Modular Accessible Musical Instrument
This repository contains a Max MSP project which also includes documentation, Arduino Code, hardware designs and circuit diagrams.
The aim is to create modular software AND hardware that enables the quick and easy building of bespoke musical instruments that are universally accessible. This project is designed with the intention of sharing insights, designs and building instructions so that others can easily build their own instruments, in other words it is Open Source. This being said, we may be able to build instruments for others or provide workshops on request.
Software: The user interface side is designed in Max MSP and aims to give the user easy access to build instruments from MIDI inputs, computer peripherals, OSC controllers and serial devices. It provides a toolbox to route and scale inputs and outputs and set up hit areas for ranging inputs.
Hardware: There are two sides to the hardware section, both based around Arduino compatible boards.
The first is the design of an interface that can take 6 switch/button inputs and 5 analogue sensors/potentiometers etc and output serial or OSC over WiFi. In this way, combinations of different types of input can be easily set up in a very flexible way and we have included examples of the kind of sensors that you might like to use.
The second example includes some bespoke instruments designed to be simple enough to use with learning disabled young people, but that offer a good amount of control and opportunity for development of skill. They are designed to be nice objects with an aesthetic similar to a real instrument, we believe it is important to provide an alternative to the tablet screen interface and provide something with a more physical form and feedback. We wanted to create instruments with a design that belies their function.
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Open the MAMIproject.maxproj file within the main project folder
- Follow the instructions!
WHAT STAGE IS SOFTWARE AT:
- functionality to build devices
- Lots of input mapping functions available
- Very close to complete saving function
- Started working on output mappings and sound module
WHAT STAGE IS HARDWARE AT:
- Working prototype
- Sending OSC over existing Wifi no problem, limited packet loss based on network performance
- Setting device as access point and doing adhoc broadcast working but packet loss too severe, this is a limitation of UDP multicast on WiFi and can not be overcome
- Setting device as access point and doing adhoc unicast working no problem, but trying to code a method to extract IP from connecting client so as to have an auto setup and not require entering of IP details