Juggling for Beginners: Embracing and Fabricating Failure as Musical Expression

Zeynep Özcan, and Anıl Çamcı

Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression

Abstract:

In this paper, we discuss a NIME practice that incorporates juggling as a means to explore failure and playfulness in music performance. This practice develops alongside our juggling skills, creating a reciprocal relationship between designing a musical interface and learning how to use it. We first review some of the existing perspectives on error and failure in the arts. We then discuss the technical implementation of our NIME in terms of hardware, software, and sound design. Finally, we offer insights into the role of failure in our practice; first, as an unintentional artifact of learning how to juggle, then as a performative medium that we leverage for musical effect.

Citation:

Zeynep Özcan, and Anıl Çamcı. 2024. Juggling for Beginners: Embracing and Fabricating Failure as Musical Expression. Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.13904808

BibTeX Entry:

  @article{nime2024_21,
 abstract = {In this paper, we discuss a NIME practice that incorporates juggling as a means to explore failure and playfulness in music performance. This practice develops alongside our juggling skills, creating a reciprocal relationship between designing a musical interface and learning how to use it. We first review some of the existing perspectives on error and failure in the arts. We then discuss the technical implementation of our NIME in terms of hardware, software, and sound design. Finally, we offer insights into the role of failure in our practice; first, as an unintentional artifact of learning how to juggle, then as a performative medium that we leverage for musical effect.},
 address = {Utrecht, Netherlands},
 articleno = {21},
 author = {Zeynep Özcan and Anıl Çamcı},
 booktitle = {Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression},
 doi = {10.5281/zenodo.13904808},
 editor = {S M Astrid Bin and Courtney N. Reed},
 issn = {2220-4806},
 month = {September},
 numpages = {4},
 pages = {138--141},
 presentation-video = {https://youtu.be/mIuVu9nslMs?si=UAmFsTeS3HJHrvcc},
 title = {Juggling for Beginners: Embracing and Fabricating Failure as Musical Expression},
 track = {Papers},
 url = {http://nime.org/proceedings/2024/nime2024_21.pdf},
 year = {2024}
}