Netronomia II

Dataset: http://doi.org/10.17639/nott.7553

Netronomia II, led by Kenneth Fields at Beijing’s Conservatory of Music, utilises the Netronome—a networked metronome developed at UCSB—to synchronise multi-city performances despite latency variations. The project reimagined musical collaboration by linking dispersed performers (Wuhan, Beijing, Inner Mongolia) through latency-adjusted circle scores modeled after Beijing’s ring roads. This created a decentralised ecosystem where each node preserved its unique rhythmic identity (30–40ms offsets generating distinct “toporhythms”). Musicians could choose unconventional sound sources (vocal percussion, MIDI controllers) rather than conforming to standardised parts.

This project illustrates a transformative approach to creating, sharing, and experiencing music in the the digital age. Rather than erasing distance, the system composes with it—turning latency into texture, visual abstraction into groove, and performers into networked co-creators. It represents a compelling prototype for post-geographic, post-linear digital musicianship.

Connectivity

• Networked Ensemble over Distance: Performers connected in real time from multiple cities in China using a digital score system synchronised via a shared latency (500 ms to and from a central server). This created a distributed ensemble model where time alignment was algorithmically managed, not physically shared.

• Latency as a Creative Parameter: Rather than a limitation, latency became an expressive tool. Performers explored how their unique delay values shaped emergent musical textures, leading to novel awareness of “connection through difference.”

• Decentralised Coordination: The circular score divided performers into rings (from outer to inner), with each controlling loops of sound. This design created horizontal relationships rather than hierarchical conductor-led models, fostering interdependence among nodes.

• Perspective and Co-Creation: Each player interpreted the same rhythmic structures differently, shaped by their latency, timbral range, and positioning in the digital interface—leading to five unique versions of the piece.

Flow

• From Confusion to Groove: Participants initially found the circular, sequencer-style digital notation difficult—especially those accustomed to linear Western staff notation. However, after 1–2 hours of adaptation, players described entering a “flow state,” similar to gamelan or loop-based music.

• Visual Learning Curve: The unconventional visual format required developing a new type of score literacy. Once mastered, it enabled expressive timing, improvisation, and spontaneous variation within a minimalist rhythmic framework.

• Embracing Delay: The music’s temporal flow was shaped by controlled asynchrony. Rather than aiming for tight synchronisation, the system encouraged “loose alignment,” giving rise to polyrhythmic interplay and expanded rhythmic perception.

• Improvisation within Structure: The looped score provided enough predictability for performers to take risks—modulating loudness, articulation, or timbre freely while remaining grounded in shared rhythms. Flow became a balance between rule-following and rule-bending.

Digital Musicianship

• Skill in Synchronising Latency: Using tools like the Max for Live plugin, performers had to calibrate their delay to align with a shared beat. Mastery of these tools became part of the musician’s craft, equating technical readiness with artistic readiness.

• Emergent Compositional Thinking: Rather than merely interpreting pre-written music, players actively shaped sonic textures by choosing pitch, register, and expressive parameters. The digital score became a prompt, not a prescription.

• New Interface Literacy: Musicians learned to navigate circular timelines, sequencer-style notations, and real-time control layers—acquiring skills more akin to digital design or gaming than traditional music reading.

• Real-Time Systems Thinking: Participants began to think of the performance as a responsive system, where changing one node’s behavior (e.g., latency or density) could reshape the overall texture. This fostered systems-level musical awareness.

• Accessible Entry Point: The digital score, while challenging, was described as more approachable than mastering traditional notation. This suggests potential for broader participation, including non-professional or interdisciplinary collaborators.

Transformations

• Redefining Presence: The project reframed “presence” in music. Though geographically distant, players were connected through shared rhythmic infrastructure, challenging assumptions that musical co-presence requires physical proximity.

• Expanded Role of the Audience: Some envisioned a future where audiences might also participate in shaping the score or composition—creating real-time feedback loops that blur the line between performer and observer.

• From Performer to Co-Composer: Without fixed pitch or dynamic markings, performers assumed more authorial control—choosing how to interpret, vary, and develop the music. This shifted identity from performer to improviser-composer.

• Platform as Genre Generator: Participants recognized the digital score as a new musical genre rather than a delivery method for traditional music. It creates its own aesthetic rooted in network latency, distributed authorship, and non-linear notation.

• Temporal Decentralisation: The shift from synchronised clock time to polychronous performance allowed multiple “now” moments to coexist—mirroring broader transformations in digital culture and networked collaboration.

Summary

Netronomia II, led by Kenneth Fields at Beijing’s Conservatory of Music, redefines ensemble performance through its networked metronome system, connecting musicians across China while creatively incorporating latency (30-40ms offsets) as rhythmic texture. The project’s circular “ring road” score design enables decentralised coordination, transforming performers into co-composers who navigate a unique digital interface blending sequencer logic with musical notation. By treating network delay as an expressive parameter rather than a limitation, the system facilitates new forms of digital musicianship—where players master latency synchronisation, develop non-linear score literacy, and engage in polychronous collaboration. This transformative approach redefines musical presence by establishing a new genre rooted in network physics, demonstrating the artistic potential of distributed performance systems in the digital age.