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On the Choice of Gestural Controllers for Musical Applications: An evaluation of the Buchla Lightning II and the RadioDrum

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John Sullivan

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Authors:

Carmine Casciato

Publication or Conference Title:

M.A. Thesis, McGill University

Abstract:

This thesis evaluates the Lightning II and the Radio Baton gestural contollers for musical applications within two main perspectives. The first involves a technical specification of each in terms of their construction and sensing technology. This step, along with an analysis of the insights by long-term users on the controllers in question, provides an understanding about the different musical contexts each controllers can be and have been used in. The second perspective involves studying the Radio Baton and the Lightning within a specific musical context, namely that of a simulated acoustic percussion instrument performance. Three expert percussionists performed basic percussion techniques on a real drum, a drum-like gestural controller (the Roland V-Drum), the Radio Baton and the Lightning II. The motion capture and audio data from these trials suggest that certain acoustic percussion playing techniques can be successfully transferred over to gestural controllers. This comparative analysis between gestural controllers adds to the ongoing discussion on the evaluation of digital musical instruments and their relationship to acoustic instruments.


Publication Details:

Type:
Masters Thesis
Date:
08/01/2007
Pages:
62
Location:
Montreal, Canada

IDMIL Participants:


Additional Information:

CarmineCasciato_MAthesis