Sketches for Music 250a

2016-10-15

As I've mentioned in previous posts, I am currently enrolled a Physical Interaction Design class at CCRMA.

This weeks assignment is to come up with 10 sketches and ideas for musical instrument. Described below are said sketches and ideas.

For each sketch, I've also written up a description and put it through a scoring system. The scoring system is in the range of 1-6 and scores the following parameters:

Inspiration for these instruments fall into two camps: physical and cerebral. The physically inspired instruments draw from my experience as a musician playing upright bass, where certain musical affordances somehow get translated into components and sensors. These instruments bear some familiarity to traditional instruments in how they are played and approached, and most often will have a steeper learning curve. Cerebrally inspired instruments come from the opposite direction, and are more in line with a compositional mindset. Given a set of components and/or sensors, what are the "musical" affordances? From there, a musical vocabulary is built up. This vocabulary is then used to build up a musical framework or composition.

1. Hyperbass

hyperbass

Description

My skies-the-limit, most ambitous instrument idea on the list. This instrument tries to mimic some of the properties of the Upright Bass. For the fingerboard, a high resolution ribbon controller is used. For the bow, a gametrak like pullstring interface built from a rotary encoder is used. Instrument is to be played and held like an upright bass.

Components

Score

2. Ribbon

The Ribbon

Components

Description

A classic ribbon controller. This will be made out of a linear soft pot and a linear force resistor for aftertouch. A 16-bit ADC will be used to guarantee high resoltuion output. Other knobs/buttons/switches may be part of the final design as well.

Score

3. Batchenot

Batchenot

Components

Description

This will be a crude recreation of the Martenot instrument, using a homemade pull-string interface for pitch and an FSR for articulation. Maybe a force strip for aftertouch as well?

Score

4. Hyperthread

Hyperthread

Components

Description

This is an instrument inspired by Laetitia Sonami. Using rubber cord sensors, build a single-stringed instrument. This string can be plucked and stretched to control and trigger sounds.

Score

5. ScrubbyJoy

Hyperfan

Components

Description

A really simple controller made from a rotary encoder and a joystick. Very dependent on the software implemenatation.

Score

6. HyperFan

Hyperfan

Components

Description

This is a fan inspired by the one of the labs involving the accelerometer. Take an oriental fan, and attach gyroscope + accelerometer sensors to it. This idea is nice because it's a good combination of simplicity and expressiveness.

Score

7. The Batchelor's Glove

BatchGlove

Components

Description

Score

8. ThunderBatch

thunderbatch

Components

Description

A Buchla Thunder clone: 8 small linear softpots, arranged to fit your fingers.

Score

9. ButtonJoy

buttonjoy

Components

Description

Another minimalist controller. The thumb controls the joy stick, and four buttons are handled buy the four fingers fingers. The device is held like a can of soda.

Score

10. Encoder Singing Bowls

Encoder Bowls

Components

Description

Build a set of singing bowls out of rotary encoders and scrubber knobs. Spinning them builds up momentum for them to sing.

Score

11. The Panel

panel

Components

Description

Another ruggedly simple interface made out of a force resistor and square light beam. Possibly haptics as well. An interface for a generative composition and interaction, using ryoji ikeda style visuals.

This interface may include a screen as well for further immersion.

Score

12. One

Components

Description

Minimalist controller with one big RGB LED and three force resistors. Will be heavily dependent on sonic material synthesized by computer. Like the Panel, this interface is very elemental, and could be a compositional study on a getting the maximum out of very simple interfaces.

Score