Interactive Technologies and Music Making: Transmutable Music

Challenging current music making approaches which have traditionally relied on the repetition of fixed forms when played, this book provides a new framework for musicians, composers, and producers wanting to explore working with music that can be represented by data and transformed by interactive technologies.

Beginning with an exploration into how current interactive technologies, including VR and AR, are affecting music, the book goes on to create an accessible compositional model which articulates the emerging field of ’transmutable music.’ It then shows how to compose and produce transmutable music for platforms like video games, apps and interactive works, employing tutorials which use a range of inputs from sensors, data, and compositional approaches. The book also offers technical exercises on how to transform data into usable forms (including machine learning techniques) for mapping musical parameters, and discussion points to support learning.

This book is a valuable resource for industry professionals wanting to gain an insight into cutting edge new practice, as well as for assisting musicians, composers, and producers with professional development. It is also suitable for students and researchers in the fields of music/audio composition and music/audio production, computer game design, and interactive media.

Tracy Redhead is a musician, composer, and researcher working in music performance, production, and technology. Her career spans from singer/songwriter roots to pioneering interactive music projects with cutting-edge technologies. Holding a Master of Arts and PhD in Music, she is currently a Lecturer of Electronic Music and Sound Design at the University of Western Australia. She explores the intersection of science and art, and novel forms of expression.