NIME 2014 (New Interfaces for Musical Expression)

In A State

In A State plays with models of emotion: the discrete model (angry, happy, sad, tender in this case) and the continuous model by Russell based on a two-dimensional arousal-valence plane. A pianist improvises, and the emotion perceived in the music by the computer is visualised in an abstract way using digitized drawings and Processing code. The computer’s analysis of emotions also informs electroacoustic responses.  Detected emotional state of both the pianist and the electroacoustic agent are projected and in turn inspire the pianist’s decisions.
Mediation by computer models of emotion forms an ironic core within this performance: flaws in the emotional detection system bring emotion models to the forefront of audience involvement with the work.