Project 2 Exercise

Here's the video for the exercise over projection we're doing prior to project 2.



We created a dark, brooding, and sort of mysterious mood. We had 6 different videos on the six different panels of the object, all playing at once. They fade in and out somewhat arbitrarily, as we were not able to figure out how to sync up the different videos in VPT.

Sorry about the bad video quality. The only decent camera we had was on Mike's phone. You can still get the idea.

Project 1

Jarrod and I finished our project this week. It turned out better than we expected. We were having a lot of trouble earlier this week with drawing multiple shapes, but it seems like we fixed it. We made the jump from 2d to 3d, and the images looked a lot better, and the depth granted by the 3d shapes greatly increased the immersion.

That is a sample image from our program. The black keys drew lines (planes), and the white keys drew the circles (spheres). We programmed in the use of the modulator wheel to control the rotation of the lines. It made drawing more interesting, and you could create new shapes out of just the rotation.

Before we presented, we let some classmates test it.

From our observations, Jarrod and I observed that most people would carefully play around with the drawing tools before trying to actually play a song or melody on the keyboard. After they got the hang of drawing they would have much less reservations about playing around with the set-up.



It was interesting to see how everyone reacted to the drawing controls. People seemed to like playing with the extremes of the piece; for example, they would press keys very softly, or play a lot of keys very quickly, in order to test what the program was capable of.

Overall, I learned a lot from this project. I had to learn a new programming language in Max 5, which was an interesting experience. It's a powerful program, but it has setbacks. The node-based system can be finicky, and the flow of the program confusing. It ended up working, though, and I think our final project was a success.

Final Presentation

Update 9/13/11

We can draw! Pressing the black keys now draws a circle, and pressing a white key draws a line. The color of the shapes is determined at random via a patch that generates random numbers when sent a bang. The color is different each time you draw a shape.

Drawing multiple shapes is still something we're working on, and it's proving a little more difficult than anticipated. OpenGl in Max is sort of difficult to work with when it comes to these kinds of things. In our programming class a couple years ago we made a program for drawing 2d shapes, but used linked lists to be able to draw an unlimited amount. Linked lists are weird and finicky and may be beyond the scope of this project (as neither me nor Jarrod are programmers), so we may need to find another solution.

Anyway, that's all for now. We're still trying to work with our patch in Max, cleaning up the object layout and making routine functions like generating random numbers and recognizing MIDI input a more streamlined process.

Update 9/7/11

R.I.P Stephanie Soriano (We will never forget...)

Tonight, Jarrod and I spent some time hammering out the details of our visuals, as well as exploring our options with Max MSP.

We decided to adopt a style similar to Kandinsky's "synesthesia" phase. Examples:

• Here
• Here
• And here

The black keys on the piano will draw circles, while the white keys will draw lines. We will use the "velocity" of the key press (how hard you press) to determine the opacity of the shapes. Size will be based on how long the key is pressed down. Other factors could be changed as well, using the modulator or pitch bend functions of the keyboard, but these are yet to be determined.

In order to maintain some consistency in the placement of the shapes, the keys will be placed in groups of three, with each group pertaining to a part of a 4x4 grid. For example, the keys which are the lowest in tone will be in the bottom-left gridspace, and the highest will be in the top-right. This way, the user can retain a degree of control over the placement of the shapes.

After determining these graphical characteristics, we started building a program in Max which would detect MIDI inputs. We made one which could determine the key being pressed and the velocity of that press. Changes in the modulator and pitch-bend peripherals could also be monitored. By the end, the program could determine if a specific set of notes were being played, and turn a switch if they were. Progress!

VIST 405, Project 1, Studio Exercise 1

AD LIBITUM: AN EXPLORATION OF AUDITORY AND VISUAL PERCEPTION

Ad Libitum is an interactive installation which explores the boundaries between auditory and visual beauty. No instrument is as vital to musical composition as the piano, which, in our piece, is the tool used to explore the environment. The tension that arises from the pairing of audio and visuals is highlighted; a delicate sonata may produce a clumsy or uninspired image, while a seemingly random series of notes could be beautiful. The notion that music can be art is rarely challenged, but the belief that auditory art is inherently paired with something of visual significance is an idea to be contemplated.

The installation itself will be relatively simple, consisting of only a musical keyboard interface and a projection screen. As a user enters the space, he will be confronted with an absence of auditory and visual stimulation. It will be as if he entered a void. Once the user interacts with the keyboard, the environment will be revealed as colored images directly related to his musical input appear on screen. The environment itself is constantly in flux as it responds to the user's input.

An additional layer of exploration is created by providing the user a pair of sound-proof headphones which eliminate the sound of music being played, allowing him to concentrate solely on the art.

Technical Diagram

Our hope in creating Ab Libitum is to encourage the users to think outside of their traditional definitions of visual and auditory art and how they relate to one another. This "synesthetic" experience allows the users to experience their world in a new manner and take away a new understanding of the relationship between visual art and music.

INTRODUCTION

Well, I suppose this is the first post in a long series of posts I will be making for our studio course, VIST 405. I'll be updating the blog with ideas, concepts, and documentation for the three projects we will be completing over the course of the next 15 weeks. Cool!