Pocket Gamelan – performing with mobile devices


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Presentation Title:
  • Pocket Gamelan - performing with mobile devices

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Abstract:

  • Microtonal sound installation for multiple mobile sound sources,  performed by Singaporean community artists as part of the IDMI’s New Music and the Networked Ensemble Project.

    Pocket Gamelan – Mandala 7 is a microtonal sound installation for mobile devices in which sound projection relies entirely on hand-held battery-operated amplifiers of sixteen Nokia mobile phones. The work does not depend on mains amplification, fixed speaker placement or tethered performance interfaces but explores the collaborative potential of mobile phones used as moving sound sources and as hand-held remote control units. Sound interaction involves chorusing, a by-product of the movement of each sound source and microtonal tuning algorithms which are programmed into each handset and activated by commands initiated by the players.

    Pocket Gamelan – Mandala 7 uses a tuning configuration that resembles a mandala. Its geometry defines a reflective listening space in which each of the players interact with one another as they explore a 35-note microtonal scale developed by contemporary tuning theorist Erv Wilson. This scale contains many harmonic intervals described by music theorists from antiquity and still found in musical traditions from various parts of the world.

    Pocket Gamelan – Mandala 7 uses a j2me network framework developed at the University of Wollonging by composer A/Prof Greg Schiemer assisted by Mark Havryliv.

Acknowledgements:

  • The Pocket Gamelan project was supported by the Australian Research Council (2003-2005) and extended in 2008 by Greg Schiemer with assistance of Norikazu Mitani from the IDMI Arts and Creativity Laboratory directed by A/Prof Lonce Wyse, IDMI, and Janaka Wijesena from the IDMI Mixed Reality Laboratory directed by A/Prof Adrian Cheok. Players for the event are coordinated by Michael Spicer from the Diploma of Music and Audio Technology program Singapore Polytechnic.

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