Cybernetic principles and sonic ecosystems

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.