Finalize/Selected Proposal

Topic
Sound and Visualization

Background
Creating a simple musical instrument that uses a range sensor to trigger sound samples. Players can create musical sounds capes by moving in front of the range sensor, which maps pitch to distance. This project was created using an Arduino board with a PING ultrasonic sensor as receiver and transmitted the signal to and audio library, which is particularly the ideation at the moment is to connect with the Minim sound library convert using Reason/Soundforge/Soundwave in processing the midi output sound. The output from the midi sound will be processed and converted into a visual play using a suitable application.

Problem Identification
Explore on how motion act in real space using ever-present technology around the community of end-user. Surrounding the action with some gimmick, users just need to pass-by in front of the sensor and strively the signal will detected the motion and transmitting the data to the component. The component will process the order and fabricate the midi sound. The more sound will be attached by detecting a motion/action from user.

Project Title
Theresynth – A combination of Theremin instrument and a synthesizer device.


Ideation & Concept
Create an installation that allows the specific targeted user to take the input role and deliberately form an experimental midi sound boon the tentative visualization as the output of the installation.

Aim & Objectives
- To evoke the alternative method of synthesizer by enhancing the existence device
- To explore and experiment with Theremin digital instrument create by
- To provoke the experimental emotion within the user and the computer



Motivation
Create a project based on a micro controller board that will receive and transmit a sensor for input and will deliver a visual with audio as the output. A research and good understanding on Theremin and range sensor will give some idea to develop the platform. Preferable to help understand suitable programming language that need to be learned to make sure the communication between the subject is went well and work like charm.


Review, Analysis and Precedence Studies
Content Development - http://helmizuhdi.blogspot.com

Project's Poster

Presentation slides

Helmi Zuhdi

View more presentations from helmizuhdi.

poster

My teaser

Content Development #5

This is the rendered video of my so called theresynth box, it is not completely finish yet, im going to altered it back later. and the name, is copyrighted somehow, so i've to change it later, going to use this as the teaser for my project.




done it using google sketch up and the rendered is not so clear and nice, will be using a proper video editing tools for the next teaser.
welcome any comment to improve my project.
thanks

Content Development #4

Circuit Diagram

My plan on how to connect the sensor to arduino based Fritizing. Fritzing is the simplest way for designer or developer who use arduino as their main subject for their project.
Very simple and easy to understand infact you can creat a schematic plan of arduino wiring system in just a minute without worrying about what might goes wrond if you choose to do it manually on photoshop.

screenshot for my breadboard plan

breadboard arduino + theremin + synthesizer 101

my schematic plan for the projects

schematic plan

sorry for the smaller image, for assessment purpose, you can view my fritzing file and download it here

thanks

References:

fritzing website

Content Development #3

Experimentation

i ve done some experimentation and follow up few tutorial to test run my project.
first i run a test on rgb LED sequencer, this test was made using arduino and 1 RGB led.



this test is involving processing. quite nice and entertaining for me.

the next test is based on my sensory subject, at first im intended to use ultrasonic sensor but later on decide to use potentiometer to control the value.




the main reason why im replacing ultrasonic sensor with potentiometer meter is because, the ultrasonic sensor that i bought is not really accurate at all. The data reading from the sensor is doesn't make sense. I've few screenshot regarding this issue and will upload it later due to the picture is still in the camera and my camera is not with me right now(gf borrow it -.-'). So to make the test run, i've replacing it with potentiometer 10k, i know i suppose to replace it with another range finder sensor but due to not enough fund and time i still not manage to buy it tho. will going to buy them at nixie soon. *finger crossed*

orite the next test is about creating a sound from arduino IDE using arduino and piezzo speaker. Just like the old days, back in life's skills subject. the audio reminds me to my year back in secondary school.



the follow up test, im using potentiometer *again to replace my ultrasonic sensor to control the sound coming from arduino. This is where you can find the fundamental of synthesizer, in my actual project, there will be 4 pots and 1 range finder sensor.
will show the preview sketch later.



the last video is my test on SuperCollider. The scripting show on how to create a sound and together with stethoscope, as for me, with this simple scripting is still giving me hard time to understand on how to operate SuperCollider. I will do lots and lots of research about programming language in SuperCollider next.



References:

Content Development #2

cont from previous

SuperCollider

"SuperCollider is an environment and programming language for real time audio synthesis and algorithmic composition. It provides an interpreted object-oriented language which functions as a network client to a state of the art, realtime sound synthesis serve"

in the simplest way, SuperCollider is working based scripting and programming language to create real time audio synthesis. It is the alternate ways to create midi sound.

I did some experiment with my arduino (check my above post) and what my ideas is, to connect arduino and SuperCollider via processing.


Arduino + IDE + SuperCollider via Processing = Midi Sound with Visualization.


orite it might be difficult to understand, even i have found myself really numb to understand what is actually happen. lets free your mind with the video that used SuperCollider to project the visualization and sync it with audio, hopefully you guys can understand. harhar



here another one.



ok, i was so amazing with the result of SuperCollider sync with processing, but still to figure it out by myself is quite difficult, the scripting and programming is really killing me tho.tsuk.

So i guess, using vvvv and max/msp is is quite decent rather than SuperCollider, since vvvv and max msp is involved with less scripting and quite easy to understand compare than SuperCollider and his scripting (duh) and another thing is, SuperCollider is actually is a Mac OSx based platform and as for me, i dont have mac pc or what so related, its quite difficult to understand the terms (another reason for me to buy mbp harhar).

This is the installation that made using SuperCollider and Processing.




references:
wikipedia
Super Collider Official