submitted December 1997 The Internet represents both an opportunity and a great challenge to artists that wish to use it as a primary medium. The legitimating and generative forces put in motion by the rapid commercialization of the web have changed the conditions under which work can be created and received. The frame surrounding discussions of Internet activity in the mainstream media is consistently one of the bottom line: "When is this thing going to make us some money?" A rewriting of the history and development of the Internet is taking place, obscuring the fact that the majority of the innovations that are actually useful to Internet users are non-commercial in nature. While millions of people make daily use of the network as a tool for collaboration and information exchange, the press spends their time covering the newest trends in data automation, nanotechnology, or the perceived threat of a malevolent hacker community. Artists, meanwhile, are discovering new territory in the search for a shared creative space made possible by the network. Partnerships across disciplines are being formed that defy the conventional boundaries governing the art world: composers working with architects, sculptors working with writers. The open space that the net-work occupies makes use of the evolving digital and human infrastructure that the Internet is making possible. This space will become increasingly important as corporate concerns consolidate their positions and attempt to establish hegemony over the content being distributed, as they have in every other medium (i.e. television, radio). However, given the current availability of free or low-cost software that allows for Internet publishing/broadcasting, an opportunity exists for artistic projects on a scale that, until recently, might have only been part of a science fiction novel. The relative lack of government regulation, the gradually lowering costs of Internet access and computer hardware -- all of this prompts the question, "What could we really do with this network?" It is hoped that this question would be asked without the weight of concepts of "profit" or "worth," but rather as a means towards exploring the creative potential of the network, and of a group of artists that are interacting through it. It is towards this goal that the "Finding Time" project is proposed. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Finding Time" is a result of a series of conversations that I have had with fellow composer Scott Rosenberg. We were probing the potentials of the Internet system as a global broadcast medium, and the potential challenges that such endeavors might bring up. It is my hope that Mr. Rosenberg will continue to be involved with this project throughout its development. It was our intent that a project would be developed with the target of a series of performances to be carried out in the year 2000, in celebration of the new millennium and the sense of open possibility that it provides. The core of "Finding Time" is a set of simultaneous sound broadcasts from six locations - one on each of the six populated continents. These separate signals will be sent to a central mixing point in New York City. The mixed signal will be reflected back to the six broadcast sites, as well as to the larger Internet community. Each individual broadcast will contribute sonic material to a collective drone, and will incorporate elements of improvisation against this sonic backdrop. The goal of the drone is to provide a way for individual performers to calibrate their own sounds against those of the other players, and to provide a simplified yet rich sonic framework for individual action. The drone was also chosen because of the prevalence of drone music throughout world musical cultures. Given that the players involved in the piece will each have unique approaches to sound, it was thought that a drone would provide an open setting that participants will feel comfortable exploring with one another. The drone sound could also be conceived of as a physical manifestation of the thought process behind the piece - a manifest of the human activity and thought that will make this piece possible. Improvised contributions to the piece will be encouraged as time goes on, coordinated to a visual score that is seen by all participants. The visual aspects of the piece are its second major element, and will be visible to both players and audience alike. The visual elements will be generated out of readings from an electroencephalograph (EEG) that will be measuring brain-wave activity in individuals that are listening to the joint sound broadcast. This work will be based on experiments already carried out by my colleague Nina Sobell in her pioneering work, starting in the early 1970's. The EEG is an important addition in more ways than one. On the one hand, it will provide both a direct and figurative connection to the "thought" that will be going into the piece. It will reflect the reactions of individuals to the sound broadcast itself, and also to the underlying purpose of the project as a whole. In a different light, the EEG will close the loop between the dispersed performers as they begin to develop a language of interpretation aimed at utilizing the visual materials as a basis for their sonic contributions. Given that the visual materials will be (indirectly at least) the result of an interaction with the sounds in the first place, "Finding Time" will offer a chance to explore new, jointly created symbolic systems that govern musical practice. While work has been created that directly utilized measurements of biological activity (the work of Alvin Lucier, for example), the network allows us to attempt this on a world scale. Eventually, the output of such a system will be channeled into a three dimensional (VRML) environment to create an immersive environment that will closely parallel the soundscape of the piece. --------------------------------- In order to provide a realistic framework for the development of such a project, it will be helpful to think of it as evolving over time. The initial stages of its development are those that concern this application, although I will provide a sketch of future plans to the degree that is possible. Phase One: - Establishment of an access site, initial search for sound collaborators. An access site will be developed on the Turbulence site that will outline the basic project proposal, and provide information on how to become involved, either as a participant or as a reception site. These sites will commit to receiving the broadcast during the performances, and making it available to a wider audience through some sort of public presentation. Candidates for such a site would be cyber-cafes, performances spaces, public libraries, galleries, etc. Sound collaborators will be solicited through the Internet, and through more traditional channels (i.e. word of mouth). Initially an emphasis will be put on finding individuals that have similar artistic goals, although restrictions on musical styles or approaches will be avoided. Instruments will be targeted that provide a wide timbral range, and also are suited to a drone setting. Participants should have the necessary technical infrastructure to produce their own RealAudio signal that will be streamed to the central server here in the US. The project will attempt to facilitate this process by providing technical assistance when possible. During this time a schedule of performances will be created, with the first performance in February of 1999. A regular performance schedule will be initiated, during which time the technical and artistic process will be refined. The first broadcast will be audio only. Phase two: - Solidification of the ensemble, development of the brain-wave interface. During this period the ensemble will be finalized, and a performance schedule will be locked in. As the piece grows, more reception sites will be added, hopefully to the point that a global network of such sites will take shape. During this period additional funds will be raised to support the growing human and technical infrastructure. Improvisation will gradually be added to the sound performance, aided by the addition of visual materials that the ensemble will view. During this time the interface for the brain wave output will be developed, and participants will be identified. These include the individuals that will be contributing their brain-waves, as well as a group of programmers that will extend the output system to the Internet. Initially the brainwave output will be read from only one individual, and this output will be in the form of a video stream that will be sent live to all participants. The musical director will work closely with this team in exploring the visual potentials of the system, and its potential symbolic uses in guiding musical performance. This period will be marked by a number of exploratory performances as this system is developed. In all likelihood these performances will be separate from the main group. Feedback from the ensemble, however, will be encouraged. In one sense, the sound piece will be "composed," by virtue of the fact that a starting pitch will be established, and periods of silence will be indicated. In practice, the piece will develop organically, as new performances will spur on the development of a symbolic system that will guide improvisation. Phase three: - Refinement of the brain wave interface, expansion of the musical ensemble This period will see continued development of the brain wave interface. A second subject will be added as a brain wave source. Additional outlets will be explored, including the creation of a 3d interface through VRML. The output of the EEG will thus be redirected into a moving, spatialized world. The development of this interface will be closely coordinated with the musical director as an extension of the symbolic system already in progress. A means of loose composition using VRML shapes will be explored as this system is refined and tested. The musical ensemble will also gradually be expanded to potentially include multiple performers at each broadcast node. At this time local musical directors will be sought to coordinate the increased ensemble. It is my hope that these directors will be composers interested in working with the VRML interface as it is developed. My interest in three dimensional symbolic systems stems from a concern for the impact of multiple perspectives on a given object. Given the global scope of the project, the ability to represent multiple views of information will hopefully provide a means of opening a dialogue between members of the ensemble concerning their approach to the piece, and how they see this fitting in with their own work. An online discussion area will be created that will facilitate this exchange, as well as feedback from audience members to the group. Phase four: - Final preparation of the joint interface, inclusion of audience in performance, solidification of year 2000 performance schedule In this phase last minute adjustments to the interface will be made based on feedback from ensemble members. Expansion of the VRML interface will include a separate "audience" view that will allow for limited manipulation of VRML objects, thereby affecting the sound performance. Extensive testing and refinement of this system will take place. Reception sites will be made aware of this new system, and the further technical requirements should they choose to make this available to audience members. A performance schedule will be prepared for the year 2000 which will include specific performance sites. At this point reception sites will be finalized and a press distribution will be prepared. The continuing development and refinement of the musical piece will continue under the development of the musical directors. Additional subjects for brain wave output will also be sought during this period, hopefully expanding to include one individual on each of the broadcasting continents. Phase five: - Year 2000 - performance of the piece in multiple sites over the course of the year. This phase will mark the completion of the project as multiple performances will take place. All major development will be completed by this time, although refinement of the interface will be continuous.