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Computers and digital devices are still developing. I think these tools cannot catch
people’s detailed expression yet, like an unplugged instrument. They are expected to
improved further more. But at the same time, I believe we need to think differently.
Toshio Iwai1
Introduction
This paper will examine the ways in which systems designed by Toshio Iwai, the
systems for the creation of music, and how successful they are in doing so. It does not
seek to come up with a definitive judgement on the issue, but simply to explore existing
material on the subject of creativity and control systems, and compare this against user
experiences of these systems. Section one looks at some of the potential drawbacks of
existing systems for music creation. Section two looks at some of the historical context,
both of the changes which have occurred in the recording industry, and some historical
approaches to creativity which have relevance to the Tenori-on and Electroplankton, such
as Minimalism, and the work of Brian Eno. Section three examines in detail the design and
operation of the Tenori-on and Electroplankton, and includes a brief history of the work of
Toshio Iwai. Section four draws largely on interviews conducted by the author for this
paper, in attempting to assess the success of these systems in overcoming some of the
drawbacks of existing systems. The conclusion attempts to draw together and summarise
1
Section 1 – Drawbacks of Existing Systems
The majority of music produced today utilises some sort of computer based package for
recording and/or sequencing and editing (referred to herein as DAWs – Digital Audio
music, tracks are created entirely within the sequencer. Samples are combined with
hardware or software based instruments and effects to create tracks, normally with a midi
keyboard/controller used as an input device. Though there is a wide array of software and
hardware available, a great deal of music is made using this basic set-up. Those who are
immersed in this field of music production may feel that this is the only real option for
creating or recording music; 'for many composers the computer may be the only musical
making music, feeling that the nature of this set-up is restrictive and not conducive to a
free creative process. While this approach gives access to an almost limitless array of
samples, instruments, effects, and options, this is seen by some as a drawback rather than
an advantage:
One of the biggest problems, I think, with computers [is] that all of the designed
energy is going into multiplying the options inside this box. Now, fine: that's
wonderful, we're very pleased, in one sense; but the important thing, as anyone
who's played synthesizers knows, is not the number of options that you have, but
the rapport you can have with the instrument.3
Here, musician and writer Brian Eno suggests that far more important than the number of
options available to an artist is the physical connection that the artist has with their
2 Michael McNabb, 'Computer Music: some aesthetic considerations' in Emmerson, Simon (ed.) The Language of
Electroacoustic Music (Basingstoke 1986), p.141
3 Brian Eno, quoted in Paul Schütze 'Strategies for Making Sense', The Wire, Issue 139 (September 1995)
2
instrument. The standard set-up of midi keyboard and sequencer is seen by some as
controllers struggle to have the same tactile appeal and connection between feeling and
sound which an acoustic piano does. The Japanese sound artist and designer of two of
the systems examined in this text, Toshio Iwai seems to be alluding to this in an interview:
For the digital instrument, interface, exterior design, software, sound and so on are
independent each other. I am examining the way all of them naturally unite, just like
in the violin. 4
Iwai feels that electronic instruments lack the unified purpose and cohesion of a traditional
Woodwind and brass players adjust their reed or lip vibration to match the
resonance vibration of the air tube of the instrument. The string player learns to bow
at the correct pressure and bow velocity for the slip/grip of the frictional bow to co-
ordinate perfectly with the string vibration5
This highlights the important role of physical feedback from the source of the sound,
influencing the musician and the way they use the instrument and shape the sound. It is
this kind of feedback which is potentially lacking in a DAW set-up using conventional MIDI
controllers.
Brian Eno also highlights the importance of having this connection and sense of
rapport with a tactile instrument, and contrasts it negatively with the use of computers and
synthesizers:
This is why people playing crappy 35 year old electric guitars consistently come up
with more interesting results, musically, than synthesizer players do... And these
things [computers] as instruments are so pathetic. They depend so much on a kind
of nerd's eye view of what sort of thing would be fun to do.
The whole physical experience is what you make things with. Anyone who works
with any tactile art form knows this. And with any tactile instrument. They know that
a lot of your intelligence about what you're doing is not happening, here [the head],
it's happening all over other parts of your body. It's how your body feels about this
3
sort of thing. Well, unfortunately, computer interfaces are so crude they've
completely ignored that possibility. So, if I want drawing programs that automatically
work with a pad or a pen or whatever - I have one in fact! - then I want music
programs and I want synthesizers that give me that same kind of physical
relationship, that physical musical relationship.
A lot of contemporary electronic music gives the impression of having been
designed remotely, by a music software program such as Cubase. On paper, the
software offers you an unlimited number of options, but the interface steers you in a
series of very rigid and dull directions...6
Eno believes that the interface through which one attempts to create music using DAWs is
inherently restrictive and non-intuitive, and often produces music which is lacking in
character.
Former Abbey Road engineer and producer of acts such as Stone Roses,
Radiohead and The Verve John Leckie highlights another aspect of DAWs which is
Before, you had a knob that said ‘Bass’. You turned it up, said ‘Ah, that’s better’ and
moved on. Now, you have to choose what frequency, and the slope, and how many
dBs, and it all makes a difference. There’s a constant temptation to tamper.7
This constant temptation to tamper is one of the key aspects affecting creative use of a
DAW. Although having a virtually unlimited palette of sampled sounds, synthesizer and
sampled instrument and effects plug-ins gives massive creative potential and power, this
ability combined with an almost total undo facility, means that there is always the potential
for indecision and nagging doubt. If one was in a studio with only one reverb unit available,
one would experiment with it for a while to get the best sound, then use it. With a DAW you
might find a plug-in reverb that seemed to work, but then the thought occurs, ‘what about
this other plug-in?’ ‘or this one?’, each with hundreds of its own presets. Obviously one
doesn’t need to go through them all, but because they are there, it is tempting to think that
6 Brian Eno, quoted in Paul Schütze 'Strategies for Making Sense', The Wire, Issue 139 (September 1995)
7 'Why All Records DO Sound the Same', Word magazine 26th February 2008,
http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/why-records-do-all-sound-same (April 30th 2008)
4
if one spent enough time looking for it, something better could be found. Of course not
everyone uses presets anyway, and one might say it is the task of a talented producer to
ignore these distractions and get straight to the best sound possible, but even
experienced producers such as John Leckie acknowledge the problems of the 'constant
temptation to tamper'8.
8 ibid.
5
Section 2 – Historical Context
Brian Eno has experimented with a number of techniques to aid the creative
process and attempt to break free from 'orthodoxy'. One such attempt was the use of
Oblique Strategies, a system of cards suggesting actions such as 'Try faking it!', to be
these notions about the creative process and the use of limitations and systems in
composition are similar to the ideas which motivated artists in movements such as
Stockhausen and Pierre Boulez created music based on certain self-imposed rules.
Minimalism did not rely on the use of rules, but made use of essentially simple elements,
focussing on repeating motifs and evolving textures and polyrhythms, often using found
sounds and field recordings. Minimalist composer and writer Tom Johnson describes
Minimalism:
The idea of minimalism is much larger than most people realize. It includes, by
definition, any music that works with limited or minimal materials: pieces that use
only a few notes, pieces that use only a few words of text, or pieces written for very
limited instruments, such as antique cymbals, bicycle wheels, or whiskey glasses. It
includes pieces that sustain one basic electronic rumble for a long time. It includes
pieces made exclusively from recordings of rivers and streams. It includes pieces
that move in endless circles. It includes pieces that set up an unmoving wall of
saxophone sound. It includes pieces that take a very long time to move gradually
from one kind of music to another kind. It includes pieces that permit all possible
pitches, as long as they fall between C and D. It includes pieces that slow the
tempo down to two or three notes per minute.9
Leading minimalist composer Steve Reich describes using sampled instruments with a
MIDI sequencer as an excellent tool for composing orchestral pieces, but also points to the
limitations:
9 Tom Johnson, The Voice of New Music: New York City 1972-1982 – A Collection of Articles (Eindhoven 1989), p5
6
So, I think the computer makes a difference, but it didn't make anyone who wasn't a
good composer a good one. People say "Oh, now they've got this, they can do so
and so." Yeah, you can now have people churning out a lot of garbage faster and in
a prettier looking score. You can definitely produce it quicker, but copy and paste
ain't gonna make you a good composer.10
Reich highlights the way that despite the advances in computer technology, the ease with
which music can be created creates the potential for limitless amounts of music devoid of
John Leckie articulates some other frustrations with the current status quo in music
production
There’s no big equipment any more,” says John Leckie. “No racks of gear with
flashing lights and big knobs. The reason I got into studio engineering was that it
was the closest thing I could find to getting into a space ship. Now, it isn’t. It’s like
going to an accountant. It changes the creative dynamic in the room when it’s just
one guy sitting staring at a computer screen11.
Interestingly, he highlights the aesthetic appeal of the ‘flashing lights and big knobs’ of
vintage studio equipment, as well as the importance of the ‘creative dynamic’ of a studio
which changes when the tangible is replaced by a computer software package. He sees
the modern studio environment as a sterile venue for creative enterprise, and seems to
largely blame the advent of the DAW for this. While it may seem trivial to hark back to
'flashing lights and big knobs', the point is that these hardware units were, to him, inspiring
to use and to be around. It is this kind of subtle aid to the creative process which may be
During the early period of the recording industry in the 20th Century, there were
clearly defined roles in the recording studio. Producers were responsible for creative
decisions on the overall sound of the record, as well as answering to the record company:
7
meeting budgetary requirements and producing a product that the record company thought
it could sell. Engineers were just that, white-coated scientists who were responsible for the
technical aspects of getting the sounds recorded. These roles were fairly clear and there
was little crossover between them; the band would never really be allowed into the control
room to feedback on mixing issues, for example. The equipment and expertise required to
operate in this way meant that recording was beyond the reach of most people.
With the ‘democratisation’ of music production brought about in the late stages of
the 20th Century by the advent of computers with sufficient power to record, create and
mix tracks entirely using a home computer and minimal amounts of equipment, a change
to this structured environment occurred. With the means to write, record and mix at home,
many people could now act by themselves as songwriter, performer, engineer, producer,
sound designer. The theory of 'democratisation' of music is that these changes can
potentially take away the need to have a large record company financing the production of
music, as a skilled person with relatively inexpensive equipment can often achieve
terms of what could be achieved by ‘the masses’ at home, the breakdown of the
constantly switch between roles during the creative process can potentially stand in the
which he finds really inspiring and exciting. He decides to record it, but while setting up to
record he notices an unpleasant off-putting hum coming through the speakers. He then
spends the next 10 minutes thinking why this might be happening: rearranging
power/audio cables in the studio, checking whether the hum is present on the recording or
just the monitoring, experimenting with EQ cuts to reduce the hum, and so on. Even if he
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manages to sort out the problem, remember the idea and get a decent recording down,
probably the energy and momentum he had when he first came up with the idea has
dissipated somewhat, and what could have been the basis for a great piece of music is
now just another half-finished idea which will never come to fruition. Another common trap
mixing: detailed EQ and compression settings for example, before the arrangement of the
Australian musician and producer Dean Morris points out that in many interviews
with revered artists, they describe an extremely streamlined writing process: ‘They remove
anything from the songwriting armoury which gets in the way of capturing the inspirational
suggests that the need to act in a number of different roles when attempting to produce
Rene Lysloff highlights some of the ways in which the advent of electronic music
and computer music production 'forces us to reconsider the Cartesian mind-body divide'13.
The notion that mind and body are separate entities is associated with the French
philosopher and mathematician Rene Descartes. Lysloff holds that with traditional acoustic
instruments, this dualism remains intact. Western music has long valued virtuosity, which
hinges on the close relationship between the body and music-making; musicians are
valued for their performance similar to the way in which athletes are, for their speed and
power, with 'an intimate and direct control over the sound they produce'14. The composer
handles the 'mind' side, in terms of the composition, while the performers are interpreters
and technicians. Modern computer music production upsets this relationship, as potentially
excellent pieces of music can be created without the technical skills of a talented
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musician/performer being involved at any stage. The role of the musician as an interpreter
of the composer's vision is bypassed. This also begs the question of whether the modern
Composer Pierre Boulez discusses some similar issues influencing modern music
creation.
...we stand at the crossroads of two somewhat divergent paths: on the one hand a
conservative historicism which, if it does not altogether block invention, clearly
diminishes it by providing none of the new material it needs for expression, or
indeed for regeneration. Instead, it creates bottlenecks, and impedes the circuit
running from composer to interpreter, or more generally, that from idea to material,
from functioning productively; for all practical purposes, it divides the reciprocal
action of these two poles of creation. On the other hand, we have a progressive
technology whose force of expression and development are sidetracked into a
proliferation of material means which may or may not be in accord with genuine
musical thought...15
Boulez suggests that obsession with music history and the effect of commercial pressures
and the ability to successfully implement them. Instruments such as the Tenori-on claim to
strip away some of these conflicting roles and layers of complexity, and attempt to create a
more direct connection between the initial creative impulses and a coherent piece of
music.
15 Pierre Boulez, 'Technology and the Composer' in Simon Emmerson (ed.) The Language of Electroacoustic Music,
(Basingstoke 1986), p.9
10
Section 3 – Operation of Tenori-on and Electroplankton
Tenori-on
There have been a number of attempts to create more intuitive interfaces and systems for
music creation. The Tenori-on, produced by Yamaha from designs by the Japanese artist
Toshio Iwai, is one such system. Iwai expresses similar sentiments to those espoused by
Computers and digital devices are still developing. I think these tools cannot catch
people’s detailed expression yet… Any instruments are characterised by their
physical interface, such as the key of a piano or the bow of a violin. And these
physical interfaces give important direction to the way they are played and the
sound itself. However, as long as electric instruments are concerned, this aspect is
not emphasised very much. In the Tenori-On project, we started from thinking what
is the reasonable interface for an electric instrument or digital instrument… For the
digital instrument, interface, exterior design, software, sound and so on are
independent each other. I am examining the way all of them naturally unite, just like
in the violin.16
The Tenori-on is a ‘new digital musical instrument for the 21st century' designed by artist
Toshio Iwai in conjunction with Yamaha. Toshio Iwai is a renowned Japanese media artist
with a history of work involving interactivity and using computers. In 1987 he created the
first game to make use of generative music processes as part of the game-play. Otocky
was a sideways scrolling ‘shoot-em-up’ in which musical sequences were created by the
firing of a ball in different directions to dispose of various enemies. Another project, called
Sound Fantasy was developed for Nintendo by Iwai in the early ‘90s but was never
released, though the main ideas were carried through to a PC game called SimTunes, in
which musical pictures were made and interacted with in various ways by characters
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known as ‘Bugz’. These projects can be seen as important precursors to the Tenori-on, as
well as the development of Electroplankton, an interactive musical ‘game’ for the Nintendo
Tenori-on17
offer different ways to create and play music. The score mode is the basic default mode for
the Tenori-on, and acts in away which is familiar to users of midi sequencers. The left-to-
right axis represents time, with the vertical axis used to represent pitch. This is similar to
the midi ‘piano roll’ found in virtually all computer sequencing packages. Looping patterns
can be created in this mode (or one of the other 5 modes), and 16 different patterns with
their own sounds or voices can be combined together. Each set of 16 layers is known as a
block, and 16 of these can be saved and recalled instantly during a performance. There
are various other functions to control parameters such as looping speed and loop points,
The Tenori-on’s other modes start to diverge from the computer sequencing model
in some interesting ways. The true level of innovation of the Tenori-on could be said to rest
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or fall on these features. Random mode still uses the vertical axis for pitch, but the way the
looping operates is radically different. As notes are entered, they light up on the matrix,
and a light traces between then on the display, triggering them in turn, then looping back to
2)
These shapes can then be ‘spun’ at different speeds in either direction by holding down
one of the side buttons and running a finger around the matrix in the desired direction and
speed. This results in the pitch of each point shifting as the shape spins, returning to its
original state once every revolution. This creates the potential for some interesting poly-
rhythmic parts.
Draw mode allows the user to ‘draw’ musical shapes on the matrix in a sweeping
motion, which are then repeated and looped. In Bounce mode pitch is on the horizontal
axis, left to right similar to a piano. When you press a button on the matrix, the trace light
falls to the bottom row, where it triggers a sound, then ‘bounces’ back up to the original
point on the matrix, and repeats. The nearer to the bottom of the matrix the point was, the
13
each layer. Push mode means that you can push and hold a button, as you hold it the
character of the sound changes, while the area around the button you are pressing glows
brighter and wider. In Solo mode, the pitch is again laid out like a piano. Pushing a button
on a column makes that note repeat, the height at which the button was on the column
Electroplankton
combination of art and music that unfolds in a different way with every touch of the
screen’19. The user interacts with various animated plankton, each with its own
characteristics, in order to create music. The plankton react to user input in different ways,
including being able to respond to input from a microphone. For example, with the ‘Tracy’
character, drawing lines on the screen creates triangles, which the Tracy follows, triggering
sounds as it goes. The pitch is dependant on the direction in which the triangle points,
while tempo can be altered with the directional control pad. Each different colour of Tracy
has its own timbral characteristics. Another character is the Luminaria, of which there are
four different types, with different speeds and voices. These can interact with each other
14
Section 4 – Analysing the success of these systems
The Tenori-on has received a good deal of media attention since its release. In
December ’07 US magazine PC World (not to be confused with the UK store of the same
name) listed the Tenori-on at number 16 in a chart of the 25 most innovative products of
the year, describing the Tenori-on as an ‘inspired and intuitive instrument which redefines
music making’20.
Radio 1 DJ Pete Tong described the Tenori-on as ‘revolutionary’ and a ‘work of art’
in a video review posted on YouTube21. It is interesting that he refers to the aesthetic value
of the instrument itself. One of Toshio Iwai’s stated aims in the creation of the Tenori-on
was to attempt to restore some of the relationship between instrument and performer
which was attained in traditional instrumentation. Developing a rapport with the instrument
and appreciating its intrinsic beauty is not something one commonly associates with
attempting to restore some of this rapport between instrument and performer. Composer
Norman Fairbanks describes this visual feedback as being ‘a pleasure to work with’22,
highlighting how it makes using the Tenori-on very easy to become quickly acquainted
with. He has also stated that ‘with [the]Tenori-on small melodies quickly turn into absorbing
musical structures that set a completely new energy level within my music. It’s
wonderful…’23. This is an important point, as it would seem to show that the visual
20 'The 25 Most Innovative Products of the Year', PC World (December 27th 2007),
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,140663-page,4-c,technology/article.html (April 30th 2008)
21 'Pete Tong's Fast Trax' (13/12/07), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R4BjF007V0 (April 30th 2008)
22 Norman Fairbanks, author's interview
23 Norman Fairbanks interview for Yamaha, http://www.tenori-on.co.uk/news/news1.php (16th Jan 2008)
15
constrictions arising from the use of DAWs. Artists such as Richie Hawtin have also
highlighted the importance of the visual aspect in terms of live performance, stating that
technology can only work for a performer if it is visually interesting for a crowd to watch24.
The Tenori-on has this in mind with the fact that the dynamic lighting of the button matrix is
visible from both sides, although performing with the unit at a vertical angle might prove
problematic.
gimmick. Paul Nagle, who reviewed the Tenori-on in audio recording and production
magazine Sound on Sound, described the visual feedback on the Tenori-on as ‘jolly nice. I
do like pretty lights, especially after a nice smoke’25! While appreciating the pleasant
nature of the visual feedback, he did not feel it contributed in any meaningful way to the
creative process. Thomas Milburn was asked whether the visual feedback of
Electroplankton added significantly to the user experience, and responded 'Not particularly,
actually. It's distinctive, but it doesn't offer me much beyond what I could normally "hear."'.
Differing opinions on the importance of visual elements may simply reflect, to borrow a
term from education studies, different ‘learning styles’; some people respond better to
visual stimulus than others. Toshio Iwai interestingly highlights the way in which vision and
sound have become divorced with the onset of electronic music creation:
I think that the visual world and sounds are in an inseparable relationship. Actually
when a sound is generated in our living world, there is some kind of physical
phenomenon – a motion or form which we can see. Since it became possible to
make sound electrically or electronically, the synthesizing of sound has been
separated from the visual world. However with the senses we are borne with, we
think it is more natural to experience sound and vision at the same time. 26
Iwai suggests that an unnatural separation between the visual and audio senses has
16
occurred, and sees his work as an attempt to redress some of this balance.
One of the key features of the Tenori-on and Electroplankton is accessibility. They
are designed to be able to be picked up and played by people who are not necessarily
musicians. Toshio Iwai here expresses his desire to make the process of creating music
accessible to everyone, in order to allow them a greater connection with and enjoyment of
music.
Previously, playing and composing music was only for people who had been
specially educated or trained. But, everybody yearns to play or compose music
comfortably. I myself am one of them. I thought this could be realised thanks to new
technology like computers. By these means, I believe people can easily feel more
close to music and more satisfied than times when they just listen to music that
somebody else has composed. 27
Iwai sees it as important that people who are not trained musicians can still feel able to
take part in creating music. However, one possible criticism which could be levelled at
Electroplankton and the Tenor-ion is that in attempting to make these systems accessible,
they could have been 'dumbed down' to the extent that they are not particularly worthwhile
means of composing music. Peter Arkley sees the Electroplankton as an inspiring starting
point for non-musicians; 'I believe it SHOULD be easy to pick up an instrument and create
music. Not necessarily 'brilliant' music, but good enough to inspire people to carry on
creating music, honing their craft and learning new skills'. Electroplankton user Thomas
I have no problem with making music creation easier to pick up--who would I be to
complain about it, since my own skills are far from perfect? It's an act of real hubris
when someone says that this 'cheapens' music. Why was it expensive in the first
place?28
Tenori-on user and composer Norman Fairbanks agrees, and again points out the
advantages of being able to streamline the creative process of getting from idea to
27 ibid.
28 Thomas Wilburn, author's interview
17
realisation:
The second piano concert by Brahms will be always difficult to play while making
modern electronic music is getting easier and easier to produce. Both things are ok.
It’s a different context and it’s the result that counts in a given context. The easier
you get into it the less it will hold you back to come to the point. This applies
especially to people without any formal music education / training. 29
All of these users see accessibility as a positive thing and key to the appeal of the
systems, but it seems there is a balance to be struck between there being enough
accessibility to 'draw you in', while having enough depth to warrant longer term use and
more involved musical work. It would seem that the Tenori-on perhaps succeeds in this
negative factor, but there are some limitations with both of these systems which some see
in Sound on Sound magazine, Paul Nagle points out that with the Tenori-on there is no
capability for timbral control over the built-in voices, and that custom voices using user-
loaded samples are limited to three30. While expressing interest in the concept of using
restrictive:
I am actually a big fan of limiting options. In my bass projects, I've tried to keep my
effects and sonic palette fairly limited, forcing me to do more with them. But that's
the rub--when the equipment is limited, I can still stretch out through techniques. I
am not sure to what degree new techniques can be applied to Electroplankton.
What would they be? That's not necessarily a bad thing--its limitations lower the
difficulty curve for making musical sounds, and I like that. But the accessibility (in
this case) seems to have meant sacrificing the ability to tweak and stretch in new
directions.31
It is this lack of ability to adapt and be flexible which seems to let down Electroplankton.
18
which mimic other systems:
It puts a lot of constraints on its user, and adds a lot of self-generated noise and
randomness. Some of the modes are more useful than others--but those tend to be
the ones that more closely mimic a traditional musical experience, like rec-rec (a
four-track tape loop) and lumiloop (simple synth pads).32
The benefit of limiting options is appreciated by other users of Electroplankton and Tenori-
on, as Peter Arkley comments; 'even for someone in my shoes who uses harder-working
software, I find that you end up using the limited effects you have at your disposal to really
try and push the boundaries of what you believe is capable of the program'33. Norman
The point here is that the Tenori-On does not try to be Cubase but an enjoyable
instrument to play with. There are certainly limits but there are not substantial for the
concept of the instrument. I like limits because you have to use your brain a bit
more in order to achieve something – maybe through a simple workaround.34
Both of these users highlight the way in which limitations can be a stimulus to creative
thought. While appreciating to an extent the creativity inspired by limitations, both Peter
Arkley and Thomas Wilburn have attempted to expand on the sonic palette available by
collaboration. Multiple Tenori-ons can be linked up via midi and synced together, and parts
can be exported and loaded into other units. Norman Fairbanks made available the files
from his Tenori-on album 7 Days of Microsleep, which would allow other Tenori-on users to
easily 'remix' his work. In many ways this is similar to what can be achieved via
exchanging DAW project files, however he highlights the ease with which syncing up two
32 ibid.
33 Peter Arkley, author's interview
34 Norman Fairbanks, author's interview
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Tenori-ons can be achieved35. Attempting something similar with computers would
Thomas Wilburn has used Electroplankton as a device to help break out of his
I think it's a good tool for coming up with new ideas. I've used Hanenbow a couple
of times to see if I could generate riffs--unlike me, it doesn't necessarily think in a
4/4 time signature, so it's good to get me outside of the box37.
Interestingly though, he feels the need to export the sounds into Cubase in order to 'beat
them into usable shapes'. Peter Arkley feels that Electroplankton is somewhat limited as
an improvisational tool because there is too little control, in that it is actually impossible to
There is no sequencer as such built in to Electroplankton, and the only way to save work is
Tenori-on, the users surveyed shared a belief that the DAW was not in itself a barrier to
creativity. Thomas Wilburn argues that it is possible to use DAWs in a variety of ways, and
that in general he finds them ‘tremendously freeing’39. Rene Lysloff suggests that the
supposed limitations of existing systems are hyped up by the creators of new technology
35 ibid.
36 ibid.
37 Thomas Wilburn, author's interview
38 Peter Arkley, author's interview
39 Thomas Wilburn, author's interview
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…advanced technologies are often sold on the premise that they can deliver
elemental experiences which are no longer available through the technologies they
are seeking to supplant. According to this pitch, our current toys have formed an
obstructive, mediating layer that the new ones will leap over and restore to access
to the authentic stuff40
Arkley points out that the variety of DAW software now available, along with the advent of
new technology such as the 'Automap' feature of Novation MIDI controllers (which allow
familiar with complex mapping of MIDI parameters) means that using DAWs can be
Simon Emmerson has pointed out that the advent of Midi combined with the
performance (body) gestures to sound43. Modern users of MAX/MSP, Pure Data and
similar modular systems have taken this ability to a new level. Curtis Bahn and Tomie
Hahn created pieces Pikapika and Streams which involved Tomie dancing equipped with
hand sensors measuring tilt and pressure. This data is transmitted via radio to a computer
running MAX/MSP, where it was used to trigger sonic material, played back on speakers
on her arm. This created a feedback loop in which ‘Hahn said she was often unsure
whether she was dancing the music, or the music was moving the dance’44.
While the use of a computer with some kind of expressive control device can give
an admirable level of nuanced performance, the fact remains that to operate such a
system involves not only a computer with the appropriate software and interfaces, an
40 Rene T.A. Lysloff, and Leslie C Gay Jr. (editors), Music and Technoculture, Middletown (2003), p.379
41 ibid.
42 Thomas Wilburn, author's interview
43 Simon Emmerson Living Electronic Music (Aldershot 2007), p. 69
44 Tina Blaine 'New Music for the Masses', http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/thinktank/ttap_music/ (12th March
2008)
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expensive Midi control device, and an operator/programmer sufficiently capable to map the
incoming data to trigger sounds in a useful way. Attempting to compare creating these
expressive systems with using the Tenori-on is somewhat flawed of course, as it is almost
more akin to designing the interface for the Tenori-on in the first place.
Section 5 – Conclusion
This paper set out to analyse the extent to which the Tenori-on and Electroplankton
overcome some of the barriers to creativity in modern music production. In doing so, we
systems such as DAWs, as well as the historical context. From this we have seen that
there are a number of potential problems with the development of music technology, which
has essentially seen progress as expanding the range of options available to the user. As
Pierre Boulez would have it, 'Few have the courage or the means directly to confront the
arid, arduous problems, often lacking any easy solution, posed by contemporary
technology and its rapid development'45. This would appear something of an extreme
position, but highlights the danger of technology developing without a sufficient framework
negative impact on the creative process. Tom Jenkinson, also known as the musician
Squarepusher, suggests that the "modern" composer, robbed of his constraints, finds
himself in a wasteland of desolate freedom46. One of the issues highlighted was the sense
of rapport which can exist between a musician and their instrument, which is a feature not
commonly associated with DAW music production. Toshio Iwai used the example of a
45 Pierre Boulez, 'Technology and the Composer' in Simon Emmerson (ed.) The Language of Electroacoustic Music,
(Basingstoke 1986), p.9
46 Tom Jenkinson, Collaborating with machines, March 2004 edition of Flux magazine,
http://www.warprecords.com/news/?offset=0&ti_id=789&filter=sqp (4th April 2008)
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violin as an instrument which successfully unites elements which are often separate in a
modern DAW environment: interface, exterior design, software, and sound. Changes to
the music industry which have led to moving away from tactile hardware towards software
based set-ups are seen by some to have had a negative effect on the creative
environment in studios.
The analysis of user experiences has shown that the Tenori-on and Electroplankton
have achieved differing levels of success in achieving the aim of overcoming barriers to
creativity extant in DAW systems. Electroplankton, while appreciated for its visual appeal
seen as a basic prototype for the Tenori-on, which adds much greater capabilities in terms
of sequencing and composition, while retaining the key accessibility and responsiveness.
While some see the Tenori-on as also being too limited to warrant serious long-term use,
others have embraced its simplicity. Rather than necessarily being opposing concepts in
competition with each other, we can see that the Tenori-on and developments in modern
DAWs and MIDI controllers are part of a welcome trend, which seeks to focus upon the
ability of modern technology to create responsive, tactile, expressive systems, which can
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