O 一

O一 HANYU QU, Computational Media and Art, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, China FRANCESCO ARDAN DAL RÌ, Dept. of Information Engineering and Computer Science, University of Trento, Italy HAO ZOU, University of Missouri, United States Additional Key Words and Phrases: Time in Music, Time Conception, DMIs, Co-Composition, Culture 1 Program Notes This performance features “O 一”, a Digital Musical Instrument (DMI) that integrates linear and circular conceptions of time, drawing inspiration from Western teleological [1, 2] and Eastern, particularly Chinese, philosophies [3, 4]. The project takes shape as a multi-movement co-composition. The instrument incorporates dual time representations—a linear and a circular LED light board—paired with up to nine light-sensor embedded cubes, each housing an empty patch with protocols and triggers. By working on composing with the instrument we wanted to explore this intimate relationship between entangled time and compositional ideas. Fig. 1. O 一 2 Project Description This project seeks to explore these intricate dynamics by integrating a conception of time into “O 一” - from the English characters O and the Chinese 一, pronounced “yi”, a novel Digital Musical Instrument (DMI). The interface’s design incorporates dual time representations—a linear and a circular boards paired with nine light-sensor embedded cubes, sending messages via OSC1to control sound algorithms. The interface is composed two boards: one circular - “O”, and one linear - “一”, metaphorically reflecting Eastern philosophies and Western teleological perspectives, respectively. 3D-printed chassis enclose a custom designed PCB with 1https://opensoundcontrol.stanford.edu/ Authors’ Contact Information: Hanyu Qu, Computational Media and Art, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, China; Francesco Ardan Dal Rì, Dept. of Information Engineering and Computer Science, University of Trento, Italy; Hao Zou, University of Missouri, United States. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. NIME ’25, June 24–27, 2025, Canberra, Australia © 2025 Copyright held by the owner/author(s). NIME ’25, June 24–27, 2025, Canberra, Australia Hanyu Qu, Francesco Ardan Dal Rì, and Hao Zou WS2812 LED strips, and harnesses ESP32-WROOM-32 chips for Wi-Fi-enabled control functionalities, allowing for realtime adjustments. Central to the technical architecture of this DMI are interactive boxes, each outfitted with an LDR sensor, ment to act as triggers when illuminated by lights from the boards. The boxes utilize either an ESP32 Mini board or a Xiao ESP32 sense, powered by individual batteries, facilitating portable and responsive interactions. Such interface is designed to be coupled with a software counterpart for sound generation. Using the DMI, the two composers freely choose their preferred platform for composing, which is Supercollider and PureData, aligned with their usual practice. This approach results in a collection of time-based musical works. We composed two pieces using O 一. These pieces were composed in parallel with author 2 - an Italian composer - and author 3 - a Chinese composer - closely collaborating with the main designer author 1. The project takes shape as a multi-movement co-composition. Author 1 will perform the two movements in a live performance. 3 Technical Notes The performance last around 5 minutes with two movements, performing time depends on the improvisation and loop layering. For performance implementation, the performer requires: a standard stereo sound system, a projector or screen for visuals (optional), a table for placing the instrument, supporting dim lights and Wifi Network. 4 Ethical Standards The paper aligns with the NIME ethic code. The Music is developed using open sources platforms (Pure Data and SuperCollider). Furthermore, the paper wishes to contribute to cultural diversity within NIME debate. References [1] Adrian Bardon. 2013. A Brief History of the Philosophy of Time. Oxford University Press. [2] D. Rosenberg and A. Grafton. 2013. Cartographies of Time: A History of the Timeline. Princeton Architectural Press. [3] Fang Yong. 2023. 逝者如斯夫：20 世纪中国哲学中的“时间”观念 (The Flow of Time: Temporal Concepts in 20th-Century Chinese Philosophy).上 海人民出版社 (Shanghai People’s Press). 419 pages. [4] Feng Youlan. 1948. A Short History of Chinese Philosophy. Macmillan Inc. 400 pages.