Circuit Bending

Example of Circuit Bending

After thinking about ideas and projects that I can pursue with Performance Technology, I am going to research and look further into "Circuit Bending".

Circuit Bending is the short circuiting of electronic devices such as guitar effects pedals, small children toys and small synthesisers to produce new musical sound generators. The methodology of circuit bending is achieved through bisecting an electronic device and connecting any two circuit locations with a "jumper wire", as a result; this will send a current  from one part of the circuit into another. After experimenting with this, it is possible to connect components such as switches, resistors or capacitors at this point which have the ability to change the quality of the audio output of the device.

Example of a kids toy with circuit bending

From researching youtube, I have came across a range of people that have experimented with circuit bending and have used this method with electronic devices ranging from, kid toys to Gameboys:

The video above has been taken from Circuit Master's  You Tube account, the video shows the ability of circuit bending a gameboy through adding an oscillator. An oscillator is an electronic circuit which produces an electronic signal; often as a sine wave. From using the gameboy to play a Super Mario game, circuit master has used the oscillator to change and alter the sounds produced from the game.

As a result of this, I think that it would be interesting in researching further into Circuit Bending and developing an idea where I can take an electronic device and alter the sounds through adding necessary components. From this, I feel that it is important to look at videos where people have used circuit bending with technology which will give me a further knowledge within this field.
  

Max MSP Korg Nano Pad Patch

As a result of working with the Korg Nano Pad  and  Max MSP, I have managed to create my own patch which is featured in the video above which shows myself demonstrating and experimenting with the patch that I have created.

After connecting the Pad and carrying out a MIDI Tester on Max MSP, I wanted to create a patch that was suitable for the trigger and X/Y pads on the Nano Pad. From this, I started my patch with a "notein" object which receives MIDI information sent from the Nano Pad, after this I routed each of the 12 trigger pads through using both the "strip note" and the "route" objects. Ultimately this gave me the ability to create unique and different sounds for each of the trigger pads, I achieved this through the "cycle- object" which is an interpolating oscillator that has allowed me to create sounds for each pad. Furthermore, with the X/Y axis I wanted to use this to control the frequency of one of my pad sounds, I achieved this through using the "ctlin" object as well as the "mtof" object which gave me the ability to change the frequency of the trigger pad.

The picture below is the Max MSP Nano Pad Patch that I have created:

My MAX MSP Patch for this controller can be downloaded here

Max MSP Live Looper

Throughout researching videos on youtube that combined both a performance and technology aspect, I found this interesting video which has been posted from a user named Seamsmusic. Within this, Seamsmusic has created a patch using the software Max MSP which randomly loops live audio which has been taken from the condenser microphone, this audio information is randomly looped within given parameters which adds a textural slutter effect.
When both singing and playing the guitar into the condenser microphone, the patch created in Max MSP takes this information and produces a robotic stutter which adds an interesting effect to a live performance. From this, after watching the video above, I would like to experiment more with live audio and Max MSP to create a patch similar to Seamsmusic. Inevitably, if I was to develop an idea that includes both  live audio and Max MSP I would want to use this in a performance aspect; possibly having a band performing and using microphones that are connected to a patch within Max 5?
 

Korg Nano

In today's Performance Technology class, we began experimenting with varied controllers along with Max 5 which enabled us to create interesting patches and use the controllers to their full potential. From this, I choses the Korg nanoPad and began experimenting with this along with max MSP.

Korg nanoPad

The Korg nanoPad, is a Midi controller featuring 12 highly responsive trigger pads and additional X-Y touchpad with roll and flam functions for realistic drum programming. USB powered, the nanoPad's X and Y touchpad will send MIDI control change which makes it a useful interface for any parameter when using a software that requires full range MIDI control such as pitch, cutoff, volume etc

The patch below is a working progress and is the result of todays work when I began using the nano Pad along with Max5, as result of this, the patch that I have created assigns each of the 12 trigger pads an individual note through using the note in, strip note and pack objects. As a result of todays work, I feel that I have managed to create a very basic patch that works coincide with the nanoPad however, from this I am going to develop the patch that I have created and use the nanoPad to its full potential.

Max MSP Algorithmic Patch

After beginning to use Max 5, the patch above is one of the first patches that I have created within my Performance Technology class with help from the tutorial video and the result of this is that the patch produces a random drunken melody.
Revolving around the "drunk" object in the centre of the patch, the button above this sends a bang to the drunk object which produces a note that will randomly leap each time when pressed. These leaps are determined from the number 4 within the drunk object and this  creates a range for the leaps to jump from, this particular range is from -3 to 3. As well as this, the number 128 within the drunk object determines the note range and this can be altered determine the range where I would like my melody to be created. Furthermore, through the use of the "metro 500" object; this object ticks continuously every 500 milliseconds and creates a rhythmical feeling to the patch which ultimately enables the Max 5 patch to create a randomly drunken melody.
From this; designed as a melody maker, this patch allows the user to create unique and random melodies through the process of connecting relative objects together

Tutorial Video taken from the user scje's channel on youtube.

Water Drum Kit

After using the visual programming software Max MSP within Performance Technology, I began searching through youtube to see if and how people are experimenting with this software? Furthermore, as a result of this, I should hopefully be aware of the possibilities that Max 5 will have upon my creativity, thus, this will be able to inspire me to create and develop possible ideas through using this software.

Piezo Sensor 

From researching the internet, I came across this video which is a perfect example of how Max 5 has allowed people to experiment and create virtual instruments through the use of a bowl of water and a piezo sensor! Taken from a youtube user named yopayet, the video shows how he has connected a piezo sensor to a bowl of water and used this along with a patch created on Max 5 which imitates the sounds of a drum kit. Through research, I found out that a piezo sensor is a sensor that generates electricity in response to applied stresses, from this when connected to the bowl of water through the vibrations enforced onto the water in the bowl, the sensor responds to this and sends information to the virtual drum patch made in Max 5 which imitates the sound of a drum kit.
Ultimately after only using Max 5 for a short amount time, I do not fully understand how yopayet managed to create this virtual instrument, however through emailing the youtube user and asking for information upon this video I should be able to gain information on this. As well as this, through learning about Max 5 and the the vast capabilities that this software has to offer, I will be able to create patches and connect electronic devices to this software to create interesting sounds.

Scrapple by Golan Levin

After researching the Internet about projects that coincide with performance and technical elements, I stumbled across this video that has been posted on YouTube which shows a unique performance of the Scrapple by Golan Levin. Ultimately, the one thing that I felt that was exceptional about the Scrapple is its diverse ability to enable the user to compose music through shapes.

Scrapple is an audiovisual installation which imitates and produces sound  through everyday objects being randomly placed along a 3 metre long table. The specific function of the table is to primarily act as an "active score" which has been designed to constantly scan the surface of the table where objects have been placed. From this, these objects are interpreted as sound producing marks which the table responds to them in real time. As well as this, a 4 second audio loop is produced from the table which enables the user to experiment with the Scrapple freely and to compose technical pieces. Nevertheless, the objects come in different shapes and sizes; ranging from square like shapes to flexible curves as this influences the user to create melodic or rhythmical phrases. Furthermore, video projections are displayed onto the Scrapple table which ultimately gives the user the feeling that they composing onto an interactive score.

As a result of this, the Scrapple has influenced and opened up new ideas for myself to experiment with through Music Performance and has shown me new possibilities. Throughout this year I myself would like to create a piece of work similar to Golan Levin which emerges the use of technology through a performance.