Abstract
The current array of telematic music applications offers exceptional opportunities to transcend distance and enable networking between various cultures and communities. As a means to achieve this, network music applications require assessment through their previous implementations, installation requirements, cost, hardware requirements, and usability in order to assess their potential and to decipher improvements needed as a means of cultural connectivity. An early precursor of telematic music was an innovative concert by Paul Robeson in 1957, which circumvented political restrictions and enabled activism as it occurred, despite the U.S. State Department’s revocation of Robeson’s passport due to his left-wing tendencies and activism in support of poor, black, and working-class populations in the United States. More recent cultural connections are evident through modern telematic events such as Michael Dessen’s project “Telematic Bridges,” which commenced in 2017. While some musicians that have taken part in such performances were subject to the challenges of telematic connections, their access to telematic means was not inherently limited by accessibility or technical ability. Network music applications have the potential to provide a valuable service that can promote growth and understanding between cultures. However, the use of telematic applications as a cultural tool has not previously been studied. In order to evaluate this potential, a review of their usability is recommended and an overview of requirements for JackTrip, Jamulus, JamKazam, SonoBus, and Deck 10 Studio are highlighted. While each offers a much-needed benefit to specific users, all are not without issues, which can range from the complications of setting up of a private server to the installation of the application itself. Network music applications must evolve in simplicity of installation, a reduction of cost and required hardware, and ease in usability in order to lessen users’ cognitive load and be financially and intellectually accessible. In doing so, there is the potential to act as a device to bypass cultural and socio-economic barricades and connect humans through music.
Recommended Citation
Kemack Goot, Dana, and W. Scott Deal. "A Spectrum of Online Rehearsal Applications: A Potential Means for Cultural Connection." Journal of Network Music and Arts 4, 1 (2022). https://commons.library.stonybrook.edu/jonma/vol4/iss1/4
Included in
Art and Design Commons, Communication Commons, Computer Engineering Commons, Music Commons