Signal Processing for the Arts: Reaching Out to New Audiences

Today, media creators form a significant fraction of those who use signal processing tools. Environments such Max / MSP [1] and Photoshop [2] play a key role in the creation of music and images. In these environments, authors frequently use advanced signal processing algorithms in the form of filters, and effects such as sound reverberations, delays etc. However, most of the people involved in media production do not have a math background. The content creators are keen to develop a sophisticated understanding of their tools. This allows them to predict the effects of their creative decisions ahead of experiencing them, as well as understanding why certain choices (e.g. size of the convolution kernel) can have a big impact on the final result. It is important to note that the computer music community [3,4] has played a significant role in broadening the reach of signal processing.