Public Sound Objects A shared musical space on the web

In this paper we describe The Public Sound Objects project and its context. This project, which is currently under development, intends to approach the idea of collaborative musical performances over the Internet, going beyond most common paradigms where the network is mainly used as a channel to provide a connection between performative spaces. At its final stage this system will provide a public performance space within the network where people can be found participating in an ongoing collaborative sonic event. The users connected to this installation are able to control a server side synthesis engine through a web-based interface. The resulting Sound Objects form a sonic piece that is then streamed back to each user. The user takes the role of a performer and his contribution has a direct and unique influence on the overall resulting soundscape. This ongoing event is also played back at the installation site in the presence of a live audience, with added contextual elements such as sound spacialization and metaphorical visual representation of the current participants.