a-half or so - it’s forming part of my PhD research at UTS. Basically, _derivations is program designed for improvised instrumental performance with the computer. I wanted to create something that allowed me to perform with the computer freely without having to touch it. It listens to a performer, records their playing and makes decisions about what to respond with depending on live analysis of the instrumental signal. In a somewhat simple way, it strives to enable a certain autonomy in the computer’s contribution in an improvised performance context, all the while sharing the same sound world provided by the instrumentalist - if that makes any sense!
“Being open to new
experiences and saying yes to as many interesting projects as possible is bound to take you down an interesting creative path.”
Is there any potential for _derivations to be eventually used by ensembles, or is it purely for the individual? Well, at the moment it’s designed for a solo performer, but there are plans to enable the program to participate in ensemble performances. One pretty neat aspect about the software is the ability for a performer to load databases of pre-analysed improvisations by themselves, or of other instruments. What this means is that you could enable the computer to interact with a great variety of timbres in live performance, kind of like building up a unique virtual ensemble for each performance!
Where do you think the contemporary art music scene in Sydney is heading? It’s a hard question to answer. I think any ‘scene’ really benefits from as much di-
For more information on Ben Carey and the work he’s involved in, visit his website:
http://www.bencarey.net/