Comparing Chat Methods for Remote Collaborative Live-Coding Music

Abstract

This study analyzes the impact of text versus audio chat in a remote collaborative live-coding music environment. Drawing on the literature discussing collaborative live-coding music, we wanted to examine the impacts of different chat methods on collaboration and coordination. This paper will explore the benefits and drawbacks of two different chat methods, and how they affect remote performances. We conducted a study with 5 participants, each of these sessions containing two 15 minute performance tasks where only one chat method was allowed to be used for collaboration. After the performance tasks, we interviewed the participants about their experience and how each chat method affected their performance. Audio-chat proved useful for real-time coordination and complex explanations, while text-chat was beneficial in its silence and recorded nature for future review of ideas. This paper will discuss these merits for a remote collaborative live-coding environment.