Designing felt experiences with movement-based, wearable musical instruments: From inclusive practices toward participatory design

Abstract

Inclusive musical instruments benefit from incorporating wearable interfaces into digital musical instrument design, creating opportunities for bodily felt experiences and movement-based interactions. In this article, we discuss the evolution of our inclusive design approach behind the design and performance practices of three wearable musical instruments. By focusing on the embodied, somatic, and tacit dimensions of movement-based musical interaction, we evaluate these case studies, combining the third and first-person perspectives. The design and implementation of the wearable sensing, utilizing the additive manufacturing techniques, are discussed for each instrument and its performer in specific cases of musical expression. This article further discusses how our approach integrates music performance as a crucial step into design and evaluation, utilizing these performance practices and such collaborative settings for improved diversity and inclusion. Finally, we examine how our design approach evolves from user-centered design to more participatory practices, offering people with diverse abilities a shared music performance space.

Analysis of Accessible Digital Musical Instruments through the lens of disability models: a case study with instruments targeting d/Deaf people

“…Frid and Ilsar (2021) highlight the importance of disabled musicians to build their own custom instruments -instruments designed by disabled musicians for disabled musicians. However, we note that the works reviewed here, with the exception of Cavdir and Wang (2022), either neglect to provide space for opinions of disabled people or do not clearly mention the use of participatory methods intended to include them in the ADMI design process. In the next two paragraphs, we discuss participatory research methods and technology in the hope of providing new ways to think about participatory approaches in ADMI design.…”

Development of embodied listening studies with multimodal and wearable haptic interfaces for hearing accessibility in music

“…Our main design consideration unpacks the end goal of accessibility in musical experiences by applying inclusive design practices to musical interface design, sound design and composition, and performance. The inclusive design supports our process toward participatory practices with DHH artists (Cavdir and Wang, 2022b). To increase inclusivity, we employ embodied interaction methods in three ways: movement-based design, bodily listening, and participation.…”

“…We also combine different modalities of haptic feedback to enrich the listening experience not only for DHH but also for hearing listeners. Our goal is to emphasize an internal listening experience and shift the participants' focus onto their bodies regardless of being observed (Cavdir and Wang, 2022b). Turning the attention to the bodily, felt sensations and movement expression emphasizes first-person perspectives.…”

A Touch on Musical Innovation: Exploring Wearables and Their Impact on New Interfaces for Musical Expression

“…Music creation through movement is not a new concept, and it has been reimagined through recent developments in wearable music technology [ 5 ]. Researchers have explored various methods for using gesture data, sensory data, and multisensory data from instrumental performers to create personalized music materials [ 6 , 7 ].…”