Interaction Strategies in Composition for Karlax and Acoustic Instruments.

The Karlax is a gestural controller which arose substantial interest among composers since its inception in 2010 and continues to be commonly used in solo and group performances. One of the reasons for its longevity is the device’s remarkable adaptability, especially in musical contexts involving acoustic instruments. This article analyses six chamber music pieces for Karlax and acoustic instruments by comparing performance videos, sounds generated, and the writing process (scores, sound synthesis, and mapping strategies in each piece). We further discuss the various composition strategies using interaction metaphor concepts from the computer music literature. These metaphors prove to be powerful analysis tools that allow describing the use of a digital musical instrument in a chamber music context. In the last part of this article, we discuss five such interaction strategies and their use in sketches of an original composition for Karlax and ensemble.