Eye gaze in live-electronic music performance: visual information and looking–listening interplay

Gaze tracking in music performance research often pertains to acoustic instrument performance. The differences between live-electronic music performance and acoustic instrument performance warrant an investigation of how performers use gaze in live-electronic music performance. We examine the combined use of gaze tracking recordings of 18 live-electronic performances with post-performance stimulated recall interviews with the goal of gathering qualitative information about gaze and the live-electronics setup. We identify two primary functional categories of gaze: visual information and looking–listening interplay. Visual information entails gathering visual feedback about the state of the setup and locating targets for hand-eye coordination. Beyond visual information gathering, gaze appears to actively shape auditory perception: participants reported that looking at an interface element facilitates retrieval of memory representations of a live-electronics setup, such as mappings or signal paths. Through visuospatial attention, gaze may support auditory information processing within the complex soundscapes of live-electronic music performance.