Research methods in live electronic music and audio-visual performance : WestminsterResearch

Chapter title	Research methods in live electronic music and audio-visual performance
Authors	Hermes, K.
Editors	Dylan-Smith, G., Dines, M. and Rambarran, S.
Abstract	The performance of DAW-based electronic music can be challenging: carefully layered studio productions cannot be reproduced live in the same way as they were created in the studio, and not all audiences understand the functionality of hardware tools such as laptops, MIDI controllers, effects units or DJ decks (Correia et al., 2017, pp. 1–8). In the context of popular music, many young fans attend popular live music events in order to share the experience with likeminded others and to demonstrate fan worship (Brown and Knox, 2017), paying particular attention to parameters such as fashion and dance moves. An artist’s technical proficiency with a given electronic performance tool becomes less important than the overall stage production. Live visual parameters have a great impact on how engaging a show is (Hermes, 2020) but in the performance of commercial electronic music, a majority of artists employ backing tracks (Hermes, 2022, p. 227). Celebrity artist-producers such as Deadmau5 have admitted to “pressing play”, i.e. simply playing back preproduced material: “that is all you can do anyway” (DJ Tech Tools, 2012; Rambarran, 2017). In electronic music performances, effective musical expression and communication can become more challenging due to a lack of visual agency and liveness (Canfer, 2017, pp. 100–112). This chapter explores ways in which live visual parameters can support the performance of electronic music, with a key focus on research methods that help measure connections between what is seen and heard. Section 1 summarizes the technological possibilities for creating live visuals for both real-life and virtual performances. Section 2 explores research methods for measuring synchronicities between sound and image, making the point that this relationship is both objective and subjective. Section 3 offers an alternative take, showing that marketing and branding standpoints tend to outweigh direct audio-visual synchronicities in commercial music performances. Section 4 concludes that audio-visual performance can be studied in many disciplines due its interdisciplinary nature.
Book title	Handbook of Popular Music Methodologies
Publisher	Intellect
Place of publication	London, UK

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Research methods in live electronic music and audio-visual performance

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