EMS Proceedings and Other Publications
Gesture and Sound Analysis: Virtual Instruments for an Interactive Composition
Simonetta Sargenti
Simonetta Sargenti, Departement of Music Theory, Conservatorio di Musica Stanislao Giacomantonio Cosenza, Italy
Article
- Download the paper
Abstract
This project is focused on a description of most important actions related to playing a string instrument and allows us to build an interface simulating the playing actions needed to produce a sound and to compose a music piece in real time.
To obtain these results and to map the interface we analyzed:
1- the bow strokes used to play a string instrument
2- the partial components of violin sounds
3- the formal structure of a violin important composition (in this case a Caprice of N. Paganini)
With the interface we can also:
1- to use the same gesture and procedures used on the instrument to producing sound
2- to produce instrumental sounds simulating these of the real instrument
3- to compose a music piece with references to the historical repertoire of the simulated instrument
4- to compose a new musical piece or to improvise music
The interface used is a Nintendo-Wii controller simulating a violin bow to perform music with sound synthesis in real time.
Sound examples are built using frequency modulation synthesis and granular synthesis in a first version of the project. In a second one recorded audio files modified in real time are used too. In the first version of the project the formal reference for a new composition was the form of the Caprice in particular, Paganini’s Caprice for re-compose a new music piece. The second version is more oriented to improvisation. The following table shows the different kinds of analysis and their relation with the map of the interface.
| Gesture Analysis | Bow movements map | Interface’s definition |
| Spectral Analysis | Partials component map | Algorithm’s definition |
| Formal Analysis | Piece’s sketch | Piece’s re-composition |
In an analytical point of view of the project we obtain:
1- a specifically analysis of the movements producing sound on a string instrument
2- a spectrum analysis of partial components of the violin sounds
In an aesthetic point of view we obtain:
1- the possibility of a re-composition of a musical piece starting from an historical example
2- the possibility to create a new composition or improvisation