R-oboe system

The R-oboe system is a basic gesture capture system that focuses on instrument bell movements by an oboist as expressive ancillary gestures for use as a control signal for live audio processing in the performance of music for oboe and live electronics. Such music is frequently performed with the audio processing being controlled in a manner disembodied from the performer’s presence and musical intentionality, whether it is controlled by a second person, or requires the performer to take bodily action that is less related to the musical intentions and outcomes of the action. R-oboe seeks to better integrate audio processing effects with the presence and bodily actions of the performer by having their expressive movements control the effects. Bell movements in woodwind instruments have been shown to be expressively related to the musical content of the performance in various studies (Wanderley, Vines, Middleton, McKay, & Hatch, 2005), which is why this movement was chosen to be captured for the oboe. The oboe bell is mounted with a infrared reflective antenna and its movements captured by a LEAP motion controller. These movements then can be mapped to particular audio processing effects with consideration to the individual performer’s use of movement and the requirements of the music composition. The R-oboe system has been rudimentarily explored in the performance of a piece by composer Simon Fay, and will be employed in other compositionsthe middle movement of my composition “Being & Becoming” for oboe and live electronics that I will create. I aim for this system to demonstrate the use of a bodily action that communicates musical intentionality.

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