Cross-cultural Workshop on Reimagining Traditional Music Instruments through Digital Technologies

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Cross-cultural Workshop on Reimagining Traditional Music Instruments through Digital Technologies

Also see in http://eecs.qmul.ac.uk/~nickbk/Duxianqin19/

Introduction

The workshop will focus on the Duxianqin, a traditional a Solo String instrument popular in southern Guangxi and Vietnam, and explore the use of Digital Music Technology and Interaction Design to reimagine this one-stringed traditional instrument in a creative way.

Participants in the workshop will include Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) Media and Arts Technology (MAT) Centre, Central Conservatory of Music AI Muisc & Music technology Department，China Conservatory of Music，Ministry of Culture Non-material Cultural Heritage, Shanghai Conservatory of Theater, Tongji University, Beijing University, China Geosciences University etc.

Participants are responsible in small groups for a specific part of the project, such as the shape design of the instrument, sound synthesis, sensor data acquisition, interactive design, etc.

Objectives of the Workshop

  • To study the cultural and social background of the solo stringed instrument, as well as its performance characteristics and performance techniques;
  • Explore common techniques for designing Digital Musical Instruments, such as sensors, microcontrollers, sound modeling and composition techniques, to enhance the design of the Duxianqin (adding functionality to the original instrument) or redesigning (retaining only its core functions and other parts redesigned);
  • Study how people interact with the re-imagined Duxianqin after re-design;
  • The workshop end with an exhibition or concert to be presented to the public.

Design Explorations

Digital Music Technologies and Interaction Design will be used to explore design challenges of:

  • Size: how to create a physically smaller Duxianqin yet with equal sound control;
  • Sound: how to produce a wider range of sounds and/ or polyphony;
  • Ease of play: using techniques such as quantization to reduce precision needed to play Duxianqin;
  • Learnability: augment Duxianqin with interactive displays to provide feedback on playing.

Workshop Schedule

The workshop structure will be modified version of the Qi2He 起承转合 (Qǐ-Chéng-Zhuǎn-Hé) co-creation process (Bryan-Kinns et al., 2018).

Day 1(2019.09.16) (Guqin base) Reciprocal cultural immersion

  • 09:00 Travel to Guqin base (1.5 hours)
  • 10:30 Duxianqin cultural immersion
  • 12:30 Lunch
  • 13:30 Duxianqin learning
  • 15:00 Tea & Discussion
  • 16:00 Digital music immersion (demos)
  • 17:30 Dinner
  • Travel back (1.5 hours)

Day 2 (2019.09.17)(CCoM): Co-design

  • 09:30 Arrival
  • 10:00 Start: Group discussion and brainstorming for digitally reimagining the Duxianqin
  • 12:00 Lunch
  • 13:00 Group discussion and brainstorming for digitally reimagining the Duxianqin
  • 15:00 Tea time
  • 16:00 Identify people in design team, and set design/ build work activities.
  • 18:00 Finish

Day 3 (2019.09.18)(CCoM)

  • Digital reimagining design and implementation
  • Performance and music creation

Day 4 (2019.09.19)(CCoM)

  • Digital reimagining design and implementation
  • Performance and music creation

Day 5 (2019.09.20)(CCoM): Rehearsal, reflection, and performance

  • 10:00 Rehearsal & Refinement
  • 12:00 Lunch
  • 13:00 Reflection on design and development process
  • 15:00 Tea & Contingency time
  • 17:00 Performance set up
  • 18:00 Mini-Performance with reimagined Duxianqin (30 mins)

Performances

  • Traditional music with traditional Duxianqin and/ or Erhu or other traditional instrument
  • Electronic music with reimagined Duxianqin
  • Ensemble music

Appendix

About the Duxianqin

Duxianqin (“独弦琴”, meaning “single-string instrument”) is interesting as it is a plucked string instrument with only one string and an unusual pitch modulation mechanism for the left hand. It is a traditional musical instrument played in very southern part of China (Guangxi province) and in Vietnam by Jing(京) people. The instrument can be played either as solo, singing accompaniment or in ensemble. Originating from ancient times, the music of Duxianqin usually tells wishes and hopes for better life, love stories and hymn for their hometown.