A Reactive Environment for Dynamic Volume Control

In this paper, we discuss the design and testing of a reactive environment for musical performance. Driven by the interpersonal interactions amongst musicians, our system gives users, i.e., several musicians playing together in a band, real-time control over certain aspects of their performance, enabling them to change volume levels dynamically simply by moving around. It differs most notably from the majority of ventures into the design of novel musical interfaces and installations in its multidisciplinary approach, drawing on techniques from Human-Computer Interaction, social sciences and ludology. Our User-Centered Design methodology was central to producing an interactive environment that enhances traditional performance with novel functionalities. During a formal experiment, musicians reported finding our system exciting and enjoyable. We also introduce some additional interactions that can further enhance the interactivity of our reactive environment. In describing the particular challenges of working with such a unique and creative user as the musician, we hope that our approach can be of guidance to interface developers working on applications of a creative nature.