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Arts & Communication Speculative ubimus design

of ubimus principles that aim at more egalitarian roles for reverb short clips, and long clips (scraping). The samples
all stakeholders in music-making. Consequently, a rule of with best quality and sonic definition were selected for
thumb for ubimus design may be stated: Distributed agency usage during the improvisation sessions.
should prioritize humans over actants. Verbal materials included three words — one for each
4.2. Case 2: Ouija for strings and the musical internet subgroup: (i)/resonant/, (ii)/glass/, and (iii)/scraping/.
The three words were processed by a text generator based
Written by Luzilei Aliel, Ouija is inspired by the Ouija on Markov chains (the PHP Markov chain text generator
board, a flat surface with letters, numbers and symbols. In platform). Although the system is simple, it provides quick
an Ouija session, the participants try to communicate with features for building text threads.
spirits or supernatural entities that communicate through
the movement of a glass on the board, thus establishing Regarding the instrumental materials, the Ouija project
a conversation between different existential planes. We applies guideline modules represented by capital letters
adopt the Ouija ritual as a metaphor for interactions in the Ouija score. Guideline modules are structures that
between agents via the internet. The aim is to enable serve as bridges between compositional resources and
creative support without imposing “rules” or restrictions improvised interpretations and actions. The modules
such as synchronicity or hierarchy. include indications of procedures. Each module offers a
general indication of the agent’s behavior to enable choices
4.2.1. Participants and variations based on the participant’s esthetic criteria.

Two professional performers participated in Ouija sessions. A Ouija score features three types of guidelines: Type 1
Agent A was 32 and B was 28 years old at the time. Both contains descriptions related to the instrumental actions
subjects are male. A is a cellist, B a violist, with PhD-level common to most stringed instruments; for example, sul
training in contemporary music. The session took place tasto, pizzicato, etc. Type 2 contains technically oriented
simultaneously in São Paulo, Brazil, and Bowling Green, musical parameters, groups of musical events, and
United States. dynamics. For example, in the letter E, a musical scale is
indicated and a general dynamic in piano is requested.
4.2.2. Materials Type 3 contains subjective instructions or phrases that
Ouija is designed for strings, electronic sounds, and online the performers may follow as triggers for their actions.
communication through VOIP protocol (e.g., Skype, Meet, For example, “play as if the sound tells something.” These
Zoom). Zoom was chosen because the subjects were verbal commands sometimes seem surreal or incoherent.
familiar with its usage and by virtue of its audio and video They are intended to generate new material by enticing
recording support. imaginative interpretations, encompassing two threads:
10
The electroacoustic track has two functions: (i) to (i) highly delimited motor responses — “play until the
establish sonic connections not necessarily related to sound says nothing more” — “play until” is readily
gestural and visual information and (ii) to establish a understood and generates relatively quick responses. This
time frame for the contingent elements of the piece. These guideline may apply to lay participants. (ii) Subjective or
features involve hybrid strategies between synchronicity unforeseen responses — “the sound says nothing more.”
and asynchronicity. Although the stakeholders do There is no right or wrong interpretation. An exercise
not act synchronously due to the delay caused by the targeting unexpected outcomes is proposed.
geographical distance, the electroacoustic track provides 4.2.3. Methods
an asynchronous alignment among the performances. This
strategy enhances collective synchronous thinking without When playing Ouija, the performers must turn off their
framing the Ouija project proposal in the networked- microphones, keeping the cameras on, in a way that they
performance straightjacket. It also encourages the reuse of cannot hear the partner’s sounds but can (and should)
sonic resources. see his/her gestures. An environmental soundtrack was
composed to simulate the mystical atmosphere of the
Radio noise was generated from white noise processed Ouija session. Three sound sources were used to generate
through granulation. This noise represents the “tuning” or the track: radio noise, glass sounds (glass), and voice. It
connection between the spirits and the performers. As a features recorded sounds to foster an indirect (auditory)
formal function, noise determines the beginning and end relationship between the performers, to make up for
of the part, acting as a time cue in the guide plane.
Glass sounds were recorded using a crystal glass. They 10 This procedure is aligned with radical ASC (Creative
were subdivided into three types: resonant short clips, non- Semantic Anchoring).

Volume 1 Issue 2 (2023) 7 https://doi.org/10.36922/ac.1597