dB: A Web-based Drummer Bot for Finger-Tapping

Çağrı Erdem, and Carsten Griwodz

Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression

Abstract:

dB is a web-based interface that serves as a "drummer bot" for exploring interactive groove-making experiences with an AI percussion system. This system, leveraging Variational Autoencoders (VAEs), transforms simple rhythmic inputs into complex drum patterns with microtiming and dynamics. Designed for accessibility and playfulness, dB is easily operated via a computer keyboard, making it suitable for a wide range of users. This paper outlines dB's foundational concepts, data collection, and a comprehensive overview of system and interface architecture. We then present our preliminary user study that investigated specific aspects of user engagement, including joy and boredom states, as well as perceptions of effort and control. The study's results underscore the musical background, expertise, and generational differences as significant influences on user experiences. Notably, test conditions characterized by greater randomness and rhythmic variation were consistently perceived as more engaging, and emerging trends were observed in user responses diverging over time.

Citation:

Çağrı Erdem, and Carsten Griwodz. 2024. dB: A Web-based Drummer Bot for Finger-Tapping. Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.13904788

BibTeX Entry:

  @article{nime2024_12,
 abstract = {dB is a web-based interface that serves as a "drummer bot" for exploring interactive groove-making experiences with an AI percussion system. This system, leveraging Variational Autoencoders (VAEs), transforms simple rhythmic inputs into complex drum patterns with microtiming and dynamics. Designed for accessibility and playfulness, dB is easily operated via a computer keyboard, making it suitable for a wide range of users. This paper outlines dB's foundational concepts, data collection, and a comprehensive overview of system and interface architecture. We then present our preliminary user study that investigated specific aspects of user engagement, including joy and boredom states, as well as perceptions of effort and control. The study's results underscore the musical background, expertise, and generational differences as significant influences on user experiences. Notably, test conditions characterized by greater randomness and rhythmic variation were consistently perceived as more engaging, and emerging trends were observed in user responses diverging over time.},
 address = {Utrecht, Netherlands},
 articleno = {12},
 author = {Çağrı Erdem and Carsten Griwodz},
 booktitle = {Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression},
 doi = {10.5281/zenodo.13904788},
 editor = {S M Astrid Bin and Courtney N. Reed},
 issn = {2220-4806},
 month = {September},
 numpages = {11},
 pages = {73--83},
 presentation-video = {},
 title = {dB: A Web-based Drummer Bot for Finger-Tapping},
 track = {Papers},
 url = {http://nime.org/proceedings/2024/nime2024_12.pdf},
 year = {2024}
}