Introducing Whole-Play

12.04.14

Whole-Play

Whole-Play is a musical framework that explores the interaction between improvisation and composition and which, through the use of computer programming, generates new performing environments.

At its core, Whole-Play consists of a set of programs that run simultaneously and can communicate among themselves. These programs are able to "listen" to the musician's improvisation, process it in order to extract musical information, and compose a creative response, real-time. The computer's processing power and speed allow the application of compositional concepts and procedures in a free-improvisation environment.

Musically it's a very open project that allows many and diverse manifestations in terms of sound as well as musical and compositional style. It also opens up multiple possibilities for collaboration with other musicians and disciplines, both artistic and others. The final result is the free improvisation between the musician(s) and the computer-composer.

How is Whole-Play realized? On stage, a musician plays a free improvisation on a MIDI guitar or keyboard (and potentially other instruments in the future). The instrument is connected to the computer, which receives notifications for every note being played and starts analyzing them. As it starts to extract musical information from the received data (tempo, melodic and rhythmic motives, etc.), it begins to generate a musical piece interacting with the improvisation, on the fly. As the improvisation unfolds, the computer gathers more and more information about what's being played, and continues to interactively and organically develop the composition.

At a more essential level Whole-Play is also concerned with the exploration of evolving practice, surrender, and effortless manifestation of the creative impulse.

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Jane

I really like the look of the website Gonzalo. Warm and welcoming :) i know this is not your aim but I'm wondering, would this later be software that you could sell so that people, such as myself for example could use it at home?

Gonzalo

Thanks Jane! Yeah, not in my initial plans to commercialise anything, but maybe in the future. I try not to make too many plans, I like the explorative quality of the development process so far. :)


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