Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 2:06 pm Post subject:
DIY gestural midi-instrument
After gigging for 15 years, I got tired of having what I'm doing on stage being so opaque - and I needed a better way to actually create and manipulate sounds.
So I decided to create a new instrument to control my synths. It will also be connected to a small laser projector that will project different image fragments on me that correspond to each note - this will help create a visual metaphor similar to when you watch a musician play a traditional instrument, but without retarded and exaggerated pantomime!
Here's what it does:
Frankly, it's freaky as hell to be at this point where I can take the software in any direction... I'm dying to implement an interactive counterpoint that plays a bassline that follows the lead (or vice-versa) - like playing two instruments with one hand!
Joined: Feb 09, 2012 Posts: 17 Location: 3rd from the sun
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 6:02 am Post subject:
Indeed a great piece of work, very inspiring!
Please give us some details: What kind of interface are you using here (I mean the little black box with the LCD-display)?
I am especially interested in the kind of contacts inside the glove, the kind of playing you do with thumb and two touch-areas per finger is a wonderful idea, I definitely would like to try building something like it myself.
I did a Processing programme myself using a Joypad for generating MIDI-notes a while ago, which worked nicely, and as Joypads are so dirt-cheap, I think I could easily adapt it to do the thumb/finger trick, but thinking about how I could build switches/contacts into a glove leaves lots of questions concerning the mechanical work.
A few photos and some info on this part would be highly appreciated
Hey Transponderfish, everything is in the youtube video description:
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Hardware:
- PIC18f4620
- 8 switches using "conductive silk"
- 2 "shift switches" for turning on sensor output (eg. flex sensor triggering midi, as demonstrated with the high notes in this video)
- adxl335 / IDG500 accelerometer/gyro combo
- spectra symbol flex sensor resistor
I was way outside of my comfort zone and completely overwhelmed by all the new things I had to keep track of and the musical decisions I needed to make.
As such, I need to concentrate more on MEANINGFUL melodic improvisation as well as proper musical passages that I can easily recall... you know, like a traditional instrument
Technically everything went OK. Looking forward to implementing my body-tracking system so the images stay on me as I move and I'll be able to loosen up more. _________________ Sneak-Thief - raw electrofunk
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