diff nime2012/mtriange.tex @ 39:edbd4d53829b

second drafted through section 3

--- a/nime2012/mtriange.tex	Tue Feb 07 23:40:37 2012 +0000
+++ b/nime2012/mtriange.tex	Wed Feb 08 00:12:13 2012 +0000
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@
 
 
 \section{User Interfaces}
-The Melody Triangle engine\footnote{developed in Prolog and MatLab} is controlled over OSC messages and thus any number of interfaces could be developed to for it. Currently two different interfaces exist; a standard screen based interface where a user moves tokens with a mouse in and around a triangle on screen, and a multi-user interactive installation where a Kinect\footnote{http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/Kinect} camera tracks individuals in a space and maps their positions in the space to the triangle. 
+Any number of interfaces could be developed for the Melody Triangle\footnote{The Melody Triangle was developed in Prolog and MatLab. It can be controlled with OpenSoundControl messages, and thus is independent of any specific interface implementation.}. We have developed two; a standard screen based interface where a user moves tokens with a mouse in and around a triangle on screen, and a multi-user interactive installation where a Kinect\footnote{http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/Kinect} camera tracks individuals in a space and maps their positions in the space to the triangle.  
 
 \subsection{The Multi-User Installation}
 
@@ -147,17 +147,15 @@
 \caption{The depth map as seen by the Kinect, and the bounding box outlines the blobs detected by OpenNI.\label{Kinect}}
 \end{figure}
 
-As a Kinect camera overlooks a space, its the range naturally forms a triangle.  As visitors/users comes into the range of the camera, they start generating a melody, the statistical properties of this melody determined by the mapping of physical space to statistical space as discussed above.  Thus by exploring the physical space the participant explores the predictability of the generated melodic content.  When multiple people are in the space, they can cooperate to create musical polyphonic textures.
+As a Kinect camera overlooks a space, its range naturally forms a triangle.  As visitors/users comes into the range of the camera, they start generating a melody, the statistical properties of this melody determined by the mapping of physical space to statistical space as discussed above. Thus by exploring the physical space the participant changes the predictability of the generated melodic content.  When multiple people are in the space they can cooperate to create interweaving melodies, forming intricate polyphonic textures.
 
 The streams of symbols are mapped to MIDI and then played with software instruments in Logic.  The tracking system was capable of detecting gestures, and these were mapped to different musical effects such as tempo changes, periodicity changes (going to the off-beat), instrument/register changes and volume (see Figure \ref{gestures}).     
   
 \subsubsection{Tracking and Control}
 
-Tracking and control was done using the OpenNI libraries' API\footnote{http://OpenNi.org/} and high level middle-ware for tracking with Kinect.  This provided reliable blob tracking of humanoid forms in 2d space.  By triangulating this to the Kinect's depth map it became possible to get reliable coordinate of visitors positions in the space.
+Tracking and control was done using the OpenNI libraries' API\footnote{http://OpenNi.org/} and high level middle-ware for tracking with Kinect.  This provided reliable blob tracking of humanoid forms in 2d space.  By triangulating this to the Kinect's depth map it became possible to get reliable coordinate of visitors' positions in the space.
 
-This system was extended to detect gestures.  By detecting the bounding box of the 2d blobs of individuals in the space, and then normalising these based on the distance of the depth map it became possible to work out if an individual had an arm stretched out or if they were crouching.  
-
-With this it was possible to define a series of gestures for controlling the system without the use of any controllers(see table \ref{gestures}).  Thus for instance by sticking out one's left arm quickly, the melody doubles in tempo.  By pulling one's left arm in at the same time as sticking the right arm out the melody would shift onto the offbeat.   Sending out both arms would change instrument.    
+By detecting the bounding box of the 2d blobs of individuals in the space, and then normalising these based on the distance of the depth map it became possible to work out if an individual had an arm stretched out or if they were crouching.  With this it was possible to define a series of gestures for controlling the system without the use of any controllers(see table \ref{gestures}).  Thus for instance by sticking out one's left arm quickly, the melody doubles in tempo.  By pulling one's left arm in at the same time as sticking the right arm out the melody would shift onto the offbeat.   Sending out both arms would change the instrument being `played'.    
 
 \begin{table}
 \centering
@@ -177,13 +175,13 @@
 \end{table}
 
 \subsubsection{Observations}
-Although visitors would need an initial bit of training they could then quickly be made to collaboratively design musical textures.  For example, one person could lay down a predictable repeating bass line by keeping themselves to the periodicity/repetition side of the room, while a companion can generate a freer melodic line by being nearer the 'noise' part of the space. 
+Although visitors would need an initial bit of training they would then quickly be able to collaboratively design musical textures.  For example, one person could lay down a predictable repeating bass line by keeping themselves to the periodicity/repetition side of the room, while a companion can generate a freer melodic line by being nearer the 'noise' part of the space. 
 
 
 
-The collaborative nature of this installation is one area that merits attention.  By not having one user be able to control the whole narrative, the participants would communicate verbally and direct each other in the goals of learning to use the system, and eventually towards finding interesting musical textures.  The collaborative nature added an element of playfulness and enjoyment that was obviously apparent. 
+The collaborative nature of this installation is an area that merits attention.  By not having one user be able to control the whole narrative, the participants would communicate verbally and direct each other in the goals of learning to use the system and finding interesting musical textures.  This collaboration added an element of playfulness and enjoyment that was clearly apparent. 
 
-As an artefact this installation is an exploratory prototype, and occupies an ambiguous role in terms of purpose; it is in a nebulous middle ground between instrument and art installation.  One thing is clear is that as a vehicle for communicating ideas related to the expectation, pattern and predictability in music it is very effective.   
+As an artefact this installation is an exploratory prototype and occupies an ambiguous role in terms of purpose; it is in a nebulous middle ground between instrument, art installation and technical demonstration.  One thing is clear is that as a vehicle for communicating ideas related to the expectation, pattern and predictability in music to the public, it is very effective.   
 
 \subsection{The Screen Based Interface}
 
@@ -197,7 +195,7 @@
 
 Additionally there are a number of keyboard controls.  These include controls for changing the overall tempo, for enabling and disabling individual voices, changing registers, going to off-beats and changing the speed of individual voices.  The system gives visual feedback to indicate when a token has locked on to a new melody, and contains a buffer zone for allowing tokens to be pushed right to the edges of the triangle without falling out.  
 
-In this mode, the Melody Triangle can be used as a kind of composition assistant for the generation of interesting musical textures and melodies. However unlike other computer aided composition tools or programming environments, here the composer engages with the musical process on a very high and abstract level; notions of predictability, expectation and surprise the control parameters.
+In this mode, the Melody Triangle can be used as a kind of composition assistant for the generation of interesting musical textures and melodies. However unlike other computer aided composition tools or programming environments, here the composer engages with music on a very high and abstract level; predictability, expectation and surprise concepts by which possibilities are explored.
 
 
 \section{Musical Preference and Information Dynamics Study}