Kevin Dade
220C
“Turntable” + Demo
Overview:
I intend to make some sort of DIY turntable that will probably rely more on clever computing than on analog signals for it's functionality. Hopefully, with this tool/instrument, I can make an interesting composition/demo to show off at the end of the quarter.
Log:
April 7:
Wrote initial ChucK script that takes in a predetermined “control” tone, and plays back any sound file according to the data in the control track. I would like to demonstrate this in class. basic controller
April 12:
Built turntable. (see below for instructions)
April 13:
Wrote script that makes use of new “hardware”... turntable controller
April 27:
Working on getting a Midi interface for final demonstration.
May: College Ultimate series...
May 18:
Trying out new ideas for more fluid response. No success yet.
Abandoned – it wasn't going to work. fail controller
June 4:
Simple fix for smoothness issue. Added envelope to the rate tracking.
Working on demo. demo
How to Build a Turntable...
~things you will need~
1 pizza box
2 pieces of 1/4” foamboard
1 sheet of colored paper
1 optical mouse
2 cardboard tubes (toilet rolls)
Hot glue gun
Tape
Note: When following these instructions, it is best to make everything fit as tightly as possible. Use as much glue and tape as necessary to get everything snug.
Reflections:
This was a really fun project, and I'm quite pleased with the results. With very little planning or coding, I managed to achieve a pretty decent turntable simulation. If I were to redo any part of the project, I would definitely build a more robust turntable. As fun as pizza boxes and cardboard tubes are, the thing just isn't heavy enough or sturdy enough. For a prototype though, it's not bad.
It's also a shame that I didn't get more time to explore the compositional possibilities of this new “instrument”. Even while I made my simple demo, I found it was incredibly fun to play with and also very versatile. If I don't decide to use it for something in the future, I still feel like I am much more confident in my ability to just build something that I need.