Abstract
There is a longstanding disconnect between mechanical models of the piano, in which key velocity is the sole determinant of each note’s sound, and the subjective experience of trained pianists, who take a nuanced, multidimensional approach to physical gestures at the keyboard (commonly known as “touch”). We seek to peel back the abstraction of the key press as a discrete event, developing models of key touch that link qualitative musical intention to quantitative key motion. The interaction between performer and instrument (whether acoustic or electronic) can be considered a special case of human-machine interaction, and one that takes place on far different terms than ordinary human-computer interaction: a player’s physical gestures are often the result of intuitive, subconscious processes. Our proposed models will therefore aid the development of computer interfaces which connect with human users on an intuitive, expressive level, with applications within and beyond the musical domain.
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Notes
- 1.
By evaluating non-professional pianists, our results suggest that the ability to control a press gesture in multiple dimensions is not dependent on advanced training.
- 2.
Percussive strokes are characterised by an initial spike in key velocity, versus a continuous ramp (McPherson and Kim 2011).
- 3.
See Wanderley and Depalle (2004) for more background on musical mapping strategies.
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Acknowledgments
This material is based upon work supported by the US National Science Foundation under Grant #0937060 to the Computing Research Association for the CIFellows Project.
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McPherson, A.P., Kim, Y.E. (2013). Piano Technique as a Case Study in Expressive Gestural Interaction. In: Holland, S., Wilkie, K., Mulholland, P., Seago, A. (eds) Music and Human-Computer Interaction. Springer Series on Cultural Computing. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2990-5_7
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