Udder-Utter · posted by vaibhav bhawsar 138 days ago
New Interfaces For Musical Expression – NIME
Udder-Utter is an instrument that utters syllabic sounds derived from the Devanāgarī alphabet, which is used to write Hindi and other Indo-Arayan languages. It’s playability is inspired by the gestures involved in milking a cow. The sounds that this instrument utters are intended to be a mix of discrete and continuous in nature and are rhythmic due to their syllabic/phonetic origins. I see the Udder as an instrument for constructing and rupturing meaning through its playability by using syllabic sounds to construct monosyllabic meanings and imagery to extract formal elements.
Playing the instrument primarily involves manipulating and generating phonetic sounds. In addition the instrument allows its player to control a visual system explained below.
Screenshots of the visual system
The screen component for the performance reacted to the instrument. For this I had to interface MAX/MSP to C++ via openFrameworks and OSC.
The visual idea was to extract colours out of images and simultaneously erase them in the process. Image pixels were used to read colours and then the colours were mapped onto a stroke that was modulated depending on sensor values from the instrument. The speed with which the image lost colours depended on how the instrument was played (fast/slow gestures) and on certain other parameters.
A short video from the ITP NIME performance
Notes on the Imagery: I was interested in playing with the expression “milking the cash cow” by literally having the instrument sap colours out of currencies (notes/bills). I selected a series of currencies from nations that celebrate their abundance of natural resources and manpower through use of illustrations. These illustrations are references to their “cash cow”. One sees patterns of representation through iconography- such as farmers, tractors, cash crops, chimneys, industrial sheds, mineral deposits, mines etc, all of which serve as mastheads of development for emerging economies. In the globalized landscape such countries see themselves as offshore providers of resources to larger and richer countries. In turn such emerging economies are in ways the cash cow for richer nations who often sift for foreign resources before they start to consume their own as an act of self-preservation or find it cheaper to do so in their neo-imperialistic spirit. It is this vicious underrepresented portrait of national interests vs vested interests that I wanted to express through this instrument and performance. To me it was important to represent the consumed and less the consumer.
some NIME performances · posted by vaibhav bhawsar 297 days ago
Rory Nugent’s Xylophone Robots
Udder-Utter
Rui’s Velodrum
James Dec’s PlaserPiano
NIME Update - 26 Nov 07 · posted by vaibhav bhawsar 315 days ago
Spent early part of this week getting max/msp to talk to C++ program using OSC. Which was possible after some attempts using Openframeworks and the oscpack library.
Instrument and mapping of the produced sound:
Udder -> as in -> Utter
Milking/extracting utterances, utterances being building blocks of language, syllables to consonants to letters to words
I am mapping syllabic sounds from the Devanagiri script (used to write Hindi) to the two udders. In Hindi there are 36 consonants each having an inherent vowel, that can be changed with different vowel signs (about 13).
Each udder will control a range of consonant and their syllabic form when combined with one of the 13 vowels (of the Devanagiri family of languages). More details in the slides (wip) .
Hear the vowels and consonants
NIME Update - 21 nov · posted by vaibhav bhawsar 321 days ago
The pressure sensor works but again the sensing range is limited. That shouldn’t be a problem since I can always scale the range. What I am having problems with is with a mechanism for the pressure component that will work well for the present setup (stretch and rotation). I have yet to solve the problem of mounting a pressure sensor onto the udder. I am currently not sure if I want to invest my time in doing that, since I am now trying to work on the visuals for the performance.
For the visuals I am going to have values from max be sent to a C program using OSC. I am currently attempting this. I have a plan for the performance which I will talk about in detail later, once I have the technical details and a proof of concept worked out (this week).
NIME Update · posted by vaibhav bhawsar 336 days ago
Built a temporary frame for the instrument. Temporary because I have figured that a lower profile of the instrument is something I want and might decide to play it sitting on a bench/stool.
Worked out the contraption for the stretch sensor and potentiometer. Got them connected am using Arduino2Max patch to get the sensor readings into Max/Msp. It’s real easy and also is a much more flexibility approach since I don’t have to code the sensor values into MIDI at the arduino level. I’d much rather do it (if required) in max/msp.
For next week I’m going to start on casting the udder and working out the pressure sensing aspect of the instrument. Apart from that I’m also working on exploring what kind of sounds/performance I want to make out of my max/patch. From now it’s all about what kind of sounds the instrument lends itself to. Or rather what sound should an instrument like this one make?
Issues – I would like to explore getting these values into a C++ program to explore some visual/openGL generation. I don’t know how I can get values out of max and into a C program. If you have any leads please let me know.
NIME Update · posted by vaibhav bhawsar 352 days ago
Sensor information/research for the Udder controller-
I will be using the sensors mentioned below-
For Pressure
Fijikura XFPMC-050KpGR is a guage pressure sensor with 0-50 Kp Gauge pressure range. This should provide sufficient range of pressure detection for the instrument. This sensor will be used to detect the udder squeeze. I Currently waiting for some clarifications from the supplier.
ISSUE
not yet ordered Have trouble understanding what would be the appropriate pressure range (50Kp gauge pressure??) to detect a squeeze. 50 Kp seems right since atmsPressure itself is 100Kp absolute. Waiting for the supplier to answer my query.
For Stretch
To detect the udder stretch I will be using the 50cm merlin stretch sensor. This is a 2mm dia cord that changes its resistance (resistance increases) for every 1 cm increase in its length. I am currently looking for US suppliers of this sensor.
http://www.imagesco.com/sensors/stretch-sensor.html (this supplier has cheaper sensors compared to merlin and also lets you select a custom length)
http://www.merlinrobotics.co.uk/merlinrobotics/merlin-stretch-sensor-p-80.html
Ordered 4” and 6” cord
For Rotation
Using a 360d potentiometer is probably the most straightforward solution to this. Also have some ideas on how i could use another stretch sensor place diagonally across the length of the udder to detect how much the udder is rotated.
This weeks plan
Construct the upper part of the instrument which detects rotation (using a pot) and stretch (using the stretch sensor or for now a flex sensor). Try out a few mechanical configurations that will help detect stretch and rotation simultaneously using springs (in a wooden frame).
Issue (material)
I am still searching for a material for the udder. I want it to be stretchable and preferably with a cavity (so that it can house the pressure sensor). I have been looking at silicon as a material and casting procedures but don’t have a very clear idea. To put some of these ideas to test for now I am going to use a off the shelf inflated balloon (tube like) and some flexi plastic tubes.
Will upload some construction drawings before class.
milking cows · posted by vaibhav bhawsar 370 days ago
Here are a bunch of ideas for the instruments I would like to build. I think milking the cow is a good idea. I am looking at the subtle gestures involved as an inspiration for the instrument. I like the idea that one can tease out the sound and sculpt it at the same time. Shape of sound fractures breaks volumes bulbous growth snapped.
Will be updating more.
presentation-1-nime.pdf
Sensor info-
Stretch sensors –
Merlin Robotics
on ITP sensor wiki
Pressure sensors-
Silicon pressure sensor- Motorola MPX10/D
fujikura, pre-amplified_5v_sensors
How pressure sensors work 1 2
Molding Casting Resources
smooth-on
Iron filings
NIME - Performance note · posted by vaibhav bhawsar 374 days ago
Messa Di Voce is a collaboration between sound poet Japp Blonk and Joan La Barbara , media artists/musicians Golan Levin and Zach Lieberman .
In this performance a number of sound poems are supported by real-time visualizations.
The performance touches on themes of abstract communication, synaesthetic relationships, cartoon language, and writing and scoring systems, within the context of a sophisticated, playful, and virtuosic audiovisual narrative.
The performance blends together the spontaneity of the sound poems with the visuals generated by the program. Because this performance is playful, the artist and the screen are seamless and its interesting to observe the interplay between the two.
In some ways the activity on screen leverages/augments the sound poems (considering its an expert technique of the artist- in this case Jaap Blonk).
There is also something magical about pure syllables and their lucid visual representations.
Overall the shape of sound (phonesthesia) is an interesting idea that this performance/project successfully explores.