How Ubiquitous Technologies Support Ubiquitous Music
Pervasive computing technologies are providing opportunities and challenges for new musical practices and offering greater access to musical interactions for people at all levels of musical experience. In this chapter we review theoretical insights and practical experiences of taking advantage of these opportunities and meeting these challenges; we describe how to leverage ubiquitous technologies to support ubiquitous music; and we discuss ideas and techniques that can assist in ensuring that social music activities provide an appropriate variety of experiences and strategies to maximize socially positive and musically creative outcomes. Strategies include starting with what is known and available, enhancing human skills with computational automation, and increasing participation through simplification to improve access and promote cultures of open sharing. Three case studies illustrate how these ideas are put into practice, covering experiences from across the world based in varied social contexts and using differing technologies, but sharing the same ambition of enhancing everyday experience through musical interactions mediated by pervasive technologies.