Beatscape , a Mixed Virtual-Physical Environment for Musical Ensembles

A mixed media tool was created that promotes ensemblevirtuosity through tight coordination and interdepence inmusical performance. Two different types of performers interact with a virtual space using Wii remote and tangibleinterfaces using the reacTIVision toolkit [11]. One group ofperformers uses a tangible tabletop interface to place andmove sound objects in a virtual environment. The soundobjects are represented by visual avatars and have audiosamples associated with them. A second set of performersmake use of Wii remotes to create triggering waves thatcan collide with those sound objects. Sound is only produced upon collision of the waves with the sound objects.What results is a performance in which users must negotiate through a physical and virtual space and are positionedto work together to create musical pieces.