Special Topics Module 1

Research & Activity Documentation

Khant Nyar Lu

Activities and Workshop

Design Statement

In this module, I worked alongside my teammate Bre Valasco, to explore different directions within physical computing and audiovisual design as potential paths for our semester-long project. Through case studies and experimentation, I became particularly interested in how TouchDesigner can be used not only in live performance contexts, but also as a tool for developing compelling visual content for online platforms. For me, this semester is an opportunity to build technical fluency in TouchDesigner while exploring how real-time visuals can enhance and promote my own music and creative work. Rather than focusing solely on large-scale stage installations, I am interested in how audiovisual systems can be adapted for digital spaces such as social media, music releases, and personal branding. By strengthening my technical foundation in interactive visual systems, I aim to expand the way I present my work as a multidisciplinary designer and music producer. This exploration will help me bridge my interests in sound design, music production, and visual interaction, while also preparing me to apply these skills professionally in future creative and career opportunities.

Activity 1 - Path Research

In this activity, I did research on two paths; VR and AudioVisual design, to pursue specifically artistic path. I did research on what kind of technology and softwares are used to create them, as well as their casestudies to learn which techniques and how they come up with their artistic concepts.

I am no stranger to VR, as I already own an Oculus Quest 2, which I mainly use for gaming. Over time, I have also become deeply interested in Japanese VTuber culture, where people express themselves freely and creatively through virtual characters. That sense of embodiment and identity fascinates me. I am drawn to the idea of immersing yourself in an entirely different world as someone else, and experiencing virtual world that do not exist in physical reality. I want to understand what it feels like to build those worlds from scratch, and what it takes to design convincing virtual environments and characters by myself.

As a music creator, DJ and music enthusiast, I am always surrounded by music content on social media, especially the creative ways artists promote their work. Seeing visuals react to sound or turn songs into full experiences has always inspired me. Using Touch Designer to promote my own music is something I have wanted to try since last semester, but I ended up diving into Arduino and physical computing instead. Now feels like the right time to come back to that idea and explore how audiovisual design can push my music further.

Activity 2 - Informed Ideation

After Activity 1, I talked through my ideas with Bre Velasco, and we connected almost immediately through our shared interest in audiovisual design. She showed me a project from last semester that I found really interesting, and I honestly would have loved to collaborate with her on it if we were in the same class at the time. She already has strong experience with TouchDesigner, which makes me excited to learn from her. I am also looking forward to contributing my own knowledge as a music producer, especially with Ableton, and exploring how the two tools can work together. I feel like that balance could help us fill each other’s gaps and build something strong this semester.

Visualization 1 is about the idea of creating a multisensory audiovisual live performance that would be installed and performed in Marquee. This includes utilizing projectors, lighting and reactive visuals with music coming out from Ableton.

In Visualization 2, me and Bre tried to narrow the scope and shift our focus toward exploring different types of interaction that we can integrate into live music experience, so that we would have a chance to explore a wider range of techniques than working only one one big project. We explored using inputs like gesture controls, MIDI controllers and instruments to control and manipulate the visuals inside TD.

Visualization 3 is the modified version of Visualization 2, where we are showing a variety of tecniques that we can use for live audiovisual performance, ensuring we would build our skills and confidence in both Ableton and TouchDesigner, before jumping into larger scale projects in the future.

Action Research Workshop

For this workshop, I priortized myself to learning TouchDesigner directly through youtube videos. Then, I did testing phase of the action research by doing a technical skill check, by recreating one visual effect in TouchDesigner. This allowed me to gauge my skill, so that I can go back to learning TouchDesigner if it is required. Lastly, I explored MAX msp as it is a potential tool that we could use in our project.

I firstly focused my action research on learning TouchDesigner directly, since Bre already had more experience with it and was leading the exploration of narrative direction. My goal was to understand TD’s basic workflow and interface so I could better evaluate its capabilities and contribute to decisions about what direction our audiovisual project could take. For this i watched all the tutorials from TouchDesigner beginner course by Bileam tschepe (elekktronaut) on Youtube, while taking careful notes of concepts and workflows.

For Testing, which is also a key part of action research, I did a testing to my understanding of TouchDesigner after following the tutorials. I followed a tutorial on a popular effect in TouchDesigner. This acted as a skill check, helping me recognize what techniques I am currently ready for and which areas still need development.<a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kInNurVZpOs' target='_blank'><p>Block Tracking Result Video Link</p></a>

I also briefly explored MAX after Steve’s recommendation. While I found it interesting, I decided to prioritize TouchDesigner this semester, while still gathering useful insights and resources to revisit MAX in the future.

Project Concept

Exploring a variety of musical interaction through audiovisual design

During this course, I plan to use the semester to deepen my understanding of real-time audiovisual techniques in TouchDesigner and explore how they can be applied beyond live performance settings. While we will experiment with interactive systems such as audio input from Ableton, MIDI control, and motion-based inputs, my primary focus is on learning how to create visually engaging content that can support and elevate my own music and creative projects. I am particularly interested in how generative visuals, reactive systems, and interactive media can be adapted for digital platforms, such as social media, music releases, and online portfolios. By strengthening my technical skills in TouchDesigner, I aim to build confidence in producing high-quality audiovisual content that reflects my artistic identity and expands the way I present my work.

An exploration into a variety of unique ways to create unconventional interactions for meaningful musical experiences through audiovisual design in TouchDesigner, using inputs such as gesture controls, Kinect body data, MIDI controllers, and instruments.

Peer Feedback Reflection

Since our topic sits in a pretty niche space between music production, TouchDesigner, and interactive visuals, a lot of the first feedback we got was quite general. Some peers weren’t fully sure how to respond because it’s not something they’ve personally explored before. At first, that made me question whether we were explaining our idea clearly enough. In a professional context, limited feedback could be risky because it might mean we’re designing mostly based on our own taste. If we only follow our own creative instincts without outside perspectives, the project could become too personal and less relatable. But at the same time, because this is still an academic setting with lower stakes, that freedom actually benefits us. We have space to experiment without needing to justify every technical choice.

For me personally, the feedback process made me realize that our strength is actually our confidence in our skillsets. I bring my background in music production and sound design, and I’m learning TouchDesigner with the goal of expanding how I present my work visually. Even if peers don’t always know how to critique the technical details, they trust that we know what we’re doing. That trust itself became a form of feedback.

In the second round, the conversation shifted. Instead of questioning what we were doing, our peers challenged us to push it further. They encouraged us to experiment more boldly with different inputs and not hold back creatively. One insight that stood out to me was the idea of thinking about audience experience without letting it control the direction. That balance feels especially important for me since I want to use these skills for promoting my own music and creative identity in the future.

Overall, I realized that niche projects don’t always generate loud or dramatic feedback, but that doesn’t mean they lack value. Sometimes it simply means the work requires exploration before it becomes fully visible to others. This semester gives us the opportunity to explore deeply, refine our technical skills, and shape a project that feels authentic while still being thoughtful about audience experience.

Next Steps

As for the next step, I plan to deepen my understaning of TouchDesigner. Right now, I know the basics of the interface and workflow, but I want to get more comfortable with its capabilities, especially when it comes to audio-reactive systems and real-time interaction. My goal is to experiment with different operators, inputs, and visual techniques so I can better understand what is possible before locking into a final direction. At the same time, I’ll continue refining the music in Ableton so that the sound design and structure are intentional and ready to be translated visually. Once I feel more confident technically, I want to start testing how Ableton and TouchDesigner can communicate smoothly, making sure the audio and visuals feel tightly integrated rather than just layered together.