Maximum Silence to Noise: Sound synthesis for responsive gestural control

Andrew Brown

Image credit: Andrew Brown

• Format: poster
• Session: posters-2
• Paper PDF link
• Presence: in person
• Duration: 5
• Type: medium

Abstract:

Modulation synthesis has been a foundational technique in the development of electronic musical instruments since their inception. This paper presents a novel approach to ring modulation synthesis, termed Maximum Silence to Noise (MSN), along with an associated method of gestural control facilitated by a pressure-sensitive multi-touch controller. The primary objective of this research is to develop an instrument capable of producing a broad and diverse range of audio spectra that can be expressively articulated through responsive touch-based interaction. Integrating the synthesis process with gestural parameter mapping is crucial for the performative capabilities of New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIMEs). The technical development of the MSN instrument was subject to an iterative design process with mixed method evaluation. The usability and practical application of the MSN instrument was refined through performance experiences, which illustrate the effectiveness of the synthesis-gesture mappings in providing dynamic and expressive control over the diverse generated audio spectra.