Parallaxis is a work for four musicians (or four groups of musicians) with a graphic score that allows interpretation by any constellation of performers. This graphic score is delivered to the musicians not on paper but through a web browser. Each performer’s browser based “netscore” is synchronised using websockets. The four parts of the score scroll simultaneously from left to right across the screen while the performers play material as it passes a virtual play-head. The speed of the individual parts are controllable by a “conductor” as well as by the performers themselves, they may also control the netscore parts of other performers potentially leading to subversions of the conductors rule and the emergence of new modes of distributed direction. A more extensive description can be found in the proceedings of NIME2014.
Rob Canning is a composer and performer with a research focus centred around networked creativity and open working methodologies. His recent work explores possible interplays between performers and network delivered instruction sets; these range from traditional ensemble pieces which utilise browser based net-scores to simultaneous network streamed sonic drifts as in his Streamscapes project. As full time Associate Lecturer in Creative Networked Media in the Media School of Bournemouth University he is an active member of the EMERGE (Experimental Media Research Group) as well as being a doctoral candidate in the music department of Goldsmiths, University of London.