I PROMISE TO MAKE YOU GIVE A SHIT

Let me just say first off that in my world, sometimes the most complicated solution is the simplest solution. I have a tendency to cobble massive amounts of random ass software together in order to create transient computing experiences that last just long enough to convince innocent standbyers that I am a competent coder, when in fact I rely upon pieces of software that were really not intended to be doing what I am having them do. In short, I’ve become a hacker.

You might remember this approach with Chime, where I had an Asterisk server (a hosted voicemail server, essentially) speaking to a softphone on my computer, which was in turn relaying voice data to Max/MSP where pitch analysis was generating MIDI notes that were being imported and quantized in Ableton Live. WTF?! Anyways, it works.

Now with that out of the way, let me explain this crazy ass rig I have going here. Basically, I have serial data being generated in Max (from MIDI notes being pushed from Ableton Live) being sent to the Arduino, which is in turn controlling the LEDs and playing them in a sequence determined by the music coming from Ableton. Pretty cool! Definitely my intention.

Max Patch Sending and Receiving Serial

Ableton Live Setup

However, it’s not much of an “instrument” yet. Seeing as the control element is still not quite up to snuff, I decided to experiment with a potentiometer controlling the tempo in Ableton, so I set up a parallel patch that is receiving serial data from the Arduino that is being pushed to Ableton through the ctlout object. Sure, all of this could’ve been done using OSC but who has that kind of time?

So now, a potentiometer controls the tempo of a pre-sequenced composition in Ableton by way of Arduino and Max/MSP. Which means that theoretically, I could hook up flex sensors all over my body, mess with the tempo indefinitely and be completely content. Of course, it’s all a breadboard dream right now.

Tomorrow, provided I haven’t inhaled a copiously toxic level of non-lead solder, I will be expanding the breadboard version to a larger-scale mockup of the jars I will be using to contain the lights. Additionally, the controller may end up being kill switches for each of the MIDI channels.

In short, sometimes making it work within the allotted time requires some shortcuts. At some point I will be making a whole list on how to make this without having to jump through all of these hoops. But for now, there are hoops.