Music composition for the multi-disabled: A systems perspective

This paper discusses the use of motion-sensitive music therapy environments for the multi-disabled. The authors view such systems as complex networks of natural and created sub-systems. Two complementary approaches are advocated for design and evaluation. The first concerns the neurobiological 'natural' systems and the need to ground the design of the created systems and their interfaces in models that characterize the cognitive and other traits associated with the condition of the users. This approach is illustrated by examples of systems for autistic and disabled users. The second approach involves naturalistic study and inductive qualitative analysis as a means of evaluating the systems. The latter has proved to be effective for analyzing electroacoustic composers' use of software. System improvement must be informed by both, together with the technical knowledge and creativity of the system inventor.