[livecode] idea: musical interactive fiction

From: Craig Latta <craig_at_netjam.org>
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2004 00:35:59 -0700

hey there--

        Yesterday I had a rather strange idea. I had been working on a novel
approach to "interactive fiction" (see http://netjam.org/cloak , which I
have working). I developed a rather useful parser for english. I started
thinking about other kinds of conversations I could have with it, and
realized that conversations about musical structure and performance
might be interesting. Now I think it would make a nice vehicle for
musical livecoding:

- The exchanges are all in natural language, making them relatively easy
for an audience to follow, and perhaps even poetic.

- The conversation can take place with high-contrast text on a black
background, making projection (and mixing with other projections)
straightforward.

- Multiple people can interact in it at once, over the net (perhaps even
including audience members and/or remote parties).

- It can fulfill various mundane show tasks (e.g., have a "room" which,
when entered, plays the pre-show background music).

        Here's a sample transcript, which I also have working:

***

        You are immersed in silence.

silence> create and enter a room called "livecoding"

        You're in the livecoding room.

the livecoding room> define an "oon" as a bassdrum pitch on the 10th
channel, at full volume

        Okay.

the livecoding room> define a "cha" as a hihat pitch on the 10th
channel, at full volume

        Okay.

the livecoding room> define an "ooncha" as an oon followed by a cha

        Okay.

the livecoding room> create an ooncha

        Okay, added an ooncha to the livecoding room.

the ooncha> set your duration to a quarter

        Okay, my duration is a quarter.

the ooncha> set your tempo to 120 bpm

        Okay, my tempo is 120 bpm.

the ooncha> play repeatedly

        Okay, I'm playing repeatedly.

the ooncha> stop

        Okay, I stopped.

***

        Thoughts? I'd also be delighted to receive suggestions in the form of
potential transcripts.


        thanks, take care,

-C

--
Craig Latta
improvisational musical informaticist
craig_at_netjam.org
www.netjam.org
[|] Proceed for Truth!
Received on Thu Sep 23 2004 - 07:37:36 BST

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