Assignment #2: Time and Rhythm
This sketch plays a rhythm using Tone.js and lights up a square with each sound in the sequence. From here I would like to evolve this idea to make another drum machine with parts that can turn off and on like on a sequencer, which is what it sounds like we are going to go over next, and also play more with the form of it. This was my first time using Tone.js.
DESIGN CONCEPT
For the speculative design I thought it would be fun to play with the idea of a color wheel and color relationships, which is something I’ve been doing for a little while at ITP. Ideally this would be an actual sculpture that lights up shapes and maybe would sit on a surface or wall and be played with gestures or touch. Maybe they would be made with motion sensors, milky-white plexiglas and LEDs inside which also activate sound in hidden speakers or in surround speakers that are directional based on which part of the wheel is lit up.
It would probably make most sense to have the colors also match pitches that correspond to the frequencies of the colors, or maybe tuned drums. This is something I’ve never worked with before (tuned percussion samples). Otherwise it could also be fun to make it more of a sequencer for other kinds of sounds that end up being rhythmic just through the sequencing.
RHYTHM PROJECT EXAMPLES: RESPONSES
Groove Pizza - I love the design of this one, and how the main design branches out from the center visually, rather than only in a linear way like on most sequencers. However it is also helpful to be able to control it with the linear sequencer too. I think even seeing this for a moment in class made me think of the color wheel idea, but now is my first time playing with the Groove Pizza. My only wish is that it had the option to load your own samples into it to play it with. That being said, it does have a lot of options and sometimes limitations are good? Or possibly more ways to shape the sounds versus just changing the rhythm would add a lot, unless I am missing something. Sometimes I couldn’t tell exactly what I was doing or changing in terms of the visual correlating to the rhythm. Also: It’s cool that it gives you the option to download the sounds you make as audio.
i808 - Said “Mode currently unsupported” on Chrome and Safari which are my only browsers on my laptop.
TR-808 HTML5 DRUM MACHINE - This is a classic drum machine for sure, and it is amazing to see how easy this one is to use (and free) vs buying a hardware version or remake, though it is simplified design-wise, and has different kits? It looks a bit more like this version. A few features that would make it even BETTER and more evolved than the original and also justify having to look at a screen would be added effects that are not in the original version, like panning, maybe some reverb. Also, I think the different kits are not on the original either? Again, adding your own samples would be a nice feature, which isn’t even featured on the other newer “analog modeling” version, the TR-8. It’s convenient again to be able to make a high quality WAV recording of your beat.