Re: Interactive Performance

Darren Kelly (kelly@x4u2.desy.de)
Fri, 2 Jan 1998 14:41:09 +0100 (MET)

Robert Wechsler (correctly) remarked:
> One of the things I like about working with electrodes is that they do not
> read motion at all, rather muscle tension.
> That is, they show, or amplify what the audience cannot see so well but
> perhaps can feel. "Dance" is not just the motion of bodies in space!

Dear Robert,

Hope your muscles don't stay too tense throughout 1998.

I've never been happy with my "Motion-to-Sense" (MTS) algorithm definition
for the process of translating signals into music/light/smoke/... The
"sense" part is general enough to cover anything perceivable. The word
"to" seems pithy enough to describe all control filters. The choice
"Motion" however would almost certainly not thrill you. The most important
thing about any publication is the acronyms, and since I'd like to publish
my ideas on this I thought it best to ask for tips before I forget
someone's sensors.

Some alternatives:

"Signal-To-Sense" algorithm is technologically apt and silibant.

"Dance-to-Sense" algorithm is not general enough. I don't wish to just
describe dance as a signal source. There is music in the wind, too;
hanging an accelerometer in the wind makes some rather nifty if somewhat
expensive wind chimes.

"Physically-Measurable-Quantity-To-Sense" algorithm is not exactly catchy.

"Transducer-To-Sense" algorithm is too Star Treky, don't you think ?
Besides, it sounds like some kind of weapon.

"Sensor-To-Sense" algorithm is rather rhythmic, almost hummable.

Any suggestions ? Luckily I still have a chance to change my term before
publication, as you all ignored my term sufficiently in 1997.

Howsaboutit ?

Darren

PS: The term "gestural" MIDI controller is also not general enough.

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