“It Takes Two” - Shared and Collaborative Virtual Musical Instruments in the Musical Metaverse

The relevance and technical possibilities of Shared Virtual Environments (SVEs) are constantly growing as part of what is known as the Metaverse. This includes software and web platforms for creating SVEs and the availability of hardware for experiencing these environments. SVEs offer unique capabilities that have yet to be explored, especially in music. In this paper we explore the concept of networked Virtual Musical Instruments (VMIs) for the Musical Metaverse, where virtual spaces are specifically designed for musical collaboration and social inter-actions. We describe three prototypes for shared, collaborative VMIs that incorporate specific features of SVEs, such as spatial audio, data sonification, and embodied avatar-based interactions. We conducted a user study to investigate how these instruments can support creativity and usability and to what extent they can deliver a sense of social presence and mutual engagement between users. Finally, we discuss how the three implementations of the proposed shared and collaborative instruments provide novel avenues for music-making in the Metaverse. Our results show that the three instruments exhibit varying degrees of creativity and usability. However, instruments that employ symmetrical and embodied interactions better support social presence and interdependence among users.