PROJECTS

Pieces in progress

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Pieces of AOM

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Tour diary of AOM

TOUR DIARY

how

How does AOM group of performers work together?

To work with AOM group means to:
  • make rehearsals in Second Life together
  • create new interfaces
  • test interfaces together
  • discuss how to organise a scenography  for a piece
  • communicate on AOM mail list about ideas and organisation of the performances
  • publish documentations about AOM in different networks

During the rehearsals that takes about 2 hours per week we are both discussing and playing. We talk about and play old and new pieces at different locations to find out for performances in Second Life. Also we discuss plans and elaborate together about future performances and ideas carried out by a composer, member or not member of AOM group.


A rehearsal time

rehearsal


To make scenography for pieces we work together in choosing or building specific  landscape architecture. Also for a piece we can think of special ways between place and architectural objects inside it to play with. This in order to obtain a specific choreography with avatars. Sometimes we create clothes too. We can imagine a piece by testing it in different places in Second Life too. We test all these parameters depending on if we want to obtain an imbrication or if we search to create a surprise between environment and playing. Many parameters are chosen to be included in our playing but other parameters are necessary to be integrated like for instance the lag (time delay) or other script restrictions in different places. We work with this lag (streaming audio and 3D interaction delays) and composes pieces to play. During performances AOM follows scores or a conductor avatar and in some pieces there is also improvisation. Some pieces are performed in a series of investigations in new surroundings (called 'Orchestral investigations'). Also we have some suggestions to choose camera points of view during a performance to show the audience. Example of one of script of the camera (written by one of members called wirxli flimflam, posted in the AOM mail-list the 14 november 2007):

This post here is just for whomever happens to be the RL camera avatar for Wien Modern on the 24th. It might be Maximillian or someone else who is there locally. Anyways, here is the best way for the RL camera in Vienna to get the most out of Riesenrad:

1- Ensure that the camera avatar is wearing a flight feather (I can pass one of these around) as the wheel has been installed in a space with strong gravity.

2- The best place to position the cam avatar would be somewhere floating near the centre of the wheel but not too close as to knock the conductor off the perch ;-)

3- Using the alt+arrow keys, the camera can zoom around to different chairs on the wheel and zoom into the local sounds of the various performers...zooming out gives the audience the total orchestrational mix of the ensemble and so even though it sounds the most dense, any sort of structural detail or tonal development will not be heard unless zooming in on the flutes or cellos. I suggest zooming back and forth between the macro view and the local view of each performer over the course of the composition's duration. It is ok to enable to the doppler effect on the camera avatar's sound preferences so it will make the zooming actions produce cool warping sounds :-)

4- The conductor also plays sounds so that drone sound you hear is what the conductor is playing..if the drone timbre sounds too repetitive and minimalist after prolonged exposure, it is recommended that the camera zoom away from the conductor and towards each

individual player.

5- The conductor occasionally stops conducting and the performers will try to stop performing until the conductor continues conducting again... The composision does not end until the conductor says, /THE END.

 



How does AOM create a HUD interface to play a piece?

A creator of interface with AOM communicate the ideas to invent it with others. So at the same time he/she compose with architecture and possible avatar choreography.
It’s a collective process that can be recognized in lenghty discussions during rehearsal and in the mailing list of AOM about how to implement differents things technically, estethically and also conceptually.

To create an interface a member propose an idea that also includes:
- short samples of sounds,
- different avatars movements for various sounds

When the interface is beginning to take shape, at least in the head of the creator, next step is taking place and that is the technical programming of the so called HUDs (Heads Up Display). Usually this includes filling in specifications on how the HUD shall control sounds and avatar movements.
 
examples of two modes of one of our HUD interfaces

               default mode                                               playing mode

defaultmode  playinghud

The HUDs are programmed in the language called LSL (Linden Script Language). The first HUDs made for AOM where simple and used only a single user interface with playing buttons visible (screen interface) only for the avatar orchestra player.
Later HUDs have animations of avatars included and visible wearable soundsack on avatars back.

examples of two screen interfaces

          Fragula screen interface                           Fadheit screen interface

fragulascreen fadheitscreen

These interfaces makes it possible to play with avatars in the virtual life like aviaphones
or onomatophones (see glossary). We also want to create other pieces for mixed reality
live performances (see in progress).