MU I A DS A E SC N P C s a eb ric l h n a r ae s

Table of Contents

First Impressions and Pre-Loaded Conceptions.............. P.1 Stakeholders- Human Actors: Cultural.. P.2 Commercial...... P.2 Social..... P.2 Users.. P.3 - Non-Human Actors Location. P.4 Position.. P.4 Shape/Size P.4 Colour. P.4 Intention. P.4 Technology P.4 Materials P.5 Tactile Material Considerations/Previous Architectural Knowledge Steel.. P.5 Concrete... P.5 Cloth...... P.5 Glass..... P.5 Plastic P.5 Stone. P.6 Timber P.6 Relevant Research Fields Psychology... P.6 Art.. P.6 Performance. P.6 Education.. P.6 Interaction Design P.7 A Topical Consideration/Concern.....P.7 In Conclusion..................P.7 Bibliography..P.8

First Impressions and Pre-loaded Conceptions

Approaching this investigation, I decided it was necessary to first empty my mind of all I do know, and only then try and fill it with new knowledge. Hopefully the meeting point of old and new sparks some interesting discussion on my area of interest; Space and Music. Coming from an architecture and music background, I have often tried to marry connecting thoughts about space and music together conceptually. Firstly, at its most basic level, music sounds very different depending on the space that it is performed in. The material that the walls are made of, the aspect of lenght to height, the absorbancy and reflectance, the texture and bevelling, overhangs, furniture, cloth etc. Secondly, consider the instrument itself, a vessel thats a specific shape, with the space inside adding to the timbre of the music coming out. Each instrument has its own unique form based on the type of sound that is needed. So the dynamic of this type of music stems from a small space within a large space. Thirdly, something which is becoming more prevalant and ubiquitous everyday is synthetic music and music technology. The possibilities of these types of innovations move away from physical spaces and suddenly become more about soundscapes, ambience, background and something that can now be experienced through many different media, such as speakers, earphones, sound booths etc. An important critique, which I was constantly subject to was the debate between what constitutes music and what constitutes sound. A recurring rebuttle to this question is that sound concerns all aural media- noise, environment etc.- and that music concerns sculted and intentional sound. What is left largely unexplored in my thoughts so far is, what are the benefits of each, and do unorganised sounds contribute to emotional responses the same way as organised, musical pieces do. It has been widely studied that chants such as plainchant, something which is less about musical flourish and more about resonance and sync, has been known to show positive health implications.1

http://www.medjournal.com/pdf/chants.pdf

Stakeholders- Human Actors

Cultural- Artists/Designers/Musicians The area of sound and space is already an established artistic discipline, with the prevalence of sound artists and experimental musicians. The following are two interesting examples I have come across: The Singing Ringing Tree2- What struck me about this piece was the fact that it was dynamic, not always producing the same notes, depending on something as varied as the change of the wind to change its music. It also has a location and a fixed position. Unlike a regular instrument, people can move around it freely, their contribution merely being there. If the amount of people viewing it actually affected the wind levels, I think the piece would be even more dynamic. Therefore, for my investigations in the future, control and changeability are important factors. John Cage Prepared Piano3- John Cage experimented with varying the sounds of an existing instrument through quite dynamic additions, such as screws, bolts, metal tubing, coins etc., being placed on the strings inside. The outcome meant that a clear music note could be heard alongside a varied and largely unplanned cacophony of other sounds. In this instance, variation and, once again, changeability are important factors. Commercial- Businesses/Clients/Developers In terms of emerging technologies, there is more and more scope for personal sound equipment, as each new iteration of hardware and software becomes tighter, more compact, more accessible, albeit more expensive. The realm of music technology in particular can truly benefit from the enhancement of Human Computer Interaction, because the Digital Natives4 now grow up with an inherent knowledge of technology. In times gone by, people had to learn the complex skill or craft of playing an instrument, that can go on to developing an interest in spatial acoustics through orchestras and choirs. With new music based technology, the learning curve is now quicker, the skillset more uniform and multi-platform, and the frequency of use are more widespread. Social- Attractions/Concerts/Meeting/Interaction If there were a way of taking these new commercial technologies, and sculpting them into a location or group once more, like the choir room, or orchestra chamber of old, then that is something I am interested in exploring in this project right now. I have already taken part in one project that attempts to bridge music and space through technology- The Virtual Choir. Even though my previous investigations on Geotagging for the first assignment showed many negatives, a shining point through all that is that people still crave connection to other people. As Sellen states in her questioning article Being Human- HCI in 20205, one of the growing concerns for the area of HCI and Interaction Design is that of Hyper-Connectivity and the fact that it is fuelling peoples desire to communicate and be connected to others. The
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http://img.weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Singing-Tree.gif http://www.batagov.com/photo/F2/prepared%20piano.jpg 4 http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/prensky%20%20digital%20natives,%20digital% 20immigrants%20-%20part1.pdf 5 http://research.microsoft.com/hci2020/downloads/BeingHuman_A3.pdf

 3 Virtual Choir is an example of this. Anyone who fancied themselves a singer could simply record themselves singing their line, post it on YouTube, follow a blog on the process, then eventually view the final parsed track and accompanying video and be a part of the credits of the project. The project was non-profit (at least as far as I could find out) because it didnt aim to be commercially viable. What it did do was facilitated a group experience devoid of the group. This is where remote technology is leading us. In the context of music and space, which I am discussing, this has implications on whether the created space is real or virtual. Virtual Space could end up being an important actor in this investigation, rather than an actual physical location. Users- Casual/Therapy/Recreation The last of the stakeholders to be discussed are the people that are affected by and use the area, separate from the artist and designers. Some of them have already begun to reveal themselves gradually in the musings above: Technology Enthusiasts- In the emergence of new music technology and related software, this category of people will most likely be one of the first to take it on board. As stated above in this essay, the digital natives especially will grasp new technologies quickly based on prior exposure to other software granting them a faster learning curve. Musicians- Amateur/Professional- The overarching topic of Psychology of Music and Space will doubtless be affected by actors such as musicians, both professional and amateur. To what extent though is still unclear. Perhaps I can consider myself as an artist-designer, since I have active experience in both fields. This however could go either way for me. A thorough understanding of each component may help me understand the inputs and actors sooner, but it may also cloud my judgment with layers of bias, and personal taste (This could end up being an exercise in focus and discipline more than anything else). Everyday Users- Casual/Patron- Separate to musicians, you have music lovers themselves. This can be anything from the casual, or passive listener who appreciates music but has no real conviction about it, to the active patron that buys and downloads music, goes to concerts etc. Depending on the final project development, the role might be to enhance the interest of the passive user while peaking the interest of the active. This already flashes early warning signs, because the interest level between the two might be so disparate. Im hoping a mix of two conceptual ideas; Space and Music. This might prove stimulating enough for multiple user types to use and appreciate. Still, there is always potential to delve even further and not limit conceptions at all at these early stages. Accidental Users- The last group of users I have noticed are people that find themselves in the midst of music unintentionally. Because music is such a publically expressed form of media, its unlikely that people will pass through life without ever having to engage with it at some point. So there is always potential for this particular type of user to engage without bias or prejudgment. This could prove valuable in the prototyping phase if the User Centred Design model is used during the design phase. If a participatory design approach is used, then it could even eliminate the bias that might occur with the artist-designer.

Non Human Actors

This section attempts to look at the the elements that affect the stakeholders above when it comes to designing an idea based on these early conceptions: Location- Locating a Space and Music conceptual idea is tricky because of all the factors already stated above. The circumstance of whether the space is physical, virtual of even emotional/psychological (brain space?!) is one that I cant answer just yet. With further development, Im sure that this will reveal itself over time. Position- This refers to a location within a location. In physical space, this is where to place the idea/prototype/installation. In virtual space, it involves layout and structured ideas of interaction design and how the end user might experience it prior to use. Shape/Size- Is it large, small, round, jagged, bevelled, hidden, attractive, climb in, walk around, stand under, walk past? Colour- Colour is interesting because it often brings with it strong emotions just as music does. The oft heard about are that red is angering and blue is calming. Something which is peaking my interest right now is the concept of mood, and my initial thoughts about this is that music coupled with colour could prove of interest. Perhaps juxtaposing the two could create an interesting dialogue between emotional responses. Also, the possibility of a users mood actively affecting a design is potentially a stimulating topic. The hows and whys can remain quietly anonymous, at least for now. Intention- This refers to what the purpose of the design is and why. Many of these reasons have already been stated above (recreation, social, commercial etc.) It is worth noting though that intention is a considerable actor in my mind, which is why the design philosophies such as Cultural Probes6 dont strike a chord with me. They are too lax with the information they produce. I personally am in favour of active research. Despite falling into the role of an artist designer, the design should be something useful, and not just for me. Technology- Technology is a two way street. This is something that we have discussed during Foundations, but something that should come with a deeper level of understanding. Because technology is commercially driven, emergent technologies happen gradually based on peoples interest and financial circumstance, advances available at the time, but also on progression by developers following ethnographic and laboratorial research. The flip side is that the users hold a lot of sway, insofar as a perfectly functioning technology could be readily rejected, for whatever reason. Music based technology is still somewhat specialist, although more and more people are coming into contact with it interactively through easy to use programs such as GarageBand and Audacity, and specialist apps on iPhone and Android Smartphones. Perhaps this is the perfect time to push forward with something more
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http://cleo.ics.uci.edu/teaching/Winter10/231/readings/3-GaverDunnePacentiCulturalProbes.pdf

 5 technically demanding, since user acceptance of these types of software is improving year by year. And the growth of techno-dependency means that perhaps people will now make a stronger effort to learn something new and complex. (Arduino, for example, proves to be a popular technology to the point where users have gone out of their way to modify and complexify it).

Materials- Finally, materials is something which has already come up in the introduction. It contributes greatly to physical spaces that music is performed in, colouring and shaping the sound based on texture, density, reflectance etc. It also bears conceptual consideration in music technology and virtual space. This is because synthetic tracks aim to imitate real life sounds. Simple phenomena such as echo and reverb are physically possible because of shape, space and material in the real world, and they are a constant in music technology and synthetic soundscapes.

Tactile Material Considerations/ Previous Architecture Knowledge

Following on from the last point, I wish to note some of the basic properties worth considering from a selection of common materials, from structuring to their impact on sound (many of which come from an architectural standpoint): Steel- Steel is a commonly used building material because its strong in tension, and so is perfect for networks such grids and lattice. It is not so strong in compression because it tends to bend. This is overcome using the above networks, with the horizontal and vertical elements supporting each other. On a smaller scale, it is mouldable because it is poured and cast. Therefore the surface can be affected in any way desirable. Concrete- Opposite to steel, concrete is good in compression. It is weaker in tension and can crack and break, similar to snapping a piece of chalk, if too much pressure is placed on the weakest point. Like steel, it is mouldable, and so can be shaped and textured. It is also cheaper than steel, and quite readily available in Ireland. Cloth- In terms of sound, the textile can absorb and soften sound waves, so it often used in concert halls and recording studios to deal with issues like echo and reverb. Because there are so many types of fabric, there is a huge amount of different densities that can be explore to suit the needs of the situation. Glass- In terms of sound, glass mostly reflects sound waves. It lets some through by absorption, but this can be caught within if multiple layers of glazing are applied. This is useful in a recording studio if constant visibility is needed. Glass is also somewhat mouldable, but to much, much lesser extent than steel and concrete. Plastic- Being a synthetic compound, plastic polymers can be made with a variety of densities to suit the need of the situation. Their lightness but durability also makes them popular choices for outer casings and bodies of machines and installations.

 6 Stone- Stone has many properties similar to concrete. Its main limitation is that it is static. It has to be assembled in Lego block fashion, which makes it strong in compression, but only as strong as the mortar in tension. It has varying textures, and can be scored and carved into desired shapes. It also has a variety of densities based on location, weathering, or inherent material properties, which can work favourably in different music environments because of absorption and reflection. Timber- The benefit of timber is that it has a grain and so, if layered cleverly, can be strong in all direction. It can also be scored and textured to reflect sound in interesting ways, and the densities change depending on the species, which will affect reflectance and absorption. (It should be noted at this point that although all these material properties describe a larger scale, it is not certain yet if my proposal will take on a large scale proportion)

Relevant Research Fields

There are many fields that touch off the topic of Music and Space already, some more so than others. The following is a short list giving a brief indication of each Psychology- This covers a multitude, ranging from music therapy disciplines to general areas of health and wellbeing through music. I happened upon an important resource recently, which features years of publications about music and psychology7. Although I havnt had time to peruse all the articles yet, a quick look over 2011s papers shows some interesting discusssions, such as the effect of background music on adults8, the effect of atonal and tonal music on listeners9, the relationship between touch and sound10, and identity development of children through music11. Art- It has already been discussed numerous times that the art field strongly affects Music and Space. Performance- Performance is tricky, because it has moved from the technically skilled playing music in a set location to more experimently, widely available, technologies that more people could play and interact with. Once again, this has already been discussed regarding virtual and physical space, and the changing nature of the stakeholders involved. Education- There are two programs I have come into contact with that use music in a positive and affiramative way with education. One I merely hear about- Breaking the Cycle- which is located in Ballymun in Dublin and provides an outreach program for disadvantaged children to learn recorders,
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http://pom.sagepub.com/content/by/year http://pom.sagepub.com/content/39/4/424.refs.html 9 http://pom.sagepub.com/content/39/4/468.refs.html 10 http://pom.sagepub.com/content/39/4/449.refs.html 11 http://pom.sagepub.com/content/39/4/403.refs.html

 7 strings and voice. They recently filmed a documentary of the experience that will shown in local cinemas12. Another is the Sing Out With Strings Program13, who I recently saw perform during the interval of a concert featuring a choir Im in, the County Limerick Youth Choir, and the National Chamber Choir of Ireland. This initiative was set up by the Irish Chamber Orchestra Education Division, and shows what a positive impact music can have in developing areas. Interaction Design- All the potentials of new technologies, coupled with the upcoming idea of virtual space over physical space, bodes well for Interaction Designers, as this means that the reacting to an interface will become more and more important than playing a physical instrument itself in the future.

A Topical Consideration/Concerns
Aptitude- A concern raised by Levetin in an article on music psychology14 is that in the case of children, they may not all have the same cognitive ability to learn and understand the mechanics of music. He notes that some scholars believe it comes down to genetics (which is also know to be something that can affect singing voice). But, as Levetin comments, much of this information remains in the realms of theory and speculation, since no substantial study has been conducted on the area.

In Conclusion
So, after looking into all the important actors and stakeholders, it seems that this project could go either way right now. It could either be a large scale thing that people can engage with and interact with (maybe play?), or a small scale thing, whos mechanics and functionality exist behind the scene in a virtual/digital framework. Of course, there is always potential to combine the two, having both a physical and a virtual interaction. This could also prompt a discussion about proximity, do you have to be there or can it be engaged with remotely. But this discussion has already revealed a lot of potentials in the area, which I am looking forward to exploring throughout the next semester. To conclude, here are a few snapshots ideas of the potential areas that my design for this project might go: Colour and Music Interactive Ambient Soundscapes Responsive Mood Environments

****Heres a link to my undergrad thesis for extra reading, if youre interested! http://ulir.ul.ie/handle/10344/1316 12 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/theticket/2011/1216/1224309131855.html 13 http://singoutwithstrings.blogspot.com/ 14 http://levitin.mcgill.ca/articles/2007-Levitin-Music_Psychology_of.pdf

Bibliography
12http://www.medjournal.com/pdf/chants.pdf http://img.weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Singing-Tree.gif

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http://www.batagov.com/photo/F2/prepared%20piano.jpg

4-

Prensky, M., 2001. Digital natives. October. Available at: http://www.questnet.net.au/questnet2006/papers/Chris%2520Grist_QUESTnet_Version_1.p df. 5Harper, R. et al., 2008. Being Human. Microsoft Cambridge. Available at: http://research.microsoft.com/hci2020/downloads/BeingHuman_A3.pdf. 6Gaver, B., Dunne, T. & Pacenti, E., 1999. Cultural Probes. interactions, 6(february), p.21-29. Available at: http://cleo.ics.uci.edu/teaching/Winter10/231/readings/3GaverDunnePacenti-CulturalProbes.pdf. 7http://pom.sagepub.com/content/by/year 8http://pom.sagepub.com/content/39/4/424.refs.html 9http://pom.sagepub.com/content/39/4/468.refs.html 10http://pom.sagepub.com/content/39/4/449.refs.html 11http://pom.sagepub.com/content/39/4/403.refs.html 12http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/theticket/2011/1216/1224309131855.html 13http://singoutwithstrings.blogspot.com/ 14http://levitin.mcgill.ca/articles/2007-Levitin-Music_Psychology_of.pdf