Experimental Robot Musician

Current research linking musical composition and computer science has traditionally focused on the performance through virtual musical instruments, such as within the area of electronic music synthesis using modern digital signal processing techniques. Synthesized sound, however, achieves only limited accuracy and expressive translation from actual performance gestures due to errors produced when, for example, converting violin string vibration into MIDI pitch and velocity data [1]. This paper focuses on the research and development of “Robot Musicians”, who are typically referred to as Partially Artificial Musicians (P.A.M.). They perform on real instruments through the usage of mechanical devices. The “Robot Musician” approach is technically challenging and musically expressive. It opens up new areas of research and development endeavors.