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:
- price: How much is it going to cost? (1: not a lot. 6: very expensive)
- time: How much time is this going to take? (1: not much time: 6: lots of time)
- difficulty: How difficult will this be thing to play? (1: very easy 6: very hard)
- expressivity: How expressive will the instrument be/how many degrees of freedom? (1: simple, not expressive, 6: many degrees/very expressive)
- software/hardware: What is the ratio of software/hardware (1: this instrument focuses heavily on software. 6: This instrument focuses on the hardware/sensors)
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
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
- Linear soft pot - 500mm
- Linear force resistor - 500mm
- Rotary encoder
- 16-bit adc
Score
- price: 6
- time: 6
- difficulty: 6
- expressivity: 6
- software/hardware: 6
2. Ribbon
Components
- Linear soft pot - 500mm
- Linear force resistor - 500mm
- 16-bit adc
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
- price: 4
- time: 3
- difficulty: 5
- expressivity: 5
- software/hardware: 5
3. Batchenot
Components
- Rotary encoder
- Linear force resistor - 500mm
- 16-bit adc
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
- price: 5
- time: 4
- difficulty: 4
- expressivity: 4
- software/hardware: 4
4. Hyperthread
Components
- Conductive rubber cord
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
- price: 3
- time: 2
- difficulty: 1
- expressivity: 2
- software/hardware: 3
5. ScrubbyJoy
Components
- Scrubber knob
- rotary encoder
- Joystick
Description
A really simple controller made from a rotary encoder and a joystick. Very dependent on the software implemenatation.
Score
- price: 1
- time: 2
- difficulty: 2
- expressivity: 2
- software/hardware: 2
6. HyperFan
Components
- accelerometer
- gyroscope
- fan
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
- price: 2
- time: 1
- difficulty: 2
- expressivity: 3
- software/hardware: 4
7. The Batchelor's Glove
Components
Description
Score
- price: 4
- time: 4
- difficulty: 3
- expressivity: 4
- software/hardware: 4
8. ThunderBatch
Components
- linear soft pots
Description
A Buchla Thunder clone: 8 small linear softpots, arranged to fit your fingers.
Score
- price: 4
- time: 3
- difficulty: 2
- expressivity: 4
- software/hardware: 2
9. ButtonJoy
Components
- button (s)
- joystick
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
- price: 1
- time: 1
- difficulty: 1
- expressivity: 2
- software/hardware: 1
10. Encoder Singing Bowls
Components
- rotary encoder
- scrubber knob
Description
Build a set of singing bowls out of rotary encoders and scrubber knobs. Spinning them builds up momentum for them to sing.
Score
- price: 1
- time: 1
- difficulty: 1
- expressivity: 2
- software/hardware: 1
11. The 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
- price: 2
- time: 2
- difficulty: 2
- expressivity: 1
- software/hardware: 1
12. One
Components
- RGB Led
- three force resistors
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
- price: 1
- time: 1
- difficulty: 1
- expressivity: 1
- software/hardware: 1