IAD Interaction Design

Music plays an important role in our society, and for many, making music is a rewarding and worthwhile activity. There are, however, many reasons why many people who are interested in music withhold from playing an instrument themselves. PlayAnyWay offers a quick introduction to the creation of live music through the generation of a collaborative jam situation. Using the Smartphone as its platform, PlayAnyWay can be used at any time, by a wide range of people.

The application consists of three ‘instruments’ that take the roles of percussion, bass and melody. Each instrument is recognizable by color and are played using specific interactive styles. Each instrument’s pitch and timbre have been created in accord with each other, and through this balance lay the foundations for a harmonious collaborative session.

PlayAnyWay transforms the Smartphone into a unique instrument with its own interactive elements. Through specific shaking, the percussion instrument (red) generates the sounds of a bass drum, snare and Hi-Hat. The bass (blue) has a three-key interface and the melody (green) a six-key interface for the generation of tones, which can then be modulated by tilting the device.

PlayAnyWay increases the beginners access to music-making, whilst offering an alternative musical experience for the more advanced musician. In the future, new instruments with additional tonal harmonies, timbres and interactive features could be offered, to allow the fun had whilst making music to be enjoyed long-term.

Mentors: Karmen Franinovic, Daniel Hug and Jürgen Späth

• Frapolli_Müller_PlayAnyWay_RGB.pdf