Live electronic audiovisual works are constantly seeking to be expressive and for instruments to be responsive. MSN/AV (Maximum Silence to Noise/Audio-Visual) continues this tradition with its live, interactive audiovisual performance system featuring two musicians using custom digital instruments and real-time responsive 3D graphics. The work explores methods of gestural control of sound and visuals, emphasising improvisational expressivity and rich audio spectra. The new instrument developed for the work builds on a legacy of ‘noisy’ electronic instruments like the Crackle Box and Atari Punk Console, using ring modulation synthesis to create dynamic, inharmonic textures.
At the core of MSN-AV is a unique ring modulation technique called Maximum Silence Noise, featuring two identical morphing oscillators. These oscillators smoothly shift from silence to white noise, passing through sine and square waves, enabling a continuous evolution from simple to complex spectra. MSN/AV demonstrated that this approach, detailed in an accompanying academic paper, supports rich timbral expression through multi-dimensional touch gestures that control the MSN instruments and coordinated real time graphics during the performance.
The work was selected through international peer review for performance at New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME) in June 2025—the leading global conference for innovation in digital instrument design. While live visuals are common in contemporary performance, research into gestural interaction and improvisation within responsive audiovisual environments remains emergent. Beyond a few notable artists (e.g., Louise Harris, Myriam Bleau, Vicki Bennett, Nonotak Studio), there is limited artistic research focused on improvising musicians in such contexts—an area MSN/AV actively investigates as its contribution to the field.