Body as Instrument: Performing with Gestural Systems in Live Electronic Music

233 Pages·2022·19.792 MB·English

by  Mary Mainsbridge

Body as Instrument
ii
Body as Instrument

Performing with Gestural Systems in
Live Electronic Music
Mary Mainsbridge
BLOOMSBURY ACADEMIC
Bloomsbury Publishing Inc
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BLOOMSBURY, BLOOMSBURY ACADEMIC and the Diana logo are
trademarks of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
First published in the United States of America 2022
Copyright © Mary Mainsbridge, 2022
For legal purposes the Acknowledgements on p. ix constitute an
extension of this copyright page.
Cover design: Louise Dugdale
Cover image © Dean Lewins
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book were correct at the time of going to press. The author and publisher regret any
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can accept no responsibility for any such changes.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Mainsbridge, Mary, author.
Title: Body as instrument : performing with gestural systems in live
electronic music / Mary Mainsbridge.
Description: New York : Bloomsbury Academic, 2022. |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
Summary: “Presents a range of design approaches for developing
motion-controlled digital musical instruments that reflect performer
perspectives and felt experience” – Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021040176 (print) | LCCN 2021040177 (ebook) |
ISBN 9781501368547 (hardback) | ISBN 9781501369575 (paperback) |
ISBN 9781501368554 (epub) | ISBN 9781501368561 (pdf) |
ISBN 9781501368578 (ebook other)
Subjects: LCSH: Electronic musical instruments–Construction. |
Electronic musical instruments–Performance. | Gesture in music. |
Motion detectors–Design and construction. | MIDI controllers. |
Human-computer interaction.
Classification: LCC ML1092 .M24 2022 (print) | LCC ML1092 (ebook) |
DDC 786.7/1923–dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021040176
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021040177
ISBN: HB: 978-1-5013-6854-7
ePDF: 978-1-5013-6856-1
eBook: 978-1-5013-6855-4
Typeset by Newgen KnowledgeWorks Pvt. Ltd., Chennai, India
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To Daniel and Nicholas
vi
Contents

List of Figures viii
Acknowledgements ix
Introduction 1
Part 1 Invisible instruments
1 Gestural systems for musical performance 11
2 Design approaches 21
Part 2 Performer approaches
3 Laetitia Sonami 39
4 Atau Tanaka 55
5 Vocal and breath-based gestural systems 67
6 Pamela Z 73
7 Julie Wilson-Bokowiec 85
8 Lauren Sarah Hayes 97
9 Bent Leather Band 109
10 Design reflections 123
11 Mark Coniglio 125
12 Garth Paine 135
13 Intangible spaces 145
Part 3 Synergy and transformation
14 Expanding agency 171
15 Reimagining identity 181
References 193
Author Index 209
Subject Index 213
Figures
1 Laetitia Sonami and the lady’s glove 41
2 Laetitia Sonami and the Spring Spyre 46
3 Atau Tanaka at STEIM 57
4 Atau Tanaka performance 64
5 Pamela Z with BodySynth 74
6 Pamela Z with Mimn 75
7 Rehearsal for Etch 88
8 Performance schematic for Pythia: Delphine21 94
9 Lauren Sarah Hayes – prepared piano performance video still 99
10 Lauren Sarah Hayes – live performance set-up 104
11 LightHarp 112
12 LightHarp and Contra Monster on stage 119
13 Lucia Tong, Daniel Suominen and Robert Clark in 16 [R] evolutions 130
14 Troika Ranch performs loopdiver 132
15 Networked smartphones performing real-time sound synthesis for
Future Perfect 138
16 Dr Garth Paine composing the ambisonic score for Future Perfect in
Studio 1, IRCAM, Paris 139
17 Virtual string positions of the Telechord 150
18 Visual feedback of the Telechord 151
19 Visual feedback at Intangible Spaces (2018) performance, Vivid
Sydney Festival 152
20 Intangible Spaces (2018) ensemble performance, Vivid Sydney
Festival 155
21 Youbeme performance at Electrosocial exhibition with rear video
projections by J. D. Young 157
Acknowledgements

This book is shaped and inspired by artists, Laetitia Sonami, Atau Tanaka,
Pamela Z, Julie Wilson-Bokowiec, Lauren Sarah Hayes, Stuart Favilla, Joanne
Cannon, Mark Coniglio and Garth Paine, who generously shared their time,
vision and unique insights during online interviews.
I am grateful for the support and guidance of Senior Commissioning Editor,
Leah Babb-Rosenfeld, of the Bloomsbury Music & Sound Studies series, Editorial
Assistant, Rachel Moore, the Bloomsbury Academic production department,
and the input of anonymous peer reviewers, whose detailed feedback assisted in
clarifying the key concepts and underlying argument of the book.
Denis Crowdy as a beta reader offered encouragement throughout the writing
and revision process and invaluable suggestions regarding the organisation
and articulation of ideas. The book gained form during Creative Ecologies Lab
writing groups led by Julie-Anne Long, and through discussions with mentor,
Julian Knowles and colleagues at the Department of Media, Communications,
Creative Arts, Language and Literature at Macquarie University (MQ). Ethical
clearance for the research was granted by the MQ Faculty of Arts Ethics
Subcommittee. Funding for audio and computer equipment was provided by an
MQ Research Infrastructure grant.
I am deeply appreciative of photographers, Dean Lewins, Lori Eanes, and
Goran Vejvoda who kindly contributed images, and J. D. Young, for his video art
and graphics work with Deprogram, joining close musical collaborators, Robbie
Mudrazija and Meeghan Oliver, in ensemble improvisations.
The digital media and arts projects emerging from Creativity & Cognition
Studios provide a context for this practice-based research, as do the contributions
of the New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME) and Movement and
Computing (MOCO) communities.
I reserve eternal gratitude for my exceptional son, partner and parents.