Two frontiers of electroacoustic music composition today are the micro-level control of sound design, and the integration of environmental sound into the compositional process. Granular approaches to processing sampled sound have been pioneered by Barry Truax who will demonstrate how this technique brings out the inner complexity of these sounds, and how his compositional approach integrates environmental sound experience and its imagery into his music. While some composers consider this advantageous, others struggle to find ways to make their attendance unnecessary. One solution to this problem is improved notation. Precise notation not only encourages performers to play pieces without composers present, it also promotes faster learning, and helps players diagnose performance problems.
Thorough notation can also enable performers to give a more intelligent performance.
The notation of interactive music will be discussed from the perspectives of composer and performer based on the results of a questionnaire. While there will always be limitations imposed by visually notating aural events, this paper will propose several solutions to the unique problems faced by composers of interactive music. It includes orchestra and score editors, a multimedia control, dialog boxes for analysis programs, a spreadsheet-like score processor and much more. WCShell is shareware software. These techniques are explained in detail, with emphasis on the advantages and limitations of each approach.