Turn-taking and Online Chatting in Co-located and Remote Collaborative Music Live Coding

Abstract

Collaborative music live coding (CMLC) approaches the music improvisation practice of live coding in collaboration. In network music, co-located and remote interactions are possible, and communication is typically supported by the use of a chat window. However, paying attention to simultaneous multi-user actions, such as chat texts and code, can be demanding to follow. In this paper, we explore co-located and remote CMLC using the live coding environment and pedagogical tool EarSketch. In particular, we examine the mechanism of turn-taking and the use of a small set of semantic hashtags in online chatting by using an autoethnographic approach of duo and trio live coding. This approach is inspired by (1) the practice of pair programming, a team-based strategy to efficiently solving computational problems; (2) the language used in short messaging service (SMS) texting and social media. The results from an online survey with six practitioners in live coding and collaboration complements the autoethnographic findings and point to education as the most suitable domain for this approach to CMLC. We conclude discussing the challenges and opportunities of turn-taking and the use of semantic hashtags focusing on educational settings.