Musical intra-actions with digital musical instruments

Abstract

This article explores the evolving dynamics between musicians and technological artifacts. Building on Karen Barad’s concept of intra-action, I intend to show how musicians and digital musical instruments (DMIs) mutually shape, influence, and transform one another. This perspective shifts the view of technologies from purely functional tools to an integral part of a larger system. I aim to explore the concept of musical intra-action with DMIs, suggesting that the capacities of all entities, both human and non-human, to affect music production emerge through their mutually constitutive relationships. To support this investigation, I analyse the results of a workshop I organised with musician-scholars, alongside subjective observations from studio sessions. By focusing on the mutual entanglements, I aim to show how musical intra-action might enable a more relationally incorporated music production process, in which musicians and technological entities are co-constituted, dynamically shaping and transforming one another and their contributions.