The Complexities of Simple Actions: Designing Sonic Affordances for Performance

´The Complexities of Simple Actions: Designing Sonic Affordances for Performance´

This presentation explores the expressive performance of sound as a continuous sonic interaction. Using historical theatre sound effects as an example of simple actions producing complex sounds, I will examine the challenges of designing interfaces specifically for performance. I draw these wooden and metal mechanical devices, our everyday experiences of the tactility of paper and tools, and the precision of thumbsticks and touch sensors together in a continuum of interactive sounding objects with the aim of creating perceptual connections between real-world and digital encounters with sound. This frames sound, no matter its origin, as a material to be shaped and manipulated by the human body. The discussion presented here considers prior work in both Sonic Interaction Design (SID) and Digital Musical Instrument (DMI) Design to consider how a new design space might be opened up to specifically facilitate intuitive and expressive sound performance in digital and virtual domains. 

About the speaker
I am a Lecturer in Sound Production at the Department of Theatre, Film, Television and Interactive Media (TFTI), University of York, UK. My research and practice explore the experience of performative soundmaking, whether acoustic or digital - focusing on mechanical sound producers, theatrical sound props, augmented instruments and software- based systems. 

www.york.ac.uk/tfti/staff/academic/fiona-keenan/ 

The seminar will be given online via Zoom. Contact the organizer  to ask for the link.