Turn-Taking and Chatting in Collaborative Music Live Coding

Abstract

Co-located collaborative live coding is a potential approach to network music and to the music improvisation practice known as live coding. A common strategy to support communication between live coders and the audience is the use of a chat window. However, paying attention to simultaneous multi-user actions, such as chat texts and code, can be too demanding to follow. In this paper, we explore collaborative music live coding (CMLC) using the live coding environment and pedagogical tool EarSketch. In particular, we examine the use of turn-taking and a customized chat window inspired by the practice of pair programming, a team-based strategy to efficiently solving computational problems. Our approach to CMLC also aims at facilitating the understanding of this practice to the audience. We conclude discussing the benefits of this approach in both performance and educational settings.