Simon Order | Murdoch University (original) (raw)

Papers by Simon Order

The most recent trend in music production is a move away from the work-orientated portable comput... more The most recent trend in music production is a move away from the work-orientated portable computer as a production tool to the tablet computer. Some have suggested that the emergence of the iPad tablet in the music technology landscape will democratise music making in the same way that the emergence of digital cameras made photography and filmmaking more available (Tough, 2009).This paper emerged from my own creative practice of music production on an iPad tablet whilst travelling, and at various international destinations. In an auto-ethnographic fashion, I felt that the quality of my creative outcomes was significantly enhanced by this mobile music production practice. What factors are at play? Tablets are relatively cheap compared to laptops; they are smaller and still viewed as a novelty. Further, notions of mobility and portability are more culturally attached to tablets than laptops (Goodwin, 2012). How then is the relatively new mobility of music production impacting creativity? This paper proposes there are two significant human interface paradigms at play that impact user creativity when producing music on a mobile tablet device. The first is the human-computer interface (HCI) of the music technology app itself. The culture of app development is moving the technology forward quickly, driving new approaches to interface design and creative engagement with new tablet music technology. Some work on tablet HCI and creativity has been done previously (Order, 2014). It is the second, and less obvious human-environmental interface (HEI), where little research on creativity has been done (Amabile, 1996) where this paper focuses its effort. Music production is now potentially a mobile practice, moving easily between geographic locations which yield a variety of visual, auditory, kinaesthetic and olfactory environmental cues. Such cues can function as cognitive input stimuli. This echoes the seminal work on creativity by Mel Rhodes (Rhodes, 1961) who popularised the term press to describe the multi-factorial impact of environment on human creativity. This human interface with the environment also speaks to definitions of synaesthesia by Simon Baron-Cohen and John Harrison (Baron-Cohen and Harrison, 1997), where “the stimulation of one sensory modality automatically triggers a perception in a second modality” (1). The potential for creative outcomes or provoking creativity via synaesthesia are apparent (Order, 2000). This paper examines approaches to mobile music production from these and other associated fields. Specifically, this paper focuses on the human-environmental interface, arguing that increased connectivity via mobility is a significant contributor to expanded musical creativity.

The largest pressure faced by community radio stations is financial. Stations constantly face the... more The largest pressure faced by community radio stations is financial. Stations constantly face the reality of how to ensure an adequate operating income in an increasingly competitive mediascape. Van Vuuren (2006c) argues that the extent of the contribution of community media to media democracy in Australia depends largely on how the sector manages commercial pressures. There is a need to ensure more financial stability to allow stations to focus on their primary community-orientated and participatory goals. The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC 2007: 51) argues that if financial contributors are available, whether public or private, the sponsors will want to know they are receiving value for any investment they make in the sector. This emphasis on " value for money " is a good reason to evaluate and demonstrate the efficacy and effectiveness of Australian community radio stations. The value of Australian community radio, like citizens media (Rodríguez 2001: 163), centres on what are sometimes quite subtle objectives. These can be difficult to evaluate. For example, according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA and CBAA 2008a: 1), the first guiding principle of community broadcasting states: 'We will work to promote harmony and diversity and contribute to an inclusive, cohesive and culturally-diverse Australian community.' What type of evaluative benchmark can easily distinguish whether harmony and diversity in the community, for example, has been promoted or not? This paper discusses the main funding challenges and dilemmas faced by Australian community broadcasters in light of demonstrating the value of the sector. Introduction The supporters of community radio see the sector as a vital part of the fabric of Australian media. Community radio supporters argue that it should receive regular funding for the valuable social and cultural contributions it makes to society. However, the detractors suggest that the sector already receives special privileges over commercial broadcasters who pay substantial sums for their frequency allocation and licences. From this standpoint, it would be easy to question why the community sector should exist at all. Snape and Simson (2000: 275) state:

In the world of music technology where, “music practice is challenged, mediated and redefined thr... more In the world of music technology where, “music practice is challenged, mediated and redefined through performers’ and composers’ uses of ICT” (Savage, 2005, p. 168), curriculum change is necessary if the world of the classroom is to keep pace with the world outside (Cain, 2004, p. 219). For newcomers to music technology, the glittering array of increasingly sophisticated flashing, emulated, and modulated interfaces can invoke virtual interface dyslexia before giving way to options anxiety. Change is the only constant in the ever-evolving techno-scape of sound and music applications. This paper proposes that the development of an introductory tertiary music technology unit curriculum using loop-based music iPad apps may effectively engage non-traditional music (NTM) students in both music and technology. The course design was underpinned by two intentions. Firstly, the aim was to stimulate student creativity and secondly, to encourage immersion (focused attention) in sonic composition (Witmer & Singer, 1998). This paper reports on the preliminary usability testing of five loop-based music iPad applications. It is administered to a sample of one,namely the author, using the System Usability Scale (SUS) (Brooke, 1996) and is guided by the following questions: Would this testing methodology be appropriate? What factors specific to loop-based music app design might be pertinent for educators? Would this testing method indicate the potential for student immersion and creativity? While the pilot study, described here, is conducted solely by the researcher to determine the effectiveness of the method, future research intends the study to be administered to a small classroom group if determined appropriate.

The dramatic anthropological shifts in music production practices in the post-analogue world have... more The dramatic anthropological shifts in music production practices in the post-analogue world have been primarily driven by the ever-increasing functionality of digital audio technologies. Technologies are pertinent actors in the music production process, more than ever before. A
new trend in music production is a move towards the mobile tablet computer as a production tool. This article emerged from my own practice-led research into music production on a tablet computer whilst travelling, and at international destinations. Using evocative utoethnography, I diarised my mobile music production, concluding that mobility positively impacted creativity. Reflection led me to ask: What factors are at play and could a theorisation of mobile production practice be articulated? Mobility is more than transplanting music production to
another place. Rather, mobility asks us to reconsider fundamental notions central to musical practice. Space and environment become cognitive stimuli, echoing the seminal work by Mel Rhodes on creativity. Rhodes popularised the term ‘press’ to describe the multi-factorial
impact of experience on human creativity. This study theorises a multi-sensorial approach where human mobility and connection with place enhance musical creativity. Second, music data mobility amplifies production options. The connected mobile musician can absorb the
perceptual richness of physical travel and also the stimuli of the electronic ether. Where is creativity? This article proposes that creativity for the mobile musician is experienced in a liminal space between the geographical and the virtual.

AbSTrAcT Community radio in Australia is now well established and considered an important part of... more AbSTrAcT Community radio in Australia is now well established and considered an important part of the radio sector, however, in today's economically driven world it is at the bottom of the media money pile. In order to argue for its continuing existence , funding and development in an ever-changing media landscape, some means of capturing its value is essential. This article describes the development of a theoretical framework of value for community radio. The content of the framework was achieved by, first, examining, community media/radio literature through five relevant lenses of analysis. Secondly, a subsequent meta-analysis was applied to consolidate the framework. In order to test the utility of the draft theoretical framework of value, three case studies were conducted with different types of community radio stations in Perth, Western Australia. Two primary research methods were used: interviews with staff and audience focus groups. The testing exercise provided a multimodal insight into the values of community radio as reflected in real life practice. The analysis revealed how value was perceived by participants across three stations as personal motivations, and second, that value at individual stations was contingent upon the characteristics of the individual community radio stations.

Community radio in Australia is well established and an important part of the radio sector. Yet, ... more Community radio in Australia is well established and an important part of the radio sector. Yet, in today’s economically driven world, it sits at the bottom of the media money pile. In order to argue for community radio’s continuing existence and funding in a competitive media landscape, a way of capturing its value is essential. This paper summarises the development of a theoretical framework of value for community radio from the existing literature and the testing of that framework at three community radio stations in Perth, Western Australia. Volunteer participation by the wider community in the operation of community radio has been a normative value for the sector. In particular, this paper discusses the importance of one key finding around that value of participation in this research. Study participants at all stations frankly asserted that often, their motivation to participate in community radio sprung from a purely selfish motivation. If participants in this study perceive the value of community radio from a purely selfish motivational standpoint, the wider community benefits could potentially be considered as pure side effects. Subsequently, any attempt to argue for the wider community benefits of community radio, and thus support and funding, could become much harder to substantiate.

The community radio sector in Australia is under-funded and under-resourced. Many of the 270-plus... more The community radio sector in Australia is under-funded and under-resourced. Many of the 270-plus stations in Australia (CBAA 2012) struggle to maintain long-term viability and manage their day-to-day financial operations. Practitioners in the sector use a range of strategies to attract funding; however, there are no magic formulas for keeping their heads above water. Approximately 10 per cent of funding comes from government grants (Forde at al 2002: 98–99), most of which are one-off grants for specific projects. If the value of a community radio station could be determined, then surely it would be easier to attract funding from government or other sources. In this paper I examine the concept of value in the context of the community radio station. I explain why the assessment of value is important. Since the value of community radio is a divergent and contested theoretical terrain, a clearer understanding of value would most likely enable stations to attract more funding. I explore the notion of value in relation to community radio through four theoretical lenses. The first lens is the lens of definitions, where the value of community radio can be determined by how it is defined. As a medium, community radio can sit under various umbrella ‘alternative media’–type definitions. The definitions can also be entwined with notions of value, obfuscating the theoretical territory. The second lens is the lens of oppositional power. Community radio as a type of alternative media has long been associated with „oppositional‟ stances to mainstream media themes. The value of this oppositional power is questionable and may be overstated. The third lens is the lens of social power. Community radio as alternative media has the potential to empower participants personally or politically. The fourth lens is the lens of participation in media production, where community radio encourages participation in media content production and administration. The value of participation has been celebrated; however more research is necessary to establish the true value. These four lenses corral areas of critical debate and offer avenues for future enquiry into the community radio sector. Overall I conclude that more work needs to be done before community radio stations are able to measure their value against clear standards towards a better funded future.