Dennis Scheiba

Starting in August 2023 I will start as artistic and scientific assistant at the Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf to create course materials researching the learning and practice of machine learning and algorithms and piano students with the help of a player piano.

This activity is sponsored by the Digi Fellows program.

In machine learning, artificial intelligence is essentially understood as the result of training. The project enables students to explore the relationship between artistic and artificial learning in a "posthumanistic reflection" of their own musical practice.

Using a Steinway Spirio r grand piano, teaching materials on experiments with artistic and artificial learning are created, enabling an interactive and aesthetic approach to learning or AI in the context of sound. A technical and aesthetic approach to neural networks will be developed and critically discussed in workshops.

Based on the everyday practice of participating students, a neural network will be trained in order to play practicing. The grand piano then simulates, controlled by the neural network, the practicing of the students, so that through such a mirroring in the non-human, new insights into the own and the artificial practicing process can be gained.

The self-sufficient development and use of the algorithms also reduces dependence on companies such as OpenAI and preserves data protection and sovereignty over one's own artistic material.

With the finalization of my master project Walking along a sonic Möbius strip and my master thesis with the same name I finished my master program Klang und Realität on the RSH Düsseldorf and obtained the degree Master of Music.