The music Cre8tor

Abstract

The Music Cre8tor is an interactive music composition system controlled by motion sensors specifically designed for children with disabilities although not exclusively for this population. The player(s) of the Music Cre8tor can either hold or attach accelerometer sensors to trigger a variety of computer-generated sounds, MIDI instruments and/or prerecorded sound files. The sensitivity of the sensors can be modified for each unique individual so that even the smallest movement can control a sound. The flexibility of the system is such that either four people can play simultaneously and/or one or more players can use up to four sensors. The original goal of this program was to empower students with disabilities to create music and encourage them to perform with other musicians, however this same goal has expanded to include other populations.

Acting by hand: Informing interaction design for the periphery of people’s attention

“…Some systems have also been developed specifically for sound and music interaction. Many of these systems use movement for interaction, such as BodyBeats [27], a full-body movement system which helps children in recognizing and creating patterns in sound, SMALLab [4], an interactive system designed to help students develop understanding of movement and sound, and the Music Cre8tor [22], an interactive music composition system intended for children with disabilities. The Sound Maker study [2] focuses on searching for evidence of the benefit of mappings based on embodied metaphors in children's interactive music systems.…”