Semi-Automated Mappings for Object-Manipulating Gestural Control of Electronic Music

This paper describes a system for automating the generation of mapping schemes between human interaction with extramusical objects and electronic dance music. These mappings are determined through the comparison of sensor input to a synthesized matrix of sequenced audio. The goal of the system is to facilitate live performances that feature quotidian objects in the place of traditional musical instruments. The practical and artistic applications of musical control with quotidian objects is discussed. The associated object-manipulating gesture vocabularies are mapped to musical output so that the objects themselves may be perceived as DMIs. This strategy is used in a performance to explore the liveness qualities of the system.