Abstract:

Corpus based concatenative synthesis has been approached from different perspectives by many researchers. This generated a number of diverse solutions addressing the matter of target selection, corpus visualization and navigation. With this paper we introduce the concept of extended descriptor space, which permits the arbitrary redistribution of audio units in space, without affecting each unit's sonic content. This feature can be exploited in novel instruments and music applications to achieve spatial dispositions which could enhance control and expression. Making use of Virtual Reality technology, we developed vrGrains, an immersive installation in which real-time corpus navigation is based on the concept of extended descriptor space and on the related audio unit rearrangement capabilities. The user is free to explore a corpus represented by 3D units which physically surrounds her/him. Through natural interaction, the interface provides different interaction modalities which allow controllable and chaotic audio unit triggering and motion.