Video with keyboard view
Video without keyboard view
Link to download: (click here)
INSTRUCTION
Command: Chuck slr.ck
'=' key: change mode
1) Player mode:
arrow keys: move
']' key: look up
'[' key: look down
2) Edit mode:
arrow keys: select circle
number keys: add balls
Other keys: play the intrument
This [Sounds Like Rain] project was inspired by the idea that the rhythm sounds from my music sequencer project, [Irrational Rhythm], sounded like rain. Thus, while I had a clear goal of using my Irrational Rhythm sequencer to sonically depict the sound of rain, at the beginning of the project I struggled to find a way to visually convey the appearance of falling rain that matched these rhythm sounds.
I tried various attempts with 3D graphics to represent the falling rain, but repeatedly failed to find a visual expression that directly bonded with the Irrational Rhythm sequencer. The breakthrough that solved this came from laying my Irrational Rhythm sequencer flat on the ground by rotating it 90 degrees. It was a very simple idea, but until then, my Irrational Rhythm sequencer had always been set up vertically, and I had never thought to lay it down.
As soon as I laid the Irrational Rhythm sequencer horizontally on the ground, everything about what I had to do next became incredibly clear.
The problem was that I wanted to express the chaotic and non-repeating nature of natural rainfall, but programming the falling rain in 3D graphics resulted only in unsatisfactory repeating patterns. However, I realized once again that chaos and non-repetition is exactly what my Irrational Rhythm sequencer is all about. By having my Irrational Rhythm sequencer generate the sound of rain audibly and visually generate raindrops falling towards the vertical axis, I was able to express the natural-like chaos and non-repetition through both sight and sound.
Idea #1: Expanding Irrational Rhythm
For my final project, I want to expand my [Irrational Rhythm - for Experimental Free Jazz] into a live performance at the CCRMA stage.
Although I have already shown a three-minute live performance in my last project, I am aiming to expand it into a six-minute live performance by adding more interesting interactions and musical expressions.
Here are some ideas as of now:
1) Juxtaposing a polyrhythm circle with my irrational rhythm circle or smoothly interchanging between two modes.
Some audiences still do not get why it is an irrational number ratio rhythm. They still confuse it with polyrhythm.
I am not saying I feel responsible for letting them understand it (because what I want to do is to play and convey music, not to teach them mathematical mechanisms), but I think maybe I can make use of the audience's enlightenment moment as a musical narrative by adding a more discernible comparison between polyrhythm and my irrational rhythm; juxtaposing a polyrhythm circle with my irrational rhythm circle or smoothly interchanging between two modes.
2) One button that can erase all balls at the same time and does it quite suddenly. And this button can also retrieve all the balls when we press it again.
One limitation of my last project was that I could not erase many balls at the same time. By using this new button, I imagine I can create interesting breakdown moments, or I can even rhythmically use it by repeating short pausing effects.
3) Adding more physical interaction
One limitation of my last project was that I couldn't play the piano and control the sequencer at the same time. I am thinking of using a foot pedal (GameTrak foot pedal) so that I can control the sequencer with my foot while playing the piano at the same time.
Or I am even thinking of using my mouth shape to control some features using Wekinator (which was one of my Music356: Music and AI projects) while playing the piano at the same time.
Idea #2: Soccer game using FFT propulsion physics
Using my FFT propulsion physics to play two-player competitive soccer game throught networking two PCs.
Idea #3: Self-driving sound using FFT propulsion physics
The spaceship moving around space using my FFT propulsion physics, but, since each position in space is mapped to different sound (for example different pitch), FFT propulsion direction changes. As a result, the spaceship draws a trajectory automatically only after a user set the initial position of the spaceship.