Das internationale digitale elektroakustische Musikarchiv (IDEAMA) /// 1988–2006 /// Interactive Data Installation
/// Max Matthews, Johannes Goebel und Patte Wood

The International Digital ElectroAcoustic Music Archive IDEAMA was created by Max Mathews, Johannes Goebel and Patte Wood in 1988, who were at the time were members of the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA) at Stanford University, USA. IDEAMA then emerged in cooperation between the newly founded ZKM | Karlsruhe and the CCRMA, in 1990. Its task was to preserve from decay the most important works of electro-acoustic music worldwide, from the beginnings in 1930 (at that time with the help of the sound track to the 1970s, namely, to compile, to index and make them publicly accessible. For this purpose, in cooperation with nine partner institutes, the analog tapes scattered in diverse archives were tracked and then recorded in digital form and stored on CD-R at the ZKM and CCRMA. From 1997, the 569 available works now on 140 CDs together with a databank were then distributed to a further fourteen so-called affiliate institutions in an international network. In 2001, the collection then migrated on to hard drive in order to facilitate the automatic play-back of the works from the data bank. With the MP3 Player, those technologies have become popular which not only facilitate the listening to externally programmed music from the radio, at home or when out and about, when locally bound or mobile but also to program and listen to one’s own music, just like on a LP or CD, and to be mobile at the same time. This free choice, the free access and programming by the user was created exclusively for IDEAMA and can be managed by touchscreen. One may either alphabetically select the composers, proceed chronologically or according to the title of the piece. While listening to any particular piece a text appears on the computer screen and the big screen, which provides information about the author. In addition, a visual wave indicates the length of the piece.
(Text: Hartmut Jörg)

Max Mathews (*1926 in Columbus, Nebraska) studied electrical engineering at the California Institute of Technology and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He was director of the Acoustical and Behavioral Research Center at Bell Laboratories from 1962–1985. Scientific Advisor of the Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique (IRCAM), Paris, from 1974–1980. Professor for music at Stanford University, 1987. 

Johannes Goebel (*1949 in Wittorf) Sound- and music artist. Visiting Composer at the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics at Stanford University (USA) from 1977–1990. Founded and directed the Institute for Music and Acoustics at the ZKM | Karlsruhe from 1990–2002. Founding of the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, in 2002.

Patte Wood (*1949 in Seattle, Washington)
 

Photo: Anatole Serexhe

Max Matthews/Johannes Goebel/Patte Wood, Das Internationale elektroakustische Musikarchiv (IDEAMA), 1988–2006, interactive Data Installation, ZKM_Collection