:||digital kitchen||:

long time no see.

a longtime due update here!

some videos from the actual velodrum performance at the amazing NIME show. All great performances.

from Corey:

from Vhaibhav:

Posted by rux at 01:12 AM | Permalink | Comments? (0)

here's a quick preview of the solved exercises :: (13.9Mb)

here's another preview of the more solved exercises :: (16.9Mb)

Posted by rux at 09:44 PM | Permalink | Comments? (0)

We (me and Tim) finally got a final (for now) version of our music data visualization system - Push Music(); PopMusic();. This project was also shown at the ITP's Winter Show'07 where we got a good amount of feedback and ideas for future developments.
From the past versions the biggest changes were a slightly softer control system of the view mode (using only the 2 mouse axis for zoom and rotation); alpha blending implementation and better color modulation; neutral data (0 value) is not drawn; reduced the number of gears; implemented metronome marker as a blinking layer(on tempo and being drawn on the current time of the playhead).

here's a video demo of Push Music(); PopMusic(); latest version running on 'Forever19' LordX's track :: (41.3Mb)

some screenshots ::

more info, pic's and videos at Tim's blog

Posted by rux at 05:33 PM | Permalink | Comments? (0)

some screenshots of the pm2 patch running using the data from LordX's Series track.
this is a beautiful music and i think we're managing to show its data structures in a readable and aesthetically pleasing way.
niice!
more pics and updates from the show soon!

Posted by rux at 05:34 AM | Permalink | Comments? (2)

i finally finished the score for the 'velodrum' performance. My inspirations were based in explorations of childhood bike rides, rave culture and electronic sequencers and elements of chance. Also the piano mechanique and its role as an background soundtrack for silent movies.

following along with the concept of the instrument and the performance it felt natural to build the score as a techno videoclip, the score follows the narrative of the movie.
I simulated the track events and sounds from the bike in audio software and then i created a vj set based on the amazing eyecandy traffic education movie from 1963:: one got fat. (one of the most surreal and incredible educational/institutional video pieces i've ever seen). the vj set set was built using arkaos software, trying to give a revival feeling of the end of 90's vj styles , with synced cuts and cheesy rave'ish effects.

This video will also be used as the background video projection on the performance, no sound include of course.

here it is - videodrum :: (44.7Mb)

Posted by rux at 08:44 PM | Permalink | Comments? (0)

changes, fixes and bugs..
close to failure, close to success (or something like that..), back and forth in the construction and (re)design but i'm really happy because today i got my first sound from the velodrum!

check the this short clip! :: (6Mb)

some pics of the current state of 'it'::

changes, fixes and news::
> new interface cabling routing, instead of having the cables pushing the lower part of the trigger's arms i installed a bar above the tracks and fixed the cables to the top of the arms (again.. why didn't i thought this before?!) = incredible reduction of the effort needed.
> safety bar implemented to keep the trigger's arms to get too close to the tracks/discs
>interface cabling routed through an aluminum tube attached to the bike's frame, cables are sliding independently and softly
>tested and built extension for the 'drumsticks' using steel (5mm thick) wire which seems to give a nice flexibility.
>tested and built the piece attached to the drumsticks (the piece that will be hitting the objects (?!?!)) using a small pice of wood involved by gaffers tape - perfect for the kick drum!

still missing::
>controller levers! (i don't really want to be pulling strings on the performance...)
>glue a strip of rubber along the triggers resting support to try to reduce the impact and noise when they're pulled back.

Posted by rux at 02:44 AM | Permalink | Comments? (0)

the day of the disaster..

finally got all the modules individually assembled and tested. The fianl composition of the modules wasn't properly satisfatory. on the first fully assebled test the velodrum system reacted nicely even though the noise from the track axis rotation and its bearings was a bit unpleasant. After some tweakings and the interface/controller cabling was installed i tested the bike again and the axis system and tracks modules were close to collapse.
The connection between the modules sometimes is a bit loose and it was necessary to use some nylon wiring to pull the bike support, the transmission wheel and the track system together.
The tracks weight on the axis caused to much friction and one of the bearings (which had already lost some balls) fell appart. One of the disc's teeth didn't really survived a closer/harsher contact with the trigger/drumstick. the wiring for the interface offered a huge resistance and was definitely to hard to pull..
total disaster.

possible solutions and 'bugs' to fix ::
>test better/more bearings on each side
>proximity limiter between the trigger's arms and the discs/tracks
>better fixing of the 'teeth' in the discs/tracks

Posted by rux at 02:02 AM | Permalink | Comments? (0)