Some forms of modern music—like certain types of techno—are created entirely by computers, with little or no human input. This is an exciting development in the world of sound creation, but it’s not the focus of this section.
Here, we’re talking about "live music" —music performed by humans, together, in real-time.
Live music is more than notes. It’s a conversation between musicians, singers, dancers, and even listeners. This shared human experience—the ability to respond to others, adapt to the space, and express feeling—is something computers can’t yet replicate.
Any computer-assisted instrument must respect this human element. It must allow the performer to react to their environment: the room’s acoustics, the mood of the audience, the subtle cues from other musicians.
Take the barrel organ: it can play a full pre-programmed score. The performer can change the tempo—but that’s all. There's no interaction, no adaptability, no musical conversation.
Expresseur is a new kind of musical instrument: Computer-assisted, but human-driven.
It supports the performer only in pitch selection —not in dynamics, expression, timing, or phrasing. Those remain entirely in the hands of the musician, allowing full freedom to adapt to the environment, the ensemble, and personal feeling.
Expresseur doesn't play for you—it plays with you.
It’s a partner in live music-making: subtle, supportive, and always under your control. Whether you’re a student, a hobbyist, or an adventurous performer, Expresseur helps you focus on what matters most: musical expression and human connection.
Technology Drives Progress — Even in Music
From the very beginning, music has evolved hand in hand with technology.
When J.S. Bach composed his masterpieces, he relied on the cutting-edge tools of his time: the pipe organ, innovations in tuning systems like the well-tempered scale, and mathematical principles. The piano itself is a pinnacle of technological achievement—built for musicians and by engineering brilliance.
In the 20th century, electronics revolutionized music. Amplification, sound processing, and recording made it possible to mix a soft voice with a booming kick drum, or a single bass note with a brass quartet—all with precision and clarity.
In the 21st century, it's the computer that's reshaping music. It enables entirely new sounds, new forms of composition, and new ways to interact with music itself.
Some musicians prefer to stick to traditional instruments like the piano, often rejecting newer technologies. But the piano is high-tech—it just happens to be older high-tech. This is a bit like the "Amish" approach to technology: accepting tools only up to an arbitrary historical point, and rejecting everything invented after.
Expresseur embraces modern technology to bridge traditional music with new ways of playing. It offers a new kind of instrument—one that is computer-assisted. The computer handles the technical aspects like pitch, tuning, and scales. The musician focuses on the art: expression, interpretation, and musical dialogue.
Expresseur doesn't aim to replace every instrument or solve every musical need. Think of it like a bicycle: it won’t take you to the peak of a mountain, but it can help you explore the landscape and get closer to the summit—on your own terms.
Music Is a Language
Like spoken language, music can be experienced, enjoyed, and shared without any formal technical knowledge.
In everyday conversation, we speak, listen, and understand naturally—without needing to study grammar or memorize the alphabet. You don’t need to know how to read a novel to enjoy a dialogue or perform in a play. Still, technical knowledge—like reading and writing—can open up new dimensions of expression and understanding.
Language exists in two powerful forms:
These aren't opposites. They're complementary.
The same is true for music.
You can play, listen, and deeply connect with music without knowing music theory or how to read sheet music. Musical instinct—aural learning, improvisation, emotion—is powerful. But just like in language, technical knowledge can enhance your abilities, helping you go further and connect deeper.
Instinct and theory. Oral and written. Emotion and structure.
All are part of the same musical language—and each brings its own value.
We often hear that music heals. And it’s true — music soothes, uplifts, and connects us to our emotions. Recently, France Inter aired a segment on this very topic: ten minutes devoted to the healing power of music. Ten minutes... focused entirely on listening.
But why do we so often forget the other, equally essential side of music — the part we play, sing, and create ourselves?
Listening to music is undeniably important. But making music, even as an amateur, offers just as many benefits. Singing, playing an instrument, improvising, sharing a musical moment — these actions let us express ourselves, connect with others, and find emotional balance.
Let’s draw a parallel: imagine a radio segment titled “Sports heal”. Would it focus only on the benefits of watching sports? Admiring athletes’ strength or elegance? Of course not. It would naturally highlight the health benefits of doing sports. Yet with music, the narrative often stops at listening.
Making music isn’t reserved for professionals. You don’t need to release an album or perform in front of an audience to feel the positive effects. Amateur music-making is just like Sunday jogging — and just as valuable. There's no reason to feel embarrassed about playing music as a hobby. In fact, the benefits are immense.
There's a persistent myth that "music is hard to learn". But that’s outdated thinking. Today, the tools are more accessible than ever: online courses, music schools, intuitive instruments, digital apps… The 21st century has opened the door wide to musical practice.
That’s exactly why Expresseur was created — a digital tool designed to make music-making easier and more accessible. Whether playing solo or with others, reading sheet music or improvising, it empowers anyone to actively experience music.
While it involves a bit of learning, Expresseur quickly allows users to "express musical emotion" — tapping into their own sensitivity, needs, and creative drive. You can sing while playing, jam with others, or explore music in unconventional ways. For example: each player can use a few pads to improvise a musical dialogue — rhythmic or not — over a harmonic progression that evolves freely. The tool handles the musical complexity, ensuring that the pads always match the current chords.
Expresseur isn’t just a tool — it’s a musical wellness companion . It helps anyone find joy, peace, and expression through playing and singing — alone or with others.
So yes, music heals — but not just when we consume it passively.
Music truly heals when we live it.
Lys is 20 years old and lives with profound autism. She doesn't communicate with spoken language, and self-injurious behavior is a part of her daily reality.
Her mother, Anne, is a pianist with deep musical sensitivity. When she plays, something remarkable happens—Lys becomes still, attentive, immersed in the emotional world that the music opens up. These moments connect her to something beyond words.
I proposed an idea to Anne: what if we could invite Lys into the world of music, not just as a listener, but as a musician? Could she create and share music with others?
We began simply—with listening.
Anne at the piano, and I on the baroque recorder. Lys would listen quietly, often for long periods, absorbed in the musical dialogue. We played Rameau, Bach, Corelli, Pergolesi. The different voices of soprano, alto, and bass recorders wove through Anne’s rich piano counterpoint. These sessions created moments of joy, of shared presence—listening, feeling, creating. For Lys, music became a world she could enter.
At the same time, we introduced another dimension: free, improvised musical creation—Lys’s own music.
She has a small electronic keyboard—her instrument, just like her mother's piano. A wireless headset lets her move freely while immersing herself in the sound generated by the Expresseur—a system designed for intuitive, expressive playing.
The Expresseur offers a living harmony. Each note she plays is always in tune with the current chord. The progression of chords is guided by her—each key she presses leads naturally to the next, according to feeling, not theory.
Lys is progressing. Some sessions last only a few minutes, others longer. Sometimes she’s hesitant, other times more confident, even playful.
She’s discovering something powerful: her hands can create harmony, beauty—sound that reflects what she feels inside. And then, a smile. A recognition. A certainty that what she hears and what she plays are in harmony. She is making music—for herself, and for others—just like her mother.
Over time, she began to accept my presence in her musical world. I introduced the guitar. At first, she resisted. Then came moments of acceptance, curiosity—connection. A dialogue emerged: her gestures on the keyboard, my answers on the guitar. We improvised, responded, created something together.
These are moments of deeply human musical exchange. A gentle, rich harmony—between people, between gestures, between sounds.
A flow begins to emerge. The joy of creating something beautiful, together.