Survey-archive – Electronic Musical Instrument Survey

Note: This survey questionnaire is for archival purposes only. Responses are not saved.
For more information please see the resources listed on the homepage.

Hello!

If you are an active musician, we would like to hear from you about the use of electronic instruments in performance. You are invited to take this survey whether or not you personally use electronic instruments, and no matter what style of music you play.

By participating in this survey, you can enter to win a $100 CAD gift certificate to an online music retailer like Moog Audio or Sweetwater.

This work is part of ongoing research on the design of new instruments, tools and techniques for music performance being conducted at McGill University. The principal investigator for this study is John Sullivan, supervised by Dr. Marcelo Wanderley. This work has been certified by the review ethics board. No risks are associated with this research, your confidentiality
for participating in this study will be protected.

You must be 18 years of age or older to participate. The survey may take between 10 and 30 minutes to complete. While it is accessible across all devices, you may find it most convenient to complete on a computer or tablet equipped with a keyboard.

Please read the following information about the study. When you are finished, confirm your consent to begin by checking the boxes at the bottom of the page.

Information and Consent

Electronic Musical Instrument Survey: A questionnaire on the use of technology in live performance

Researchers:

John Sullivan* (Principal Investigator)
PhD candidate - Music Technology
Email: john.sullivan2@mail.mcgill.ca

Ivan Franco* (Co-Investigator)
PhD candidate - Music Technology
Email: ivan.franco@mail.mcgill.ca

Supervisor: Marcelo Wanderley*
Tel: (514) 398-4535, ext. 00917
Email: marcelo.wanderley@mcgill.ca

*Schulich School of Music, McGill University
Department of Music Research
555 Sherbrooke Street West
Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3A 1E3

You are invited to respond to this survey on the use of electronic and digital instruments, computers, interfaces and controllers (referred to here collectively as EMIs - electronic musical instruments) in live music performance. The purpose of this study is to gain a high-level perspective on the diversity of EMI use by performers across different musical styles, genres, and backgrounds, and to identify latent trends in these areas that can inform the ongoing development of new instruments and technologies for present-day music performance.

You must be 18 years of age or older to participate.

Methodology

The survey is conducted through an online questionnaire at https://emisurvey.johnnyvenom.com. There a mix of multiple choice, short and long-answer responses. The survey may take between 10 and 30 minutes to complete. At the end of the survey you may be asked if you would like to participate in a follow-up interview, which would be arranged and conducted at a later date.

Benefits and risks

As compensation for your time, you are invited to enter a drawing for a $100 CAD gift certificate to an online music retailer such as Moog Audio (http://moogaudio.com) or Sweetwater (https://www.sweetwater.com/). The approximate odds of winning are 1 in 50.

There are no known risks associated with participating in this survey.

Participants’ rights

Your participation is entirely voluntary and you may choose to withdraw at any time during or after the survey. If you do not complete the survey, your responses will be discarded. You may skip any question you do not wish to answer.

Confidentiality

The only directly identifying information that may be collected is your email address, which you may voluntarily provide if you wish to enter the gift certificate drawing or volunteer to participate in a follow-up interview. If given, your email address will only be used for these specific purposes and kept separate from the survey data, which will identify each participant with a unique alphanumeric code. A separate file will contain a key to re-identify participants and their datasets in case they are selected for a follow-up interview. This key will be kept on a password-protected server at McGill University accessible by only the principal investigator and research supervisor.

Contacts

If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact Dr. Marcelo Wanderley (marcelo.wanderley@mcgill.ca), or John Sullivan (john.sullivan2@mail.mcgill.ca). If you have any questions or concerns about your rights or welfare as a participant in this research study please contact the McGill Research Ethics Officer at 514-398-6831 or lynda.mcneil@mcgill.ca.

Please read the following statements and check the accompanying boxes to authorize your consent to begin.

I acknowledge that I have read the above statement, which explains the nature, object, and the possible risks of the investigation.

I certify that I am 18 years of age or older, and I agree to participate in the survey described above.

Your progress:

Background info

What is your age?

18 to 25

26 to 35

36 to 45

46 to 55

56 to 65

66 or older

What gender do you identify with?

Female

Male

Non-binary

I prefer not to say

Other

What country do you live in?

Musical training and experience

How long have you been playing music?

Less than one year

1 to 5 years

6 to 10 years

11 to 20 years

More than 20 years

Have you had any formal training?

University - Undergraduate

University - Graduate

Conservatory

Private Instruction

Other

None

Do you have any experience with computer programming or electronics?

Yes

Your progress:

Performance Practice

What is/are the primary genre(s) of music that you perform? (Choose up to 2)

Avant-garde/Experimental

Blues

Classical

Country

Electronic Dance Music (EDM)

Electro-Acoustic

Folk

International

Jazz

Latin

Pop/Rock

R&B

Rap

Stage/Theater

If there are there specific sub-genres or styles of music that you play, what are they?

How many times per year do you perform in public?

0 to 10 times

11 - 20 times

21 - 50 times

51 - 100 times

More than 100 times

What size and type of venues do you usually play in?

Do you play solo or in a group or ensemble?

Solo

Group/Ensemble

Both

Which instruments are used? Can you describe your setups?

Your progress:

Use of electronic musical instruments and controllers

Do you use electronic musical instruments in performance?

Yes

Your progress:

Electronic Musical Instruments and Controllers

In the next section, please answer the questions about the electronic instrument or controller that you use the most.

You may repeat this section up to 3 times if you would like to enter information about additional instruments.

Description and functionality

What is the name of your instrument or controller?

During a typical performance, what percentage of time do you use it?

Is it commercially available?

Yes

What kinds of sounds or sound manipulations do you produce with it?

How do you use the configuration options that your instrument provides?

What do you like about this instrument?

Is your instrument or controller in its present form satisfactory or would you like it to have different functionalities? Please explain.

How reliable is your instrument or controller? Are there any random or recurrent hardware or software issues?

Would you like to answer the previous questions about another instrument or controller you use?

Yes

Your progress:

Uptake, acquisition and ongoing use

What factors influence you to take up a new instrument?

Is the look and feel of an instrument an important factor in choosing it? If yes, how so?

Is the flexibility of an instrument an important factor in choosing it? If yes, how so?

On average, how long do you typically use an electronic musical instrument before retiring it? What factors influence you to stop using certain electronic instruments?

Are you familiar with the history, traditions and repertoire (if applicable) of your instrument(s), and do they play a role in your performance?

Do you have any other comments or information that would be helpful to understand your use of electronic instruments and controllers that have not been addressed in this survey?

Your progress:

Conclusion

Would you be interested in participating in a follow up interview?

Yes

Would you like to be entered to win a $100 CAD gift certificate to either Moog Audio or Sweetwater Sound?

Yes - Moog Audio (Canada)

Yes - Sweetwater (United States)

Yes - please contact me (other)

If you are selected and reside outside of North America, we will contact you to arrange for an appropriate option in your region.