation
    (2011-08-24T16:13:03Z) Pon, Aura; Ichino, Junko; Sharlin, Ehud; Eagle, David; Carpendale, Sheelagh
    Vuzik is an interface designed to empower people to create digital music by painting. Through an intuitive mapping of sound to visuals designed to be simple enough for a child to comprehend, Vuzik uses a painting metaphor to enable people to compose and perform music through simple painting gestures and effectively "see" their music as they hear it. Our paper presents the design of Vuzik, details the implementation of the current prototype, and discusses the preliminary user evaluation we performed and how it informs our coming design efforts. We envision that Vuzik will help both the creator and audience better understand music's construction, thereby making the composition of music more accessible to children and novices, and opening up new ways to create and express music.
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    Vuzik: Music Visualization and Creation on an Interactive Surface
    (2011-08-24T16:18:41Z) Pon, Aura; Ichino, Junko; Eagle, David; Sharlin, Ehud; Carpendale, Sheelagh
    Vuzik is an interface for creating computer music using painting gestures and graphical music representation on an interactive surface. We present the design and implementation of the current prototype of Vuzik, discuss the current ongoing user evaluation, and propose applications of the system in music education
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    Vuzik: Exploring a Medium for Painting Music
    (2012-10-04) Pon, Aura; Eagle, David; Sharlin, Ehud
    What if one could paint music? Music is often shaped by the medium we use to interact with it, and thus the development of different ways to compose and experience music can open up new creative possibilities to people. This somewhat whimsical proposition of painting music, and a quest to find a new medium to create, experience, and interact with music, gave impetus and shape to the development of a musical interface known as Vuzik. Vuzik is an interface for creating and visualizing music through painting gestures on a large interactive surface. This thesis presents the vision, design and implementation of Vuzik. It then describes explorations of it as a tool for music education, and for the performance and creation of electronic music. Finally, it presents evaluation efforts of Vuzik in its performance of each of these explorations, and reflects on their implications regarding the nature and potential of Vuzik.
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    Vuzik: Music Creation and Comprehension through Painting
    (2011-02-11T22:28:39Z) Pon, Aura; Ichino, Junko; Sharlin, Ehud; Eagle, David
    Vuzik is an interface designed to empower users to create digital music by painting. Through an intuitive mapping of sound to visuals designed to be simple enough for a child to comprehend, Vuzik uses a music-painting metaphor to enable users to compose and perform music through simple painting gestures, effectively "seeing" their music as they hear it. Our paper presents the design of Vuzik, details the implementation of the current prototype, and discusses the preliminary user evaluation we performed and how it informs our coming design efforts. We envision that Vuzik will help both the creator and audience better understand music's construction, thereby making the composition of music more accessible to children and novices and opening up new creative approaches for all.