Presented at
A New HOPE (2022),
July 22, 2022, 7 p.m.
(50 minutes).
**autumnateeverything.com/void-loop/**<br><br>*void loop()* is a collection of performances in an elaborate *Minecraft* world. Audio from the game is routed through Ableton Live for some live looping and other antics. This collection of pieces takes place in the *Minecraft* void biome. The title is a reference to the biome, the looping techniques Ramon uses, and the Arduino function: the Arduino IDE was used to program a Teensy 3.2 board that a Twitch audience can use to control his *Minecraft* character. Chat users can enter commands like !left and !right to turn his character at times during the performance.<br><br>In addition to using widely available *Minecraft* mods and resource/data packs, *void loop ()* harnesses the power of Ableton Live and Max for Live for both signal processing and game control. Movement can easily be triggered by elements like MIDI messages or audio envelope following. Furthermore, Ableton Live and Max for Live can be extended using script-oriented objects (ClyphX Pro and node.js), making for an incredibly connected environment.<br><br>Finally, the video signal from *Minecraft* can be processed in novel ways using color keying. Specifically, *void loop ()* turns part of the world into a "green screen." Additional video processing happens in VDMX, a real-time video processing environment with sound reactivity and MIDI/OSC connectivity.<br><br>The development of these performances has led Ramon to develop numerous projects with his students at UMass Lowell (UML) that involve *Minecraft* as an immersive and collaborative musical instrument. In-game logic, scripting, and hackability foster a musically conducive environment where composers and performers can collaborate on highly expressive works. While these projects were created as part of the Contemporary Electronic Ensemble, they led to the creation of UML's Video Game Ensemble where ultimately any game could be used as an instrument.<br>
Presenters:
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Ramon Castillo
**Ramon Castillo** (Autumn Ate Everything) teaches several music technology and Composition for New Media courses at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. His classes include Music and Sound for Games, Digital Synthesis and Remixing, and Contemporary Styles and Analysis. He directs the Contemporary Electronic Ensemble, which focuses on expressive live performance using electronic instruments not limited to DAWs, hardware synths and samplers, circuit bent toys, microcontroller development boards, signal processing units, video synths, and video games. He founded UML's Video Game Ensemble which launches in Fall 2022. His creative output as composer and performer revolves around expressive/automated looping in Ableton Live and real-time *Minecraft* gameplay. Ramon regularly performs with his daughter, Luna, who got him hooked on *Minecraft* as a tool for artistic creation.
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