Bridging Cultural and Digital Divides: A Low-Latency JackTrip Framework for Equitable Music Education in the Global South
Tiange Zhou, Marco Bidin
TL;DR
The paper addresses the digital and cultural divides in Global South music education by evaluating JackTrip, a low-latency UDP-based streaming framework that leverages edge computing and open-source patches to support microtonal scales and complex rhythms. Compared to Zoom under rural-network simulations, JackTrip achieves about $T_{total}≈26$ ms versus $≈141$ ms for Zoom, with $T_d≈0.819$ ms and $T_p=5$ ms; its processing delay is significantly lower, enabling real-time ensemble interaction. Spectral analyses show JackTrip preserves full-spectrum audio ($20$ Hz–$20$ kHz$) and cultural fidelity, whereas Zoom compresses high-frequency content and erodes microtonal and rhythmic detail. The study demonstrates that a decentralized, low-power, edge-based solution can empower music educators and musicians in resource-poor regions, promoting cultural preservation and equitable access to global musical education.
Abstract
The rapid expansion of digital technologies has transformed educational landscapes worldwide, yet significant infrastructural and cultural challenges persist in the Global South. This paper introduces a low-latency JackTrip framework designed to bridge both the cultural and digital divides in music education. By leveraging an open-source, UDP-based audio streaming protocol originally developed at Stanford's CCRMA, the framework is tailored to address technical constraints such as intermittent connectivity, limited bandwidth, and high latency that characterize many rural and underserved regions. The study systematically compares the performance of JackTrip with conventional platforms like Zoom, demonstrating that JackTrip achieves sub-30~ms latency under simulated low-resource conditions while preserving the intricate audio details essential for non-Western musical traditions. Spectral analysis confirms that JackTrip's superior handling of microtonal scales, complex rhythms, and harmonic textures provides a culturally authentic medium for real-time ensemble performance and music education. These findings underscore the transformative potential of decentralized, edge-computing solutions in empowering educators and musicians across the Global South, promoting both technological equity and cultural preservation.