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Integrating Random Tempo

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The following images will take you through how the tempo randomiser evolved.

Below shows the first starting idea, getting a number to randomly ramp between 4 numbers with the line object.

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We then noticed the issue that the number that it spat out did not start from the previous number. We’d want the tempo to ramp from the tempo that it is already on. We chose a range of tempos to implement our purpose of exploring genres through our installation.

  • 80bpm = a typical hip hop tempo
  • 100bpm = a typical mid range tempo
  • 125bpm = a typical pop/upbeat/house tempo
  • 140bpm = a typical dubstep tempo
  • 175bpm = a typical drum and bass tempo

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This issue discussed above was then solved by not including the 2nd number in the number messages.

So that only a each tempo is only selected once (so that the same tempo ramp can’t happen again) we added a ‘one bang’ sequence. The waveform object also visually displays the ramping.

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However, Ableton still doesn’t understand the last number that is spat out. We then tried using a Max4Live device (below). Therefore, having some of the patch in a separate window and this then operating the Max4Live device.

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So here is the code (below) that is in the separate max patch. The rest of the code had been put into a Max4Live instrument to be controlled.35Tempo4.PNG

This video shows the tempo Max4Live instrument working.

It was then suggested to us that we used ‘from Max 1’, as in the code below, in the Ctlout, and now Ableton would be able to interpret this number as the global tempo.

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The final code, without the need to use a max4live instrument, is below.

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Max Patch Foundations & Sensor Tests

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The foundations of the Max patch may be confusing from an outsiders point of view, however the presentation mode (below) shows a simple and satisfying visual display which will make sense from a non-coder’s point of view. The four bangs to the left hand side represent the four effects that will be implemented. From this mode the entire patch can be triggered without sensors.

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The four effects that we are going to implement on the end of the Twister Mat are:

  • A random muter, that will mute a random track.
  • A random effect button, which adds a random effect to the piece.
  • A key cycler, which cycles between keys to add variation to the piece.
  • A tempo cycler, which cycles between tempos.

You can see the receive objects for each of these below.

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The following videos demonstrate the sensitivity of the sensors, this information gives us the basis for our patch as it determines at which point we gate the input of the pressure sensors.

 

The Ableton Project

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Here we have the beginning of the Ableton project. As we have divided up each colour of the twister mat into its own groups you can see that drums have been allocated to red, bass to blue, yellow to melody and chords to green.

As the spinner on the twister mat has a new purple option, we decided to integrate it into our project. The purple colour was allocated to the top row of the mat and it was decided that different effects and parameters would be allocated here to create more variety in the installation. This meant that instead of having a loop on each of the 24 spots, we only needed 20.

You can see that we have also chosen the different effects we are going to use for one of the sensors. These are going to be reverb, delay, a flanger and a delay. Although we may change these effects at a future date when we have selected the loops in order to make the installation as musical as possible.

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Getting Started – Software

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You can find the PDF of how to set up multiple types of sensors here. -> 1.Sensor Setup

We’re using cycling 74’s Sensor Box to use the Arduino with piezo sensors.

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Above is a typical set up of a Piezo sensor.

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Above shows some coding so that we can choose the specific port to connect to Ableton Live.

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This is the start of our patch. The bangs represent the spot on the mat. Each spot has its own Ctlout that will send a signal through to Ableton.

We sent videos back and fourth about issues we had with the Max patch. This video shows communication between Ableton and Max, as we triggered 2 samplesin Ablton, from Max.

Getting started – Hardware

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We first loaned an Arduino starter kit, consisting of an Arduino, breadboard, resistors and jump cables.

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1.74! The only room in the University besides Middle Street with Ableton Live and MaxMSP or Max4Live. This is where we will do most of the programming, patching and construction of the software projects required.

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We found this soldered shield that had been used for a previous project. This gave us some insight into how we may solder for our project. Each jump cable is going to an analogue out and they each have a resistor. However, we’d have to check what the jump cables on the right hand side indicate. Overall, this is at least an insight into how a shield can act as an easier breadboard, once soldered.

Booking the venue

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The venue that we had decided to apply to use was the Eldon Building’s foyer area, and specifically the area owned by CCITV from the CCI faculty.

There were several reasons why we decided that this space would be effective:

  • The CCITV area is installed with coloured lighting, which we felt would improve the general aesthetic of the installation, which in turn would lend to a more immersive experience.
  • The area is encircled by small study tables, and is next to one of the main stair cases in Eldon. Placing the installation here would make us more noticeable and more accessible.
  • The CCITV area’s layout includes lighting, rigging and backing drapes, all of which would create a more professional feel for our installation.

We thought that it would be a sensible creative decision to have the recognisable Twister colours on the lights behind our installation.

The main contact for the CCITV is Louise Lovesey. We contacted her via email to inquire as to the possibility of using this space. The original email that we sent to Lou is displayed below:

 

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Update: Below are our emails to Louise leading up to the installation, these specific emails were addressing the times we would have the are booked out and the colour of the lights. Unfortunately we couldn’t have the lights different colours.

Selection of loops

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We decided to ensure that all of our chosen loops were in the same starting key and tempo (in BPM), as we wanted them to remain synchronized once the key and tempo were changed by the user. The starting key for all of our loops is C major, and the starting tempo is 125 beats per minute. The reason for choosing this tempo is that is fairly quick but has the potential to be slowed down/sped up without causing major changes to the audio. (For example, if the chosen tempo was 100 bpm, a change to 140 bpm would be more dramatic than it would be if the starting tempo was 125 bpm.) Whilst we want the tempo change to be noticeable, the user’s are creating a track whilst interacting with the installation, so we want the listening experience to remain pleasurable.

We used Logic Pro X to select our loops because they are pre-mixed loops and are royalty free. Another advantage of using the Logic Pro X loops library is that it includes functions that allow the user to sort loops by tempo and key, which made browsing through the loops a lot easier.

As stated in the video above, we chose four loops (drums, bass, drums and melody) for each of the following genres:

  • Funk
  • Pop
  • Jazz
  • Dubstep
  • Classical

We then went on to combine loops from different genres to ensure that they worked together, as shown in the video.

 

Our Idea

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After brainstorming ideas as a group, with the help of an Argos catalogue, we have our idea.Our idea is to allow users to create a song using a Twister mat. Each spot on the twister mat will cover a piezo pressure sensors, which will in turn be linked to a loop in Ableton Live. When the spot is stood upon, it will trigger the loop in Ableton. We will achieve this by connecting pressure sensors to the 24 spots and linking them to an Arduino using wires.

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The track that the user will create will be split into four sections: drums, bass, chords and melody. Each colour on the twister mat will correspond to one of these four sections, and the user will change between different loops in each section to alter the track. For example, a “half time” drum loop might be playing and the user may change it to a “double time” loop.

One spot of each colour will be used to control a parameter for the track, these being tempo change, key change, random effect and random muting.

The Arduino will then send the signals from the sensors to Max MSP, this will be received and gated so a amount of force has to be applied for the sensor to trigger. This is to limit the sensitivity of each sensor, preventing accidental triggering. This will eventually be converted into a MIDI output to trigger the loops in Ableton Live.

Here is the powerpoint presentation that we created, in proposing our idea to our univerisity lecturers and fellow students.

Welcome to our CT6SOAP Blog

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We are group 5 for CT6SOAP on the Music and Sound Technology course at the University of Portsmouth.

Our members are:

  • Ben Newcombe – 698279
  • Daniel Pearce – 690685
  • Euan McLachlan – 681945
  • George Galway – 689918

In this unit we will be creating a sound installation to present and showcase in the Eldon building to the public around the time of easter break.