My three favorite words from my discipline(s):
1. "Max," for Max/MSP. I love the confusion that this word creates when non-PAT majors hear it. Are we talking about our friend, Max? Are we talking about a collection of Mac computers? No, we are talking about multimedia software that both thrills and exasperates us.
2. Phantom power and voice coils. I'm attracted to how poetic these terms sound - almost like they could be book titles or band names. In fact they refer, respectively, to how condenser mic circuitry is powered, and to a coil of wire found in speakers and dynamic microphones.
3. Interaction. If you put two art technologists in a room, you will end up with five definitions of what "Interaction" actually consists of in the context of an artistic work. Does it refer to how a performer interacts with software? How the performer interacts with the audience while using software? Is it completely guided or utterly hampered by technology? And if you want 30 more opinions, ask one PAT major what "good" interaction design is...
The most frustrating interpretation of "Performing Arts Technology" that I have run across is the reduction of the entire discipline to sound engineering. Sound engineering is a fascinating field, but Performing Arts Technology encompasses so much more than that. Most of the people in my field are also performers and composers, including those who do a lot of sound engineering work.
I like all your ideas, especially the "voice coils". I am a composer who never tried use the software as Max/MSP, and I want to create a piece using this software. This composition would include instrument soloist, dancer, and interactive technological art between each performer, or performers and audiences.
ReplyDeleteWhile your explanations here totally lost me, I really resonated with your thought about being attracted to how poetic "phantom power" and "voice coils" sound. Many of the instruments I play on as a percussionist are absolutely beautiful to look at, and this develops a stronger artistic connection to the music I play on them. I think that this is essentially the same phenomenon, and it feels great to have some common ground with the PAT majors that consistently blow me away. Thank you for this insight!
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