Music Pond v3.0 Adrian Ward (adrian@signwave.co.uk) Music Pond is a visual, interactive generative digital musical instrument. Clicking anywhere on the screen causes ripples to radiate outwards. If a ripple hits one of the blocks (which can be moved around by clicking and dragging) then either the ripple is reflected (white blocks) or a QuickTime MIDI Instrument is played (red, green, or blue). The default settings for white (echo) blocks is OFF. To turn either of them on, you can tick the check box which appears to the right hand side of them when you go near them. To change the QuickTime instrument associated with the colour blocks, use the pop-up menu which appears to the right hand side of them when you go near them. Tips Because you have two echo blocks, if you turn them both on, you will get never-ending ripples. You can use this to set up rhythms and tunes. Also, try using the options in the Pool menu: Wandering Echoes (Apple-W) causes the white echo blocks to bounce around the screen, while Randomize Pond (Apple-R) moves all the blocks at random. Use Apple-S to silence all ripples and instruments. Info Music Pond was written as part of a suite of generative music programs for the BSc MediaLab Arts course at Plymouth University. These programs, and others written by students at the course, are used to generate experimental music at the GM events that CAiiA-STAR hold, through the University. Music Pond has been performed at Exeter's Cavern Club during the GM2 evening, and at Bristol's The Cube Cinema, as part of the RX show, held by DA2 and ARTEC. The music is mixed with live visuals and other interactive/generative digital instruments to produce an eclectic experimental exploration of new music. For further information about CAiiA-STAR or the BSc MediaLab Arts course, visit http://caiia-star.soc.plym.ac.uk or email danl@soc.plym.ac.uk. Download Download the Music Pond digital instrument for Apple Macintosh PowerPCs (MusicPond3.sit.hqx, 880,790 bytes, Stuffit 5 archive)