Musical instruments as platforms for open sound design

Abstract

The combination of open-source audio software and the miniaturization of computing hardware has led to new customizable musical instruments. Artists and sound designers can alter the musical behavior and sound character of such instruments themselves. This opens new opportunities for users to explore sound and fosters community collaboration. We will discuss the design of such instruments and introduce the Organelle, an instrument designed to run software that users can create using popular open-source music environments like Pure Data and Faust.