Allocentric and Egocentric Controllers: Similarities and Differences

Gestural instruments can be divided into two categories based on controller type: that of the egocentric controller, centered on and following a point of the performer's body, and the allocentric controller, using a stationary reference frame. This article discusses (1) the similarities and differences between egocentric and allocentric controllers for gestural instruments from the perspective of performer and instrument designer, and (2) the affordances and constraints of egocentric and allocentric controllers as they, to a large degree, define the characteristics of an instrument. The author presents the initial results of a subjective experiment to encourage future discussion and study of the subject.