The networked_performance blog: Contemporary Music Review: Vol 25 , No 1-2

Abstract

This article introduces the networked_performance blog (http://turbulence.org/blog) and the musical explorations chronicled there since July 2004. It separates these explorations into three arbitrary and permeable categories—new sounds, new instruments and new musical experiences—to demonstrate the shifting relationship between composer, artwork and audience observable on the site.

Keywords:

Notes

[1] As of October 2005, the networked_performance blog comprised over 1,550 entries. It has been visited by over 300,000 visitors; the rise from 100 visitors in July 2004 to 37,000 visitors in September 2005 demonstrates the keen and growing interest in these emergent practices.

[2] In 1996, March Weiser identified three major periods in computing: the mainframe, where many people, mostly experts, shared the same computer; the era of the personal computer, where there is one person and one computer and the relationship is personal, intimate, something like the automobile; and the era of ubiquitous computing, where computers are imbedded in everything—in walls, chairs, clothing, light switches, cars and so on. He viewed the Internet as a massive phenomenon transitioning us through to the time of ubiquitous computing in which the relationship is everything to everything (see Mark Weiser and John Seely Brown, ‘The coming age of calm technology’, Xerox PARC, 5 October 1996. Available online at: www.ubiq.com/hypertext/weiser/acmfuture2endnote.htm).

[3] ‘The Cloud Harp’ by Nicolas Reeves. Available online at: www.turbulence.org/blog/archives/001624.html.

[4] ‘Heat and the Heartbeat of the City’ by Andrea Polli. Available online at: http://turbulence.org/archives/04.html#polli.

[5] ‘Microwave Boom Box’ by Oren Horev and Myriel Milicevic. Available online at: www.turbulence.org/blog/archives/001626.html.

[6] Available online at: www.turbulence.org/blog/archives/001617.html.

[7] The potatoes are used as a power source for the performance by supplying conventional potato battery power. Using zinc (galvanized nails) and copper (thick wire), each potato generates 0.5 to 1 volt. The individual potatoes can be linked together in serial or parallel to increase voltage and/or amperage. According to their website (http://onsight.id.gu.se/∼sue/potato/index.php): ‘Potato batteries power circuits that generate square waves with varying frequency and intensity depending on the voltage and amperage drawn from the potatoes, which is controlled by the performers by manipulating the battery configuration on the fly. Piezo contact mics are used to process physical interaction with potatoes (i.e., slicing potatoes, grinding potatoes, peeling potatoes, boiling and frying potatoes, etc.) No hint about the outcome of the experiment’.

[8] For a brief introduction, see Jim Andrews' 2003 article, ‘Interactive audio on the Web’ on the Trace website (http://trace.ntu.ac.uk/Review/index.cfm?article=80).

[9] Available online at: www.turbulence.org/blog/archives/001624.html and www.cloudharp.org. An infra-red laser beam and telescope that share the same optics to convert the height, density and structure of clouds into sounds and musical sequences in real-time. The Harp is polyphonic and can sing in many different voices simultaneously.

[10] Available online at: www.turbulence.org/blog/archives/000533.html and http://accad.osu.edu/∼djolliff/sdn/sdn.htm.

[11] Each of these 3,000 – 4,000 pound solar-powered satellites circles the globe at about 12,000 miles (19,300 km), making two complete rotations every day. The orbits are arranged so that at any time, anywhere on Earth, there are at least four satellites ‘visible’ in the sky. A GPS receiver's job is to locate four or more of these satellites, figure the distance to each, and use this information to deduce its own location (see ‘Introduction to how GPS receivers work’. Available online at: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gps.htm).

[12] Available online at: www.turbulence.org/blog/archives/000518.html and www.floex.cz/flopla/crossroad/description.htm.

[13] Available online at: www.turbulence.org/blog/archives/001404.html.

[14] Available online at: www.turbulence.org/blog/archives/001342.html.

[15] Available online at: www.turbulence.org/blog/archives/000286.html.

[16] Available online at: www.turbulence.org/blog/archives/000285.html.

[17] Available online at: www.turbulence.org/blog/archives/000471.html.

[18] Available online at: www.sonicfabric.com/fabric.html.

[19] Available online at: www.eng.kagawa-u.ac.jp/AMT2005/Banquet.html.

[20] Available online at: www.ceatec.com/en/2005/news/ne_web_detail.html?volume=%20005.