Touching Sound: Vulnerability and Synchronicity

Abstract

In this paper, vulnerability is considered in terms of our ability to synchronise in time with others, and how the consequences of being unable to do so leads to isolation and a range of social, emotional, and psychological issues. We describe a project to develop a shared musical instrument to facilitate the process of joint interaction and the emergence of moments of synchronising in time with others. The design involves a multidisciplinary and multi-practice team that includes music therapists, artists, performance artists, musicians, music psychologists, music technologists, software and hardware sound engineers.