notesdontmatter

Forum – Week 7 – Instrument Proposal

The DJD-Multi-Tone-Square-Zone:


This instrument, if successful, will be a combination of additive and frequency modulation synthesis. I am initially aiming to combine up to six square wave generating circuits that will have various individual and universal levels of amplitude and frequency resistance. The out put and circuit types may be varied during construction to broaden the instruments range of timbres.

I aim to create an easily playable user interface with selectable switching for piano key-like playback or continuous output of tones. This will allow some tones to be created as an accompaniment that compliments the output of others. As I plan to take advantage of the expressive options offered by light dependant resistors, I intend to create an individual and universal shading system that gives more control over their respective levels. This will allow all six tones to be altered simultaneously as well.

Ultimately, the instruments final output current should be fed to a switching chip that gives access to various hard resistance settings. This chip should be controlled by the Arduino USB board and a simple sequencing program in MAX. This will be an option that exists along side the other components and their output can be routed to it if desired. Hopefully this will give the user the power to have a tone(s) played automatically by the sequencer while the remaining tones provide accompaniment.

My design should be flexible enough to fit into any musical situation, be it abstract or conventional. Consideration has been given to the need for creating tonal stability as well as providing tools for expressive sound manipulation. Individual volume controls will allow the user to (on a simplistic level) ‘audition’ added tones to avoid or create dissonance intentionally. If this proposal is accepted I guess the only thing left to do is build it…hmm…


Reference:

Haines Christian. “Forum – Week 7 – Instrument Proposal.” Proposal requested as a course component of Music Technology IIB, Level 4, Schultz Building, University of Adelaide, 6th of September 2007.

Sebastian Tomczak. “Forum – Week 7 – Instrument Proposal.” Proposal requested as a course component of Music Technology IIB, Level 4, Schultz Building, University of Adelaide, 6th of September 2007.

posted by David J Dowling @ 10:00 AM