E-tudes

E-tudes contributes to the field of live electronic performance and interactive music by synthesising recent developments in various areas of electronic music and sound art and examining how they affect relational aspects in music collaboration, creativity and perception. This practice-based research asks the question: what types of relationships may be established through live electronic performance that are specific to the interactive medium? E-tudes examines audio/visual causality in live electronic performance through Emmerson's analysis of imaginary and real relationships in live electronic music (Emmerson, 2007). E-tudes interrogates the coupling of human action to sound production as the standard form of sound representation. Instead of attempting to re-establish an imaginary casual link of sound to performer, this work proposes a multiplicity of audio/visual relationships that can be suggested only through interactive media. Additionally, E-tudes looks at the relationships that may be established with the audience in live electronic performance by elaborating on multi headphone installation work by artists like Kubish and Rimbaud. In E-tudes, multiple headphones are used to output different processed versions of a single performance. This allows the audience to choose between different headphones to construct their own version of the composition. E-tudes also considers the role of creativity in the digital age and the way artists interact with work by others. By extending the notion of plunderphonics (Oswald) to include real-time alterations of live performances, the relationship of ownership is inverted: the appropriated Other (the performer) becomes an accomplice in the process of appropriation (of herself)., E-tudes has been presented at venues including Kings Place and The Space and has been discussed at international peer-reviewed conferences and festivals (IKS2012, Enterprise 08). Research documentation including audio, visual and written material is available online. E-tudes received a PRS Foundation Live Connections award for innovation in the live presentation of electronic music.