Further developing the idea/imagining it in different scales.
Currently I want to make a midi controller that illuminates the relationship between pitches and water. In practical terms this will look be a device for adjusting and exploring the entire pitch spectrum. I want to do it in a way that can still be used in the music production pipeline, so I will be locking scale/key into the process.
Two big inspirations are the Roli Seaboard and the RC-20 plugin. The Roli seaboard gives access to all of the pitches outside of the traditional piano structure. When playing a note the user can move up and down to explore the pitches in between notes. This video also demonstrates how that sounds when playing a chord. I want to explore similar principles, but away from the piano. I want the sounds to feel like an ocean, explored through controlled movement.
The RC-20 plugin also demonstrates how exact pitches have their time and place, but often times our ear associates slight wobble, with a vintage texture. This is because analog devices like tape and vinyl have texture to them like a pitch wobble and added noise.
The things I want to experiment with most:
—Pitch modulation as exploration
–Added noise for texture
–Locking melodic scale while allowing for interesting/unique compositions
–Getting the wah effect of a guitar string
Practical interfaces I can utilize:
Pads
Knobs
Accelerometer
I’m really inspired by this project from Amanda Ghassaei where she uses an accelerometer and gyroscope to change notes.
Surfboard metaphor
Why not ride the audio wave with a surfboard? What if that surfboard had an accelerometer and gyro attached?
Let’s imagine the project in three scales/formats
Surfboard
The controller is a literal surfboard where the user modulates pitch with their movement and angle. There are hand controllers to change notes.
Physical Tape
If audio that has been printed on tape is suspended in the air, the user can pull it to adjust the sound. There is a direct link to the hardware and audio. This isn’t music creation as much as it is performance. How can one manipulate their movements to achieve what they want from the tape. Pulling it will adjust pitch and speed. The more it is stretched and used, the harsher it will sound, adding even more noise and texture. Eventually it will completely degrade, which emphasizes the physical nature of the medium.
Can digital audio degrade naturally? Can there be a link between real physical degradation and digital audio degradation/distortion.
Online Audio Manipulator
If this project was online as a tool, you could drop an audio file into the program. There will be an advanced audio visualizer that also lets you edit. I am inspired by the spectral display function in Adobe Audition where it shows you a heat map of frequencies and let’s you manipulate it. This is mainly used to erase spikes in the frequency spectrum cause by unexpected things while recording audio.
Week 4 In Class
During class I’m going to set up an Arduino Nano with some push buttons to start prototyping the accelerometer feature/sending midi information to the computer.
Will Politan ITP Blog 