In the previous chapters, Artful Design spoke about how technology should bring calm in people's lives via design. In this chapter, we come to realize that programming is the medium to achieve this goal. Despite its existence in mamy forms and languages, programming pushes us to create something new and useful. In this chapter, Ge Wang specifically talks about systematically programming music using filters and signal processing components. But more importantly, he presents programming as an enjoyable but necessary feature for designing towards the sublime.
I would like to reflect upon Principle 4.1: Programming is a creative endeavor.
The most satisfying aspect to programming is the ability to program the impossible (Principle 4.5: Design things with a computer that would not be possible without). The preciseness of programming allows one to bring dreams to life through implementation despite the multiple limitations to a programming language. I have experienced this myself when I had the great opportunity to sonfiy real-time EEG brain waves to music for live performances (Alvin Lucier's solo performer) in the past. Building the foundation to achieve a goal (filtering dummy EEG waves to produce bass tones using MaxMSP), achieving the goal( sonifying the filtered EEG signals by attaching speakers to percussive instruments), pushing limits (attempting to complete the circuit by transmitting real-time EEG signals to MaxMSP to be sonified as percussive beats) and successfully implementing the goal and beyond, all live, is an unparalleled feeling of thrill and enjoyment. Although not live, I believe most of us students in MUSI 256A/CS 476A experience this feeling of thrill after achieving the designs we planned for and beyond for our milestones through programming. After completing the task, we also notice a sense of peace and tranquility after putting our brains through the creative process of programming to design. One principle that also fits in this narrative is Principle 4.8: Experiment to illogical extremes! (and pull back according to taste)
Finally, I would like to conclude by emphasizing that Design is 'Of the world, By the world, and For the world'. To elaborate further, we create by drawing inspiration from the sounds and visuals around us (Example: sampling kitchen noises for "Tables clear", using everyday sounds like trains, ocean waves etc., using real life instances to personalize designs), collaborate together or invent either for necessities or to support other inventions (bringing the world together through ocarina), and make the world a better place to enjoy through these designs (creating ChuCK for timed-programming of sounds etc). More importantly, these have been made possible only through the existence of programming.