Cybernetic principles and sonic ecosystems

Daren Pickles; Adam Collis

Cybernetic principles and sonic ecosystems

Daren Pickles, Adam Collis

School of Media and Performing Arts

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding › peer-review

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Abstract

The theoretical basis for the installation Oscilloscope is discussed in this paper along with a description of the applications of these ideas in the practical implementation of the work. It is argued that, despite the different idioms these practitioners work in, there are conceptual commonalities in the generative music of Brian Eno and the musical ecosystems of Agostino Di Scipio. Both these artists' work is influenced by principles of cybernetics, in particular the notion of emergence where the composer's role is not on designing outcomes but on designing systems whose component interactions produce desirable outcomes. A synthesis of these ideas are also applied in the design of Oscilloscope, demonstrating how a system that is relatively simple technologically and with fairly trivial sonic and visual material can be tuned to produce interactions that generate complex results that provide a rich, engaging experience for the viewer. In addition, this discussion critiques the notion of interactivity in electronic music.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the International Computer Music Conference 2016
Publisher	International Computer Music Association
Pages	529-532
Number of pages	4
Volume	2016
Publication status	Published - 2016
Event	42nd International Computer Music Conference - Utrecht, Netherlands Duration: 12 Sept 2016 → 16 Sept 2016

Publication series

Name
ISSN (Print)	2223-3881

Conference

Conference	42nd International Computer Music Conference
Abbreviated title	ICMC 2016
Country/Territory	Netherlands
City	Utrecht
Period	12/09/16 → 16/09/16

Bibliographical note

This is an open-access article
dis- tributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License
3.0 Unported, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source
are credited

Keywords

Cathode ray oscilloscopes
Computer music
Ecology
Component interaction
Designing systems
Electronic music
Generative musics
Interactivity

Access to Document

PublishedFinal published version, 685 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

http://hdl.handle.net/2027/spo.bbp2372.2016.103Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

1 Article

Long Form Improvisation, Feedback Loops and Cybernetics - A discussion of trans-disciplinary performance practice
Noble, G. & Pickles, D., 2014, In: Body, Space and Technology. 14
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

Adam Collis
- School of Media and Performing Arts - Assistant Professor Academic
Person: Teaching and Research

Cite this

@inproceedings{49e90872369348cf8f942aefc9aaa42c,

title = "Cybernetic principles and sonic ecosystems",

abstract = "The theoretical basis for the installation Oscilloscope is discussed in this paper along with a description of the applications of these ideas in the practical implementation of the work. It is argued that, despite the different idioms these practitioners work in, there are conceptual commonalities in the generative music of Brian Eno and the musical ecosystems of Agostino Di Scipio. Both these artists' work is influenced by principles of cybernetics, in particular the notion of emergence where the composer's role is not on designing outcomes but on designing systems whose component interactions produce desirable outcomes. A synthesis of these ideas are also applied in the design of Oscilloscope, demonstrating how a system that is relatively simple technologically and with fairly trivial sonic and visual material can be tuned to produce interactions that generate complex results that provide a rich, engaging experience for the viewer. In addition, this discussion critiques the notion of interactivity in electronic music.",

keywords = "Cathode ray oscilloscopes, Computer music, Ecology, Component interaction, Designing systems, Electronic music, Generative musics, Interactivity",

author = "Daren Pickles and Adam Collis",

note = "This is an open-access article dis- tributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 3.0 Unported, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited; 42nd International Computer Music Conference, ICMC 2016 ; Conference date: 12-09-2016 Through 16-09-2016",

year = "2016",

language = "English",

volume = "2016",

publisher = "International Computer Music Association",

pages = "529--532",

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TY - GEN

T1 - Cybernetic principles and sonic ecosystems

AU - Pickles, Daren

AU - Collis, Adam

N1 - This is an open-access article dis- tributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 3.0 Unported, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - The theoretical basis for the installation Oscilloscope is discussed in this paper along with a description of the applications of these ideas in the practical implementation of the work. It is argued that, despite the different idioms these practitioners work in, there are conceptual commonalities in the generative music of Brian Eno and the musical ecosystems of Agostino Di Scipio. Both these artists' work is influenced by principles of cybernetics, in particular the notion of emergence where the composer's role is not on designing outcomes but on designing systems whose component interactions produce desirable outcomes. A synthesis of these ideas are also applied in the design of Oscilloscope, demonstrating how a system that is relatively simple technologically and with fairly trivial sonic and visual material can be tuned to produce interactions that generate complex results that provide a rich, engaging experience for the viewer. In addition, this discussion critiques the notion of interactivity in electronic music.

AB - The theoretical basis for the installation Oscilloscope is discussed in this paper along with a description of the applications of these ideas in the practical implementation of the work. It is argued that, despite the different idioms these practitioners work in, there are conceptual commonalities in the generative music of Brian Eno and the musical ecosystems of Agostino Di Scipio. Both these artists' work is influenced by principles of cybernetics, in particular the notion of emergence where the composer's role is not on designing outcomes but on designing systems whose component interactions produce desirable outcomes. A synthesis of these ideas are also applied in the design of Oscilloscope, demonstrating how a system that is relatively simple technologically and with fairly trivial sonic and visual material can be tuned to produce interactions that generate complex results that provide a rich, engaging experience for the viewer. In addition, this discussion critiques the notion of interactivity in electronic music.

KW - Cathode ray oscilloscopes

KW - Computer music

KW - Ecology

KW - Component interaction

KW - Designing systems

KW - Electronic music

KW - Generative musics

KW - Interactivity

M3 - Conference proceeding

VL - 2016

SP - 529

EP - 532

BT - Proceedings of the International Computer Music Conference 2016

PB - International Computer Music Association

T2 - 42nd International Computer Music Conference

Y2 - 12 September 2016 through 16 September 2016

ER -

Cybernetic principles and sonic ecosystems

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Research output

Long Form Improvisation, Feedback Loops and Cybernetics - A discussion of trans-disciplinary performance practice

Profiles

Adam Collis

Cite this