BliK an interactive installation and networked musical composition method based on collaborative “Web 2.0″ principles. The composer / participant types directives / keywords - referencing one of the LEMUR ModBots - into a blog post to create a musical score. The LEMUR ModBots are a set of single-function percussive bots that work as a percussion ensemble. They reside at LEMURplex in Brooklyn, New York. Some are scrapers, some are shakers, some strike different surfaces. They each have their own name, for instance, “bucket” and “shake.” By typing “bucket shake shake shake,” into a blog post, the user causes both bots to improvise algorithmically, with the shake being 3 times more present in the section than the bucket. The user controls the tempo by typing keywords such as ‘fast’, ’slow’, and ‘medium’.

At present, BliK can only be heard in real time at LEMURplex. Online users may download each of the sounds and play with them before writing a score. They must then email the score to blik at zdomain dot net. Once uploaded, each score becomes part of the BliK repertoire.

The BliK algorithms are based in Cycling 74’s Max / MSP software, some of the external tools made by Ali Momeni at the University of Minnesota, and a JavaScript parser written by the author.

League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots (LEMUR) is a Brooklyn-based group of artists and technologists who create robotic musical instruments. Founded in 2000 by musician and engineer Eric Singer, LEMUR creates exotic, sculptural musical instruments which integrate robotic technology. LEMUR’s philosophy is to build robots that are new types of musical instruments, as opposed to animatronic robots that play existing instruments.

BliK is a 2007 commission of New Radio and Performing Arts, Inc. for Networked_Music_Review. It was made possible with funding from the New York State Music Fund, established by the New York State Attorney General at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.

BIOGRAPHY

Roberto Osorio-Goenaga is a music technologist and sound artist. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Puerto Rico (2003) and a Master of Music Technology degree from NYU (2005). His work has traditionally been based around the framework of digital audio, including the development of VST plug-ins, Max/MSP externals, and stand-alone software development in C/C++. He has experience in physical computing and PIC programming, and also plays guitar and bass.