Keyword
Real-time Algorithmic Composition
HCI
Audio-Visual
Sonification
New Interface for Musical Expression
Year
2026
Transcendence: Performance without Presence
Transcendence is an audio-visual performance interface that reimagines the relationship between performer interaction and algorithmic autonomy. The system utilizes a gamified "turret-defense" mechanic as a metaphor for stochastic sound generation. The user places "turrets" on a grid, which autonomously track and engage moving targets based on proximity algorithms. This interaction serves as a direct translation of spatial logic into sound: distance defines intensity, angle determines stereo panning, and target properties dictate pitch and timbre, creating a real-time sonification of digital conflict.
A core innovation of Transcendence lies in its distinct "Performance Mode." In traditional Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) for music, the mouse cursor serves as a constant visual anchor, reminding the user of the computer’s presence as a tool. In this work, the cursor is deliberately rendered invisible during performance. While the performer retains control over the grid, the visual representation of their "hand" is removed.
This design choice—"Performance without Presence"—dissolves the barrier between the creator and the creation. It shifts the cognitive load from operating a UI to immersing oneself in the audio-visual feedback loop, allowing the performer to become a "ghost in the machine." The result is a self-generating, yet controllable, polyphonic soundscape where the interface disappears, leaving only the pure translation of logic into art.