23.7. 1993 Vitoria-Gasteiz / Spain - World Federation of Music Therapy

from the GRID of boxes on a computer screen and the
sound-source which is controlled via the standard MIDI
interface. MIDI is an acronym for the 'Musical
Instrument Digital Interface' and is an internationally
accepted standard for connecting together electronic
musical ínstruments and computers.
The number of boxes on the screen can be altered and
each one configured to contain notes, chords
(comprising many notes and possibly many timbres),
and recorded musical sequences. The boxes are
primarily triggered by passing a cursor over them using
a computer mouse and pressing and holding the mouse
buttons.
A MidiGrid user is able to merge the traditionally
independent roles of the performer and the conductor
by controlling an electronic orchestra. When the grid
824
consists of many boxes each containing a single note,
the user may be considered a player-performer in the
conventional sense. He or she moves the mouse and
the notes are played in accordance with the layout on
the screen. However, as the proportion of chords and
sequences on the grid increases, the player begins
more and more to take on the role of a conductor. The
MidiGrid boxes therefore offer an infinitely configurable
palette of musical structures.
MidiGrid includes a real-time recording function which
allows whatever is played on the grid (or indeed from
any external MIDI device such as an electronic piano) to
be recorded and the resulting sequence played into a
new grid box. This is now a separate musical entity
which may be played, edited, replicated, and even
played in canon with itself. It can also be played