Engendering co-creative experiences through agent parametric control

One of the important challenges in developing computational musical partners is to impart experiences that are different from musical support. In this work, we use an existing rhythm improvisation system to explore how we can engender different co-creation experiences by varying the system’s co-creative behavior. In an exploratory study, the system’s co-creative behavior was varied by manipulating a single experimental control and used to engender co-creative experiences in rhythm duets. In one experimental condition, the system induced a sense of producing divergent material, influencing creative outcomes, and negotiating musical outcomes, three aspects that were consistent with group music creativity. These findings provide supportive evidence that the system’s parameter can be varied to systematically engender co-creative experiences distinct from creative support.