Networked Music Performance System Enables Distributed Concert Between Italy and Poland

Centrala begrepp

A networked music performance system called MEVO enabled a distributed concert between musicians in Turin, Italy and Wrocław, Poland, demonstrating the feasibility of real-time remote musical collaboration.

Sammanfattning

The paper presents an example of a Networked Music Performance (NMP) system called MEVO, which was used to facilitate a distributed concert between musicians in Turin, Italy and Wrocław, Poland in June 2023.
Key highlights:

MEVO is an NMP system under development at Politecnico di Torino, designed to support remote music education and accessibility for users with visual, auditory, and mobility impairments.
The distributed concert featured 3 musicians in Turin and 3 musicians in Wrocław, performing 5 pieces composed specifically for the event.
The system was able to maintain a stable end-to-end audio latency, with 99.986% of round-trip times being less than 59ms.
While some packet losses were observed, leading to audible gaps, the overall feedback from musicians and the audience was that the system was transparent enough to have a negligible impact on the perceived quality of the performance.
The experiment highlighted the need for further improvements, such as the integration of packet loss concealment techniques and refinement of the audio buffer dynamic estimation.

Statistik

The minimum measured round-trip time (RTT) value was 51.985 ms at one side and 52.011 ms at the other.
99.986% of the measured RTTs was < 59ms at both sides.
The ratio of lost frames was 0.131% at the Wrocław side and 0.177% at the Turin side.
The overall mouth-to-ear latency experienced by the musicians was within [32, 61]ms.

Citat

"Even though the development of MEVO is in its early stage, the overall feedback received from the musicians and the audience was that the system is already stable and transparent enough to introduce negligible impact on the perceived quality of experience."

Viktiga insikter från

Demonstration of a Networked Music Performance Experience with MEVO

by Leonardo Sev... på arxiv.org 04-16-2024

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2404.09665.pdf

Djupare frågor

How can the MEVO system be further improved to provide a more seamless and reliable networked music performance experience?

To enhance the MEVO system for a more seamless and reliable networked music performance experience, several improvements can be considered. Firstly, integrating packet loss concealment (PLC) techniques, as mentioned in the paper, would be crucial to address audible packet losses. Implementing PLC methods, such as those outlined in previous research, can help mitigate the impact of lost audio frames and ensure a more consistent audio stream during performances. Additionally, refining the dynamic estimation of the playback buffer to adapt more effectively to varying network conditions would contribute to reducing latency fluctuations and maintaining a stable performance environment. Furthermore, exploring advanced synchronization mechanisms and error correction algorithms could further optimize the system's ability to deliver high-quality, low-latency audio streams across distributed locations.

What are the potential challenges and limitations in scaling up the MEVO system to support larger-scale distributed concerts or music education sessions?

Scaling up the MEVO system to accommodate larger-scale distributed concerts or music education sessions may present several challenges and limitations. One significant challenge is the increased complexity of managing multiple audio streams and ensuring synchronized playback across a larger number of participants. As the number of users grows, the network bandwidth requirements and computational resources needed to handle the additional audio data and processing tasks also escalate. This could lead to potential bottlenecks in data transmission, higher latencies, and increased susceptibility to network congestion or packet loss.
Moreover, coordinating and orchestrating a large group of musicians or students in different locations introduces logistical challenges in terms of communication, rehearsal coordination, and technical support. Ensuring consistent audio quality and synchronization across diverse network environments and hardware setups becomes more demanding as the scale of the performance or educational session expands. Additionally, the need for robust support for accessibility features, especially for visually, auditory, and mobility-impaired users, becomes more critical in larger-scale deployments.

How can the MEVO system be adapted to support other forms of remote artistic collaboration, such as dance or theater performances?

Adapting the MEVO system to facilitate other forms of remote artistic collaboration, such as dance or theater performances, would require specific considerations to address the unique requirements of these disciplines. For dance collaborations, incorporating video streaming capabilities alongside audio transmission would be essential to capture and synchronize movements and choreography. This would enable dancers in different locations to rehearse and perform together in real-time, enhancing the overall collaborative experience.
In the context of theater performances, integrating features for cueing, script sharing, and real-time feedback mechanisms would be beneficial for actors, directors, and production teams working remotely. Providing tools for scene transitions, lighting cues, and sound effects coordination can help replicate the dynamics of in-person theater productions in a virtual setting. Additionally, supporting multi-channel audio mixing and spatial audio technologies can enhance the immersive experience for both performers and audiences during remote theater collaborations.
Overall, adapting the MEVO system for diverse artistic collaborations beyond music would involve tailoring the platform's functionalities to meet the specific needs of each art form while maintaining a focus on low-latency, high-quality audiovisual transmission and seamless real-time interaction.