The Aesthetics and Technological Aspects of Virtual Musical Instruments: The Case of the SuperPolm MIDI Violin

The author discusses how his critical stance against conformity in computer-based interactive art eventually led him to create his own instrument as a way towards individual artistic sensitivity and thought. He first outlines the development and creation of a virtual musical instrument, the SuperPolm, as well as its technical points. He then addresses the relationship between gesture and music and the variety of human perceptual experiences that may occur during a performance on a virtual musical instrument. Finally the author presents the background of the SuperPolm’s development and discusses cultural and technological aspects of interactivity.