Chaz Williams.

In a nutshell, Chaz uses his digits (fingers) on a touch-sensitive and velocity-sensitive MIDI piano keyboard controller or Chaz manipulates music software on a computer keyboard, mainly drums and guitars, to produce all of the musical parts. But it is the computer that is the live performer here. The computer performs all of the parts exactly as they were recorded when Chaz performed the parts.

DR ROC (the computer) performs all of the musical parts in perfect sync in real-time, which is something Chaz could never even dream of being capable of doing. But with the assistance of digital technology (Chaz calls it "digital time-tripping"), Chaz is able to do exactly that - perform all the parts at the same time with himself.

So if the computer is the "performer" in this collaboration, exactly what does Chaz "translate"?

Chaz "translates" all of the relevant musical information (keys, scales, chords, notes, melody, harmony and rhythm) into a format that the computer can record and then perform exactly as it was recorded. And the basis of that interface is entirely digital. The computer records in digital - binary - format all the information that Chaz inputs into the computer using either the computer keyboard or the piano keyboard controller using his own digits - his fingers.

Chaz also acts as a "translation device" by literally pulling musical ideas out of thin air while improvising to DR ROC performing Chaz's previously recorded performances. And that phase of translation - live improvisation - is recorded by DR ROC as it simultaneously performs all the previously recorded tracks.

And that is the entire purpose of DR ROC - to provide Chaz with the unrestricted opportunity to explore and record new musical ideas without any limits on either creativity or sonic palette.