iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Coming up 13 October: new works for magnetic resonator piano premiered by Xenia Pestova Bennett at the Guildhall School of Music's Milton Court concert hall. 8pm; free entry! www.gsmd.ac.uk/whats-on/ele...

gsmd.ac.uk

Electronics at Eight: Music for Magnetic Resonator Piano

Experience the Magnetic Resonator Piano as Xenia Pestova Bennett presents fresh works and premieres.

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Coming up August 3rd: a double-header online seminar from the Augmented Instruments Lab featuring Oliver Bown and Anthony Marasco. Starts 3pm UK time here: youtube.com/live/WuHdzO6...

youtube.com

AIL Open Seminars #013 and #014 – Ollie Bown and Anthony Marasco

YouTube video by Augmented Instruments Lab

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Matt Davison @mdavison.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Congrats to the 9 other project winners which also included my colleague Adam Schmidt (both supervised by @apmcpherson.bsky.social ) and especially winner of the grand prize David Gabriel! So many great hardware projects on display and lots of inspiring talks!

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Matt Davison @mdavison.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Last week I was at the University of Lancaster for the wonderful @prosquared.org summer school. A great and informative week. I was also lucky enough to be selected as a prize winner for my HaptiCoupler project!

The selected prize winners from the Pro2 network hardware prototyping summer school stood in a line with Prof. Steve Hodges in the centre

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

I've got a new paper out in Organised Sound, definitely one of the weirdest things I've ever written but I'm rather proud of it. "Notes aren't real: an anti-framework for entangled musical instrument design". doi.org/10.1017/S135...

doi.org

Notes aren’t real: An anti-framework for entangled instrument design | Organised Sound | Cambridge Core

Notes aren’t real: An anti-framework for entangled instrument design

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Matt Davison @mdavison.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Yesterday our lab ( @apmcpherson.bsky.social & co.) hosted the NIME open day - a post #NIME2026 event for anyone interested to come and demo their instruments and music tech creations and for attendees to come and experience them. Around 40 demos and ~200 attendees came along - some photos below!

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

NIME 2026 starts tomorrow! In addition to co-chairing this year's conference, the Augmented Instruments Lab has five papers this year (thread)

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Matt Davison @mdavison.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Alongside our lab co-hosting #NIME2026, I'll also be presenting a paper there! Our paper "Techniques for Closely-Coupled Sensing and Actuation in Digital Musical Instruments" (by me, Adam Schmidt, and @apmcpherson.bsky.social) explores methods of sensing and actuating for hybrid instruments (1/2)

A diagram displaying 4 different methods of achieving closely coupled sensing and actuation. From top to bottom: Time (where the system alternates between sensing and actuating), Frequency (where sensing and actuating occur in different frequency ranges), Impedance (where impedance variables, such as voltage and current or force and velocity, are used to separate sensing and actuating) and Modality (where sensing and actuating occur in different, but perceptually similar, domains).

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Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

this is a brilliant summary of a terrible terrible policy. It is absolutely not an understatement to say this will destroy US science.

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Matt Davison @mdavison.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Coming to #NIME2026 or in London at the end of June anyway? Come along to our lab open day on 27/06! We'll be demoing our work (including @apmcpherson.bsky.social's magnetic resonator piano) and you can submit a proposal for a demo of your own work! Sign up here: forms.cloud.microsoft/e/rTgMiXpXd6

Promo poster for the Augmented Instruments Lab's NIME open day from 12pm to 5pm at Imperial College London on the 27th of June 2026

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Tomorrow 11am UK time: join us for an AIL Open Seminar by Tom Richards on Daphne Oram and Oramics. Tom will introduce Oram's pioneering instrument design work and present his Mini-Oramics machine, a portable version of the original Oramics. Streaming here: youtube.com/live/k-8HMXT...

youtube.com

AIL Open Seminars #012 – Tom Richards

YouTube video by Augmented Instruments Lab

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teresa pelinski @tpelinski.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

and another talk with Prof Georgina Born: "Beyond ethics, for a critical interdisciplinary AI music pedagogy", on the work we're doing at @musaiproject.bsky.social with @rebeccafiebrink.bsky.social and @weefuzzy.bsky.social

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teresa pelinski @tpelinski.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

(there's an Organised Sound paper on this collaboration coming out soon!)

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teresa pelinski @tpelinski.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

one is with Prof Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social : "Of ghosts and slop: is there 'an' AI music aesthetic?", in which we'll discuss some thoughts on the aesthetics of musical practices with AI systems, and the work we did in collaboration with Dr Adam Pultz Melbye @adampultz.bsky.social

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teresa pelinski @tpelinski.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

I'll be at the AI Music Studies conference (AIMS 2026 www.aims2026.com/programme) in two weeks, held at the University of Nottingham. I'll be giving two talks on Wed. April 1st:

aims2026.com

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

Monday 16 March, 2pm UK: Kathy Hinde presents "Magnetic sensing as inspiration for an installation and performance" as part of the Augmented Instruments Lab Open Seminars series. Hybrid in-person at Imperial College London (DM for location) and online: www.youtube.com/live/3Yv4_33...

youtube.com

AIL Open Seminars #011 – Kathy Hinde

YouTube video by Augmented Instruments Lab

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Matt Davison @mdavison.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

First time recording a piano in a while – and this one was full of electromagnets! Great fun last week recording audio for @apmcpherson.bsky.social's Magnetic Resonator Piano with @xeniapestova.bsky.social playing, along with some fun other Augmented Instruments Lab creations. Videos coming soon!

Me crouched down with headphones on looking at the recording laptop while Adam is filmed playing his LDTM setup

A table with speakers, audio interface, and recording laptop

The magnetic resonator piano behind a video light

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

The latest from Bela -- TRAILS is here! See what it can do here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVpv.... Pre-orders are live now on shop.bela.io, estimated shipping in June.

youtube.com

Introducing Trails: Polyphonic Touch Recorder

YouTube video by Bela Platform

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

We've been busy at Bela lately. Having recently released Bela Gem, our new module Trails is just about to drop! Sneak peek: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdNw... Join the (low-traffic) mailing list at bela.io/trails to be the first to know when it launches.

youtube.com

Trails: Compose in Shapes

YouTube video by Bela Platform

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

Bela Gem is here: the biggest upgrade to the Bela platform in a decade, with a quad-core processor (PocketBeagle 2), up to 10ch audio I/O, and a completely new IDE. We've delivered the boards to our Crowd Supply backers and it's now available on our shop: bela.io/products/bel...

bela.io

Bela Gem Stereo & Multi

Bela Gem systems are tiny, embeddable, yet very powerful Linux systems for creating applications with interactive sensors and sound. They have been designed for ultra-low latency audio and sensor proc...

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 07/02/2026

One week left to apply to this PhD studentship! Fully funded, covers fees and stipend; UK home student applicants only (due to funder rules).

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

In residence at the Guildhall School of Music today with @xeniapestova.bsky.social and the magnetic resonator piano. New pieces by Guildhall composers in preparation!

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

Just published: the second edition of the Audio Effects textbook by Josh Reiss and me. Featuring new material, including on phase vocoders, spatial audio, and practical topics in audio programming, plus updated code examples. www.routledge.com/Audio-Effect...

routledge.com

Audio Effects: Theory, Implementation and Application

Audio effects are used pervasively in music performance and production, and the creation of new digital audio tools is a significant industry. They are also commonly used in game production, broadcast...

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

Grieving for my home state of Minnesota again tonight, but also proud of the courage of Minnesotans. If only the US “leadership” class had 1% of the decency and moral clarity of ordinary citizens.

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

I'm recruiting a PhD student for autumn 2026 on a project on accessibility in musical instrument design, in partnership with disability arts charities OHMI and Drake Music. Application deadline 15 February 2026. More info and contact details: liss-dtp.ac.uk/project/inst...

liss-dtp.ac.uk

Instrument design by and for disabled musicians: the roles of technical discourse and vernacular creativity - LISS DTP

PhD project summary: An estimated 16 million people in the UK live with a disability (DWP statistics 2023), of which 48% have mobility impairments and 25% have impaired dexterity. Traditional […]

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

Where do the following quotes come from? (Hint: not from a NIME paper.) "The format of the future will be interactive. It should be social." "There’s not a right or a wrong answer. [Music is] not a problem to solve."

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

liss-dtp.ac.uk

Instrument design by and for disabled musicians: the roles of technical discourse and vernacular creativity - LISS DTP

PhD project summary: An estimated 16 million people in the UK live with a disability (DWP statistics 2023), of which 48% have mobility impairments and 25% have impaired dexterity. Traditional […]

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Oliver Bown @olliebown.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

I'd appreciate if any audio tech folks could help circulate this exciting call for a fully-funded PhD position working in multichannel audio design for galleries. It's part of an ARC funded project 'From Noise to Signal: Improving Sonic Experiences in the Gallery' www.unsw.edu.au/research/hdr...

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

Bonkers that the University of Nottingham is planning to suspend its undergrad music courses. Cancelling music anywhere is a travesty, and Nottingham has such an impressive and standout department. A pointless self-own by short-sighted management. Sign the petition here! c.org/FTjbxY2vp7

c.org

We Can Make an Impact.

Stop the suspension of undergraduate music courses at The University of Nottingham

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

This is grotesque: the Trump regime wants to give 9 universities, including my alma mater MIT, a leg up on federal funding in exchange for their servitude. I have to hope MIT and the others have the integrity to tell them where to shove it. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/u...

nytimes.com

Trump Offered Universities an Invitation for a Deal. Some See a Trap.

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

Why, for the love of all things good and holy, do so many journals still require submissions in Microsoft Word format?

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Matt Davison @mdavison.bsky.social · 06/09/2025

Great to have the opportunity to present a paper by @francisco-bernardo.bsky.social, myself, and @apmcpherson.bsky.social at DAFx 2025: "Impedance Synthesis for Hybrid Analog-Digital Audio effects". The work, led by Francisco, integrates digital systems into analog circuits bidirectionally.

Matt at a podium with a projected title slide behind him, presenting at DAFx conference

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Fabio Morreale @fabbiaccio.bsky.social · 06/09/2025

AI music promised freedom from hard-coded rules that were needed in pre-ML approaches to music generation. No theory, no grammar, no bias — just pure music learned directly from data. Our new @tismir.bsky.social article tears down that myth. transactions.ismir.net/articles/10....

transactions.ismir.net

Reductive, Exclusionary, Normalising: The Limits of Generative AI Music | Transactions of the International Society for Music Information Retrieval

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

Looking forward to giving a keynote talk today at DAFX 2025 in Ancona. It's going to be ... different. Introducing my new conspiracy theory (ask at your own risk!).

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 13/08/2025

The Dyson School of Design Engineering at Imperial College London is hiring a full-time electronics technician. Come join a wonderfully eclectic group of staff and students, and help us support great facilities and build cool stuff! Applications close 12 September: www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOF152/t...

jobs.ac.uk

Technician at Imperial College London

Apply for the Technician role on jobs.ac.uk, the top job board for academic positions in higher education. View details and apply now.

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 30/07/2025

We're approaching the last 24 hours of the Bela Gem campaign. Check out all the campaign updates on technical details and stories from the Bela community. The campaign offers the lowest pricing and the earliest delivery, so this is the time to sign up! www.crowdsupply.com/bela/bela-ge...

crowdsupply.com

Bela Gem Stereo and Multi

A high-performance audio and sensor system for the PocketBeagle 2

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

New on the Bela Gem campaign: a look at running AI models on Bela, featuring Augmented Instruments Lab PhD student @tpelinski.bsky.social who explains her pybela package for exchanging data between Bela and python notebooks: www.crowdsupply.com/bela/bela-ge...

crowdsupply.com

Prototyping With Neural Networks

There's growing excitement around running neural networks on embedded systems. As software libraries become more sophisticated and embedded computers more powerful, real-time machine learning on small...

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 15/07/2025

Update from the Bela Gem campaign: interviews with members of Studio Olafur Eliasson, who used Bela for sound in their latest installation, and with Halldór Úlfarsson, creator of the amazing halldorophone feedback instrument. Those and more projects here: www.crowdsupply.com/bela/bela-ge...

crowdsupply.com

What People Are Building with Bela Right Now

Bela Gem is now officially funded and will be coming to you all soon! One of the best ways to understand what Bela Gem is capable of is to see how people are using it in the real world. This week, we...

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

Bela Gem (the ultra-low latency embedded audio platform) is 99.8% funded on Crowd Supply. Literally the next backer will take us over the line! Keep an eye on the campaign for a bunch of great updates over the next couple weeks: www.crowdsupply.com/bela/bela-ge...

crowdsupply.com

Bela Gem Stereo and Multi

A high-performance audio and sensor system for the PocketBeagle 2

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

The latest from the Bela Gem campaign: profiles of Bela co-founder Robert Jack and instrument maker Rafaele Andrade whose 16-string cello "Knurl" runs SuperCollider on Bela: www.crowdsupply.com/bela/bela-ge...

crowdsupply.com

Inside Bela: Meet the Team and the Community

To offer some insight into both the development of Bela Gem and its myriad applications, we have put together a series of personal interviews with both the founders of Bela as well as a few select art...

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

Just launched! Bela Gem is our new family of ultra-low-latency embedded audio boards based on PocketBeagle 2, with a quad-core 1.4GHz processor, 24/96 audio, 16-bit analog inputs. Comes in stereo and 10-channel versions. www.crowdsupply.com/bela/bela-ge...

crowdsupply.com

Bela Gem Stereo and Multi

A high-performance audio and sensor system for the PocketBeagle 2

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Andrew McPherson @apmcpherson.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

Bela Gem is launching soon on Crowd Supply. This is the biggest overhaul of Bela since 2016, with a quad-core 1.4GHz processor, up to 10 channels in/out of 24bit/96kHz audio, and a brand new browser-based IDE. Subscribe to be the first to know when it launches: www.crowdsupply.com/bela/bela-ge...

crowdsupply.com

Bela Gem Stereo and Multi

A high-performance audio and sensor system for the PocketBeagle 2

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