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Learning to play an intelligent feedback instrument

Artistic research into how a performer learns to navigate agency with an AI feedback instrument.

Level: Honours, Masters
Length: Honours projects run over two semesters; two semesters are preferred for Masters.
Prerequisites: An established musical practice (performance, improvisation, or electronic music) and COMP4350/COMP8350 or equivalent experience with audio programming or music software.

Our duet study found that performing with AI feedback instruments involves a specific skill: navigating agency, or knowing when to hold back, steer, or inject new material to keep the instrument in a productive state. We learnt this over two years of practice, but we don’t know how a new performer develops this skill. In this project you’ll adopt one of the lab’s intelligent instruments, or configure your own IMPSY instrument where the model feeds back on its own output (like our Agentier instrument), establish a regular practice over a semester, and document how your playing and your understanding of the instrument change, using structured reflection after each session and recordings of your practice.

• Minimum: a documented practice of at least two sessions a week for 12 weeks or more (each with a recording and an interaction log), a public performance, and a reflective analysis of how your skills developed.
• Stretch: compare your experience with our published vocabulary (feedback moments, funnelling, injection) and extend or challenge it.

Tags: #artistic-research #performance #feedback-music #material-agency #IMPSY

How to apply

Contact Charles Martin with your CV, your unofficial transcript (if you are an ANU student), and a brief statement (200 words) explaining how you would approach this project. Before applying, read the Join page and our project expectations.