Andrew McPherson

Andrew McPherson is a Professor of Musical Interaction at Queen Mary University of London, affiliated with the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science and the Centre for Multimodal AI. He leads the Augmented Instruments Laboratory, a research team focused on music technology and interdisciplinary collaboration. His work bridges electrical engineering, composition, and human-computer interaction, emphasizing the creation of new tools for musicians through hardware/software interfaces and expressive performance modeling.

McPherson's research interests include augmented instruments, digital signal processing, and the design of intuitive musical interfaces. He has pioneered projects like the Bela embedded platform and the Magnetic Resonator Piano, emphasizing practical applications in traditional and experimental music venues. Collaborations with artists and industry inform his approach, ensuring research outputs are artistically relevant and accessible.

Education & Expertise: Trained in electrical engineering and composition, McPherson combines technical proficiency with artistic sensibility. His lab’s projects, such as the TouchKeys and hackable instruments, highlight his focus on democratizing music technology.

Grants & Awards: He holds a Royal Academy of Engineering Senior Research Fellowship (2021–2026) and an ERC Consolidator Grant (2023–2027). He co-leads the UKRI Centre for Doctoral Training in Artificial Intelligence and Music, fostering future researchers in AI-driven music innovation.

Labs/Teams: The Augmented Instruments Lab collaborates across disciplines, with dual affiliation at Queen Mary and Imperial College London’s Dyson School of Design Engineering. The lab’s work spans from foundational research to industry partnerships, including spinout company Augmented Instruments Ltd, which supports maker communities and industry consultancy.