Computer codes make sweet music for self-playing piano

Unique computer codes have been used to create an interactive self-playing piano performance that is part of a new videogame music and audio festival taking place in Nottingham this weekend. Researchers from the Mixed Reality Labaratory at the University of Nottingham have collaborated with pianist and composer in residence Maria Kallionpaa to create a unique performance composition called ' Climb '. 'Climb' is part of the first 'All Your Bass' festivel taking place on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th January at the National Videogame Arcade, Antenna and the Royal Concert Hall. Unique musical composition - This unique musical composition combines contemporary piano with elements of computer games to creat a non-linear piece of music accompanied by graphics in which the pianist negotiates an ascent of a mountain, choosing their path as they go, encountering weather, animals and other obstacles along the way. Specially developed computer code or 'musiccodes' communicate with the piano to create different musical pathways, meaning there are many different possible compositions the pianist could create. Dr Adrian Hazzard , Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham's Mixed Reality Lab said: "Climb is made up of 23 fragments or musical events that the code allows to play in different orders. These fragments are like pieces of a puzzle that can be put together in different ways to create different pieces of music for the pianist to play and the audience to experience.