Matthew Barnard
Harnessing Virtualization to Transpose Place-Based Music
Barnard, Matthew; Martin, Adam; Slater, Mark
Abstract
The original aim behind the project Nightports at Hull Minster was to create a 30-minute musical composition intended for live performance across a loudspeaker orchestra in situ. As the project evolved, new dissemination opportunities emerged, leading to adaptations in spatialization techniques and approaches to performance. These opportunities, such as a live radio broadcast, prompted considerations about how a site-specific work tied to the unique acoustics of Hull Minster could be transposed to other formats and spaces. The capture of spatial room impulse responses became key to transferring the work's spatial qualities as both a novel hybrid acousmonium (loudspeaker orchestra) / virtualmonium (virtual version) and a full virtualmonium, offering a way to reframe the performance while retaining the acoustic essence of the Minster. This article outlines both the technical and the artistic approaches behind Nightports at Hull Minster, exploring the relationships between performance and technological mediation within each transposition. Through its multiple iterations, the project reveals how site-specific music can be adapted and transformed while maintaining an intimate connection to its place of origin.
Citation
Barnard, M., Martin, A., & Slater, M. (2025). Harnessing Virtualization to Transpose Place-Based Music. Computer Music Journal, 48(1), 30-50. https://doi.org/10.1162/comj_a_00710
| Journal Article Type | Article |
|---|---|
| Acceptance Date | Jan 29, 2025 |
| Online Publication Date | Jun 30, 2025 |
| Publication Date | 2025 |
| Deposit Date | Dec 12, 2024 |
| Publicly Available Date | Dec 31, 2025 |
| Print ISSN | 0148-9267 |
| Electronic ISSN | 1531-5169 |
| Publisher | Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press |
| Peer Reviewed | Peer Reviewed |
| Volume | 48 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 30-50 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1162/comj_a_00710 |
| Keywords | Music, spatialisation, ambisonics, composition, music production |
| Public URL | https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4961956 |
Files
This file is under embargo until Dec 31, 2025 due to copyright reasons.
Contact M.Slater@hull.ac.uk to request a copy for personal use.
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