Color Probability Graphs

I've implemented the main parts of my probabilistic growth model for the color selection. There are a couple more features I would like to add, but here are some graphs that show how the probability for each color changes over 200 color-phases in a few different runs.

More Colors and Other Updates

I added a couple more colors and changed a previous one. I think this will be my final draft, and I will be making more changes once I see the colors being projected.

I'm also out of town this weekend, and I visited a vintage shop here to grab a few more objects. I will share a photo of all the objects in the upcoming days. I might now have all the objects I need. Lastly, I created 5 sound processing presets and have completed the color-sound interaction between Processing and Ableton. Processing now sends MIDI messages to Ableton to change the sound environment upon a color change.

Some of the next steps include creating more sound presets and figuring out the probabilistic adjustments.

Taking Apart a Cassette Player

Last week I took apart a 15 year old karaoke machine to extract the cassette player. I was surprised to see how many of the controls are mechanical, with the tape heads and motor being the only real electrical components.

For my installation, I intend to make all of the controls electrical, through an Arduino. User input will determine what PWM signals will be sent to the motor to control speed and direction of the tape. The play/record head will be wired to a 1/4" plug for use with a standard interface. Once I get controls functioning for one of these tape mechanisms I'll begin looking at adding more mechanisms to create a kinetic sculpture.

Collecting Objects and Experimenting with Sounds

I have been looking for objects that might bring subjective associations. I looked for objects that provide multiple ways in which one can interact with them to make distinct sounds. I've also searched for object combinations. For example, I'm planning on putting the cubes into the glass box. The spectators can shake the box to produce sounds from the cubes, or they can take out the cubes and interact with the box on its own.

I used a stereo pair to record. I'm still experimenting to figure out the kinds of textures and processing I'd like to have. I'm also planning on treating the left and right channels differently.

Unconventional Instruments

Hi everyone!

These are the instruments I found, although the first one (Hydraulophone) is not a digital instrument I found it quite interesting because it works with water and in my opinion it is a very complete instrument.

What I really like about the Infrared Sensor Shirt is that he uses it manipulate his voice. I've been finding myself thinking of instruments in a traditional way (notes, chords, scales) and this example moves away from that by working with an external sound source.

The Karlax is a controller that looks like a wind instrument, it has discrete and continuos sensors, and you can connect it to your sounds and effects modules through Max/Msp, or use an external input with a microphone, it also allows you to move the sound through an array of speakers. 

Unique DMI's

Unconventional DMIs

https://cycling74.com/projects/musical-gear-table

I showed this project in class. It is more visually interesting than sonically interesting, but I think it demonstrates the importance of having an engaging physical interface.

https://cycling74.com/projects/sound-globe
This project inspired an idea I had for what I will make. I like the idea of using a softspot membrane to control pitch.

This thing is just cool

Unconventional Performance Systems

Hello everyone,
Here are some of the performance systems I've found.

Eigenharp

There are a few different versions of the Eigenharp. I have one of the smaller versions which I will bring to class. The following demonstrates one of the bigger versions.



Here is a presentation about digital systems. It presents an Eigenharp and includes a few performances:

Stanford Laptop Orchestra

And here is a TED talk by the composer:

Intel's keynote

The following is a performance from Intel's most recent keynote. I'd like to think of the performance tools here as entertainment systems more than instruments.

Unconventional Digital Instruments

Wintergatan's Unconventional Performance Systems

Hi everyone! In looking for unconventional digital instruments/controllers, I found some videos from a YouTuber I've followed for some time, Wintergatan. He is a musician that builds many different homemade instruments. Two of his most well known creations are the Marble Machine and the Modulin. The videos are linked below! Although the Marble Machine is more of a mechanical instrument than a digital one, I found it interesting to think about how you could make a digital equivalent of the instrument.

Last week's cloud update

Hey all! I forgot to post the progress I made last week on the cloud.

I bought 100 hangers and have been making sphere-like wire frames that I will be attaching all my electronics onto. I got some fabric and have been experimenting with different cuts and 'paper mache' style folds. Here is a video from the experiments:

Structure has taken a form!

Hello all -

I got all of my pieces cut and they fit together as planned! Take a look at the attached pics!

Plan of Attack/Replacement for Missing Class Tuesday

Hello all, my apologies for not being in class on Tuesday to present and give feedback. I had a complicated night (i.e. I was locked out the crib/stranded till mad early A.M.). 

But yo, find below a detailed plan I have for tackling what I feel will be a SICK instillation on the 26th. Please comment with any thoughts or concerns. Just thought I'd share to give an idea as to where I'm at. 

Melding

Main Tasks:

1. Composition (Developed by Tues. 18th; Finalized by Sat.22)

—> Individual Touches 

a. Light Touches (Finger tips)  — 4 Variations 

b. Large Touches (whole hand) — 4 Variations 

c. Short Contact  —6 variations 

d. Sustained Contact —6 variations 

ideas for touching:

	Short Contact	Sustained Contact
Light Touch (Finger tip)	Slowly fading in beginnings of—>	Circulating arpeggio glock clings w/ soft attack and washed reverb
Large Touch (Whole Hand)	Thick synth chord w/ flanger and chorus with medium release time	Unfolding chords of larger composition. Generative triggering with amalgamation of different cells w/ 3 chords in each

       

         ii. MAX Patching (Done by Tues. 18th) 

1. Designating Specific Touch Data Ranges (Soft vs. large) —assign to       corresponding composition cell
2. Counters for duration of contact—>corresponding composition cell
3. **CROSSFADING between types of contact so that it’s as seamless as the touch

        iii.  Physical Building —(“A.” Done by Fri. 14th; “B”=ongoing)

 A.  new arm bands w/ copper tape SENSORS: Robust wiring/extensions to the breadboard 

B. Pillows, lamps w/ mood lighting/general set up of instillation 

      iv. Conceptual Cultivation 

A. Roll of and engaging bystanders/spectators? 

B. Words denoting rolls on the arm bands or no?

C. What’s their relationship to the blanket/sound coming from participants? 

blinds and mechanisms

I finally has a solid direction on my installation.
On top of the blurring and scaling visuals, I am currently figure out the mechanisms.
 this is my finalized idea and the setup
it requires a projector, table to mount that projector. a frame and a piece of frabic to project on
and blinds!

this are some sketches about how i am going to make my gears.



I was stuck on how to attach sensors to my blinds
But i am going to laser cut a few things to try it out.

Cloud Progress

I've been through quite a few phases with my cloud installation, so I thought I would upload the various stages so far: This is my original cloud prototype made with polyester and one LED. I really noticed how the LED diffused nicely with the polyester These are the speakers I will be embedding into the cloud I've also been experimenting with different fabrics, including chiffon, linen and crinolin - which I will use for different textures of the clouds

I've made a lot of progress on my bubble machine! I just need to make something to mount the blower and servo, and something other than tupperware to hold the bubble solution.

Installation Ideas

I want this installation to be functionally simple and interactively playful. If possible, I'd like to utilize some form of the radio concept from my instrument. I finally figured out how to solder wires onto the tiny FM tuner chips without ruining them (many thanks to Professor Gurevich), so I'll hopefully have 3 of 4 working by Tuesday. Maybe their functionality will reveal something about the trajectory of this project.

REVISED REAL MODEL- ARCH

hello, hope everyone as a great spring break! I get to bring out my revised and larger version of my instrument! It is kind of huge, but I like the space it offers me to move around and have an "out of the box" control of m

 There are four piezo  located at the bottom, on the base.

This is the real size comparing to my miniature version of the instrument.
My instrument is more like a controller now when I think of it. The rest of my job is to code and compose more sounds.

INSTRUMENT miniature version

Last week, I got to print out a miniature version of my instrument! It is very tiny and cute, the real model will be twice as large. Currently I am modifying my model according to this tiny version.

There are a few areas that I need to improve. As I used to work in workshop, I usually spare more a tiny inches as the bench saw or saws have certain thickness and it could take off more wood than you expected. Naturally, I saved more spaces as I designed my model. It turns out that some holes are bigger and the parts could not fit properly. I learnt that I really could do the exact dimensions as the laser cutter really cuts accurately, without taking off any material from the wood. 

So, my next step is to modify this model and continue to make sounds and further develop my code!

More plastic!

I went back to the scrap box and was able to find more of the material that I decided to explore further.

I've decided to connect some of them in order to make one that extends from hand to hand across my chest.

I tried to capture the gesture I was making but this is all I got:

Now I'll be working with an accelerometer and an infrared proximity sensor and see what kind of gestures I can detect!