Cronje, Mario (2011-10)
Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005.
research in this field appears dormant. The reasons for this state of affairs are complex and can be
argued from different angles covering socio-economical, philosophical and educational
This document describes the design, creation and implementation of an operational gesture interface
environment which holds the potential to be expanded in the future. The implementation draws on
cost-efficient hard- and software in the design of elementary to more advanced musical and even
non-musical virtual environments (VEs) harbouring potential for further research and performance.
Hard- and software available at Stellenbosch University’s Konservatorium were used together with
selected free downloadable software from the internet in creating VEs, which to a degree simulate
other techniques of sound manipulation. The choice of software was guided by the availability of
support and prominence in terms of usage. Software basically had to incorporate hand movement
tracking and the mapping of data to manipulate several parameters.
Three independent systems, each representing a different VE, were studied, experimented with and
programmed in order to validate the thesis. The first system manipulates a complete electronic
musical instrument. The second system incorporates the simulation of a real-life musical
performance and the third system focuses on manipulating specific sequencing software by a basic
alternative computer mouse implementation.
The outcome of this thesis provides an environment within which several programming techniques
are treated and combined to form a template for teaching this field, and future development and
research. These techniques incorporate the manipulation of digital audio, deal with a digital
communication protocol, basic computer graphics and other necessary programming algorithms. In
addition, the thesis strives to provide an outline for the understanding, design and implementation
of a VE installation.
The three systems will be installed for operation during a presentation of this thesis. Together with
the three operative systems, this document strives to act as an initial platform from which exciting
futuristic research and activity can be launched.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die gebied van beweging gebaseerde navorsing en die interaksie tussen mens en rekenaar waar die
fokus op musikale toepassings val, is internasionaal stewig gevestig. In Suid-Afrika egter, blyk
navorsing op hierdie gebied sluimerend te wees. Die redes vir hierdie stand van sake is kompleks
en kan vanuit verskillende hoeke wat sosio-ekonomiese, filosofiese en opvoedkundige perspektiewe
insluit, beredeneer word.
Hierdie dokument beskryf die ontwerp, skep en implementering van ‘n operasionele bewegings
koppelvlak omgewing met potensiaal tot uitbreiding. Die implementering baseer op kosteeffektiewe
hardeware en programmatuur in die ontwerp van eenvoudige tot gevorderde virtuele
omgewings (VOs) vir musiek, en selfs nie-musikale dissiplines met die potensiaal tot verdere
navorsing en implementering binne die musikale uitvoeringspraktyk.
Hardeware en programmatuur beskikbaar aan die Konservatorium is gebruik tesame met ‘n seleksie
van gratis programmatuur op die internet beskikbaar om VOs wat ander klankmanipulerings
tegnieke simuleer, te skep. Die keuse van programmatuur is gelei deur die beskikbaarheid van
ondersteuning en gewildheid en inkorpeer die volg van hand beweging asook die verspreiding van
data om verskeie parameters te manipuleer.
Drie onafhanklike sisteme wat elk ‘n ander VO voorstel, is bestudeer, mee ge-ekperimenteer en
geprogrammeer om die tesis te valideer. Die eerste sisteem manipuleer ‘n volledige elektroniese
musiekinstrument. Die tweede sisteem inkorporeer die simulasie van ‘n werklike musikale
uitvoering en die derde sisteem fokus op die manipulasie van spesifieke sequencing programmatuur
sonder die hulp van ‘n muis.
Die uitkoms van hierdie tesis verskaf ‘n omgewing waarbinne heelparty programmerings tegnieke
bespreek en gekombineer word in ‘n aanpasbare templaat vir die onderrig van hierdie veld asook
toekomstige ontwikkeling en navorsing. Hierdie tegnieke inkorporeer die manipulasie van digitale
klank, die omgang met ‘n digitale kommunikasie protokol, basiese rekenaargrafika en verdere
noodsaaklike programmerings algoritmes. Verder streef die tesis daarna om ‘n raamwerk vir die
begrip, ontwerp en implementering van ‘n VO daar te stel.
Die drie sisteme wat in hierdie tesis bespreek word, sal operasioneel geïnstalleer word gedurende ‘n
demonstrasie daarvan. Saam met die drie werkende sisteme streef hierdie dokument daarna om te
dien as platform waarvan af opwindende futuristiese navorsing en aktiwiteite geïniseer kan word.
Please refer to this item in SUNScholar by using the following persistent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/16602
This item appears in the following collections: Masters Degrees (Music)121