Nardin
Nima Niazi
Advisor: Daniel Shiffman, Alexander Porter
Nardin, a musical interface that relies on automated values to shape its sound in real-time. It utilizes algorithms to automatically adjust various audio effects like filters, delays, reverb and a ring modulation. The performer can control several dimensions of these effects simultaneously through a touch interface and three memory buffers. The instrument generates an audio output that continuously morphs and evolves based on the dynamic mixing of the adjustable parameters. This multidimensional control provides an expansive palette for shaping the timbre, texture and characteristics of the sound during a live performance.
Abstract
This project explores the possibility of using real-time changes in musical audio effects to generate music. This idea started as a challenge I faced when doing an assignment to link one slider to many musical parameters of an instrument, building on top of that I made this hardware synth/audio effects unit that has one slider to control many parameters.
Technical Details
Nardin is powered by the daisy seed development board. The code is written entirely in C++. Audio effects algorithms were implemented with the help of musicdsp.org. Using the grid of buttons, the user can program a sequence of notes or they can run audio through it without using the sequencer, or have both at the same time.