Sat 22 november 2025, 2pm-6pm
@ la Générale, 39 rue Gassendi 75014 Paris
https://www.lagenerale.fr/fr/projet/introduction-a-mezcal
Mezcal is a software interface for developing experimental, distributed, mobile, migratory, and collaborative transmission events. As an online service, it allows multiple remote participants to collaborate in real-time on a live radio broadcast with low-latency through off-the-shelf browsers. It lives on the web as a 24/7 WebRTC multipoint control unit and is designed for low-bandwidth, scalability, and under principles of accessibility and mobile-first. Each person that visits the url for the server is able to enter their name and connect. Like IRC, it currently has no mandatory authentication. Each participant has their own mixing interface with a chat in the browser where they can mix two types of audio channels: one pink/red track for mic and external devices, another grey track for audio playback from files, databases (freesound, archive.org, wavefarm) and the network. The mix of each participant is sent to the server as one opus-encoded RTC stream and then returned with the mix of all participants (minus the sending user to avoid feedback). Mezcal is part of a larger framework of research investigating new formats in telematics, art, and activism.
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August Black is an applied conceptual artist, radio maker, and software developer conducting experimental research in the domains of art, design, performance, and critical engineering. He builds software, systems, and spaces for and by means of collaborative dynamics. Previously, he has been a member of arts related organizations such as the ORF Kunstradio, the Ars Electronica Futurelab, and the engineering team of Cycling '74. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Critical Media Practices at the University of Colorado, Boulder. August has a long history of free software development, that goes way back to when he was building MuSE with Jaromil in 1998. He built readanysf~ for PureData in 2000-2008.… and has done some joint developments with Alejo Duque.
https://august.black • https://conduction.wavefarm.org/
Notes : a paper we suggest to read for those would want to follow the workshop, reflecting August’s current thoughts on software development : https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.14236/ewic/POM24.33