Abstract

This is one of a series of discussion sessions, in which Alejandro Vinao (Computer Laboratory composer-in-residence) and Alan Blackwell are seeking input from different research groups on ways of specifying temporal abstraction. The research motivation is that certain sound processes cannot easily be described by modern digital composers. They certainly cannot be described in conventional music notation, but more annoyingly, cannot even be easily described in the music programming languages typically used by digital composers. The goal of this discussion is to present the abstract temporal structure of two such abstract processes, in order to find out whether analagous abstractions are also found in the research field of this group. If suitable analogies can be found, the discussion will proceed to possible techniques for representing and manipulating those abstractions.