research

It was quite challenging to think of what to do with Max at first, as one can do pretty much everything with this software. And the fact that I had taken classes with Mick Grierson to learn the software before, without actually doing anything with it didn't help. My only lead at the time of submitting a project proposal was the fact that I wanted to make some kind of analog instrument, which can be interpreted by Max in order to enhance the experience.

My original idea was to create a percussion instrument by fixing a metal casing on a wooden board - for better resonance. I experienced the phenomenon in an empty computer room, where the metal casing was used to hold the computer's central unit above ground. The metal case would allow for quite a wide variety of sound manipulation, rattling, or banging, creating low or high pitch sounds at different frequencies. A set of speakers would be position either sides, and the metal casing would be wired up to an Arduino microcontroller in order to use capacitive sensing, where the human body's capacitance properties can be read as an input.

Experiment made with an Arduino, resistor and a bit of bare paint. I then realised it works with any conductive materials!

After a few experiments and much internal debates, I came to the conclusion that my original idea was ok, but could be better executed. Problems I considered were the nature of the sound being fed into and coming from Max, how Max would get the sound of the percussion instrument only, and the visual complexity of the installation (i.e too many components).

I then became really interested in the digital alteration of electric signal to create sound, which is then made audible through the electro-magnetic properties of a loudspeaker, which in turn can alter the digital signal again.

My Eureka moment was when I remembered the analog synthesiser I purchased 2 years ago, a Monotron. With it I didn't need further musical instrument, and the electro-magnetic field of the loudspeaker could still be used for capacitive sensing. The Monotron is an 'easily' hackable device, with a PCB labelling clearly the various parts to solder in order to control the synth.

http://www.dinsync.info/2010/06/how-to-modify-korg-monotron.html