New Old Old New (21/01/10)
(thanks to Angus and the Tell group for helping marshall these thoughts)

1) General objectives

-- New: developing new means of sound generation, manipulation, performance and composition

-- The Available: promoting an ethos of working with available resources (tools, materials, ideas, personel, music and sound)

-- Assimilation: exploring the assimilation of old or conventional sound generation tools in new and interesting ways

-- Context: responding to the geographical and social context in which sound is produced and performed

-- Re discovery: exploring archival sound material as inspiration and framework for the creation and performance of sound

-- Collaboration: developing peer production through the sharing of ideas and innovations as part of an Open Design model

-- Document: archive design innovations and open source blueprints

-- Platform: create a performance platform for the demonstration of inventions

-- Education: build in learning opportunities for junior innovators into design exercises and pilot projects

-- Industry: promote Southern African based research and development into the 'music tool' industry

2) Pilot Project

To promote the above objectives by developing a pilot project/s [in the form of a competition?] with the following components and limitations:

--- Component options: (A) Instrument or (B) Sound Generator

(A) Instrument
- A hardware controller such as a midi controller taking it's inspiration from a indigenous Southern African musical instrument
- A software component: a sound composition tool consisting of a virtual instrument with sequencing ability. The sequencer to demonstrate basic irregular time signature and polyrhythmic capability

(B) Sound Generator
- A mechanical hardware component capable of sound generation (random or controlled), taking its inspiration from an indigenous Southern African musical instrument
- A hardware or software composition tool capable of sequencing or controlling the parameters of operation [not sure about this one]

--- Limitations

- Basic materials: must be cheap (budget ceiling to be specified) and locally available
- Open Source: Programming and hardware design source must be from an Open source. Final designs and software must be made available through an Open Source model.
- Independent operation: Operation must not depend on a proprietary software or hardware components (this excludes basic construction components such as connectors)

3) Long Term Goals (Southern African)

To:

---- fuel a new generation of sound related genres

---- develop an active instrument design network

---- generate spin off skills based education initiatives such as programming, industrial design and sound design

--- establish a Southern African based industry producing unique 'music tool' products for export.

---- promote and establish unconventional (explorative and experimental) sound/music education in mainstream institutions (schools, universities etc)