PERFORMANCE AS A GENERATIVE TOOL FOR THE EXPLORATION OF TIME AND SPACE
This research focusses on elements of the act of performance as a vehicle for the study of time and space within a creative practice framework. A series of projects are being developed that examine issues relating to design and creative processes through the principal vehicle of the electronic drum kit, utilised by the author as a tool for creative expression. Projects will focus on aspects of musicality, including improvisation, time keeping (and time lapsing), solo playing, playing along with set musical pieces and playing with accompaniment. A principal feature of the research is the use of the MIDI drum kit across a wide spectrum, including as a musical instrument for purposes of producing music, as an analytical tool for the study of improvisation, to enable data processing and for spatialization. It is anticipated that, as the research progresses, novel innovative and alternative uses of the instrument will be explored within a performance context across a range of scales and settings. The study of improvisation, and the ability for both musicians and designers to improvise within the constraints of their tools, is central to this study.
Jeremy J. Ham 