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Thesis Info
- LABS ID
- 00119
- Thesis Title
- The [hid] Toolkit for Pd
- Author
- Hans-Christoph Steiner
- E-mail
- hans AT eds.org
- 2nd Author
- 3rd Author
- Degree
- Masters of Professional Studies
- Year
- 2004
- Number of Pages
- 37
- University
- New York University
- Thesis Supervisor
- Kathy Wilson
- Supervisor e-mail
- ksw2 AT aol.com
- Other Supervisor(s)
- Language(s) of Thesis
- English
- Department / Discipline
- Interactive Telecommunications Program
- Copyright Ownership
- Hans-Christoph Steiner
- Languages Familiar to Author
- English, Deutsch
- URL where full thesis can be found
- at.or.at/hans/misc/itp/thesis
- Keywords
- instrument design, game controllers, pure data, music
- Abstract: 200-500 words
- The [hid] toolkit is a set of Pd objects for designing instruments to harness the real-time interaction made possible by contemporary computer music performance environments. This interaction has been too frequently tied to the keyboard-mouse-monitor model, narrowly constraining the range of possible gestures the performer can use. A multitude of gestural input devices are readily available, making it much easier utilize a broad range of gestures. Consumer Human Interface Devices (HIDs) such as joysticks, tablets, and mice are cheap, and some can be quite good musical controllers, including some that can provide non-auditory feedback. The [hid] toolkit provides objects for using the data from these devices and controlling the feedback, as well as objects for mapping the data from these devices to the desired output. Many musicians are using and creating gestural instruments of their own, but the creators rarely develop virtuosity, and these instruments rarely gain wide acceptance due to the expense and skill level needed to build them; this prevents the formation of a body of technique for these new instruments. The [hid] toolkit is built in Pd, which provides an ideal platform for this work, combining sound and visual synthesis and control with easy access to many external devices for interfacing with humans. Pd is a high level programming language, which is relatively easy for novices without major limitations for advanced users. Using consumer HIDs allows musicians to build a shared body of technique, much like video game players have developed; the [hid] toolkit enables sharing of instrument patches. In combination, designers of new interfaces for musical expression can design their own instruments while building upon existing skills.