The process

Collaborative process

The music that evolves can be described as a play of samples with strong relation to technology and everyday life. This to some extent resembles hiphop-music and comes into play when we engaged in collaborating with RGRA, the local youth hiphop group in Malmö. Using the context of the RGRA group, we explored the hidden possibilities of the barcodes. We worked with RGRA to obtain vocal samples to add to the barcode system and later their broader musical skills for composing and rapping. RGRA also gave us an insight into their culture including venues that they frequented. We tested the barcode system at the venues of a groccery store, City Gross, and also a nightclub, Inkonst, which has a special night dedicated to RGRA events. In both of these contexts, we tried to present the barcode system as a tool to create music, and gave participants the opportunity to define their own meaning from the use of the system. By giving control to participants, and trying two different venues on three occasions, we were able to define patterns of use, and begin to define the cultural implications of the system on both RGRA members and on society.

Prototyping

Throughout our process, we adapted to each of our prototyping sessions. Each iteration of the process was based on how the RGRA users interacted with the system, and as we learned from their actions, we were able to transform the system to meet both their and our needs. For the first iteration, we realised that we would need to create a system which reflected their theme: hip hop. After analyzing the musical composition of hip hop in general, we were able to develop a set of algorithms that better represented hip hop music, and during the first prototyping event, we were able to present hip hop beats to the participants, who enjoyed discovering which hip hop beats resulted from certain barcodes. Our study was divided into three phases of context: Vocal Samples & Initial City Gross; Inkonst Night Club; and the City Gross Flash Mob.

Event 1: Vocal Samples

Within this first session, our intention was to meet the RGRA members and record vocal tracks from them to add to our sounds database. However, due to their enthusiasm about the project, we ended up going to the nearby City Gross grocery store to test out the system with all the barcodes available to us there. We had a laptop and barcode scanner and the sound was only provided through the laptop speakers but participants had a great time exploring the different barcodes, and testing out different types of items (clothing, personal care products, food, etc) to see what each genre sounded like. Within this prototype, we moved about the store, carrying the laptop as participants scanned items and searched for new items. During this the members came up with sounds to include and even rapped to the music.

Event 2: Inkonst Night Club


Inkonst holds a dedicated night to RGRA occasionally, and we set up a table with a set number of barcoded items, speakers, laptop and barcode scanner. Participants approached the table and engaged in scanning barcodes. A number of interesting phenomenons occurred during this stage; considerations had to be made to age, number of people in a group, gender, and learning curve. There was a definite increase in use of the system when groups of people aged 10-14 years of age were scanning items, as they tried to scan as many items as possible, without realizing the potential for music making. The older the participants, the more time they took to explore the system. The group dynamics seemed to block some uses, including having girls trying out the design. We could also observe how the stand itself promoted a rather bodily passive use compared to the following use in City Gross.   

Event 3: City Gross Flash Mob


Our last prototyping evening occurred at City Gross grocery store. We organized to have a shopping cart equipped with speakers, and power set up in the store. The power and quality of the speakers seemed to matter significantly. Participants were able to drive the shopping cart around, scanning items, and having the resulting music play from the speakers in the cart. They seemed to feel in control and even moved to the beats. Observers were intrigued as to what was happening, and there were even people who asked what the system did, and then brought up their own barcodes to be scanned. RGRA members moved throughout areas of the grocery store, exploring different barcodes. Interestingly, RGRA members chose to scan items they liked the physical look of, rather than what its sound quality might be. Many items were placed back on the shelf because they didn't meet the first filter of aesthetics. We saw users take roles and cooperate in selecting and assembling barcode music. A more focused selection for composing might have been promoted by shopping baskets.