I have started to log key areas of my research in, what will eventually become, sprawling posts on the subject. These will feature the latest findings at the top and act a some sort of replacement for my now defunct Twitter feed, where I would often post rambling threads on a topic that featured multiple video demos. Where relevant, they will also feature design files, links to parts etc…for those wishing to build on my experiments.

The Piezo Module

The various experiments below led to a new ams module. It’s a rather odd module in that it just has four piezo elements glued to its face, that are each simply wired to four outputs. In itself it just sits there but give it (or the module case near it) a tap and it can be used to control other modules in the way that is described in the previous entry.

The Piezo Module responds accurately and without noticeable latency if the strike is hard and abrupt, whereas it can miss some taps if they are less harsh or distinct. This can be used to good effect by altering the compliance of the element that strikes the module.

I also used the neighbouring Shaper module in a similar way to how I first used it for sequencing. In this case the magnetic beater could reach across to tap the front of the Piezo Module, resulting in the output of control voltage. I love how organic and adaptable this is.

Today’s experiment #1 – Tapping the Piezo Module with a spring

Today’s experiment #2 – Tapping the Piezo Module with a harder beater

Today’s experiment #3 – Tapping the Piezo Module with a harder beater (faster)

Tapping Piezos

I tested a piezo element plugged directly into an ams module and found it provided reasonable control based on tapping it. Piezo elements output some voltage when tapped and using either the CV-gain of the module itself or by putting it through an amplifier, I got a usable control signal. Next thing I tried was to make it Look Mum No Hands…

Magnetic platters [2/n]

Through my natural tendency to challenge the intended use of a piece of kit, even if it is one I have (co-)designed, I started to become obsessed with magnetic platters. In fact, I believe the ‘loose coupling’ of magnets in general has a lot to offer in the field of human-machine music.

My next round of experiments in this area included this basic magnetised turntable.

Today’s experiment #1 – Snare with magnetic platter

Today’s experiment #2 – Snare with magnetic platter and additional fouling magnet

Today’s experiment #3 – Snare with magnetic platter and clock spring

Today’s experiment #4 – Snare with magnetic platter, clock spring and fouling magnets

There’s almost too much to unpack here in terms of what I like about it. The way it locks into ordered, but only just hanging in there, looping patterns is very pleasing to me..but this relies on an unfathomably complex set of variables. I am torn between trying to engineer the whole thing better and letting it be.

One question arising from this is whether I consider it an instrument in its own right, or whether I also see it as a potential controller for ams. I suspect the latter.

Starter for 10… [1/n]

Similar to my research into flexures and compliant mechanisms my work in this area seeks to harness and disrupt the metronomic capability of musical machines.

I’ve been loosely attaching things to rotating platters to this end for many years…

But in the context of my work developing ams a chance discovery made when misusing a control module led to some fascinating results.

This is using the Shaper module, which has a hot-swappable magnetic platter (for swapping between rhythmical divisions) and a rangefinder to generate control voltage. In the above video it is not using the rangefinder at all. It’s just a rotating platter with magnets in it. Below I patched the control voltage from the rangefinder, as the spring ‘enters view’ to control the Tumbler module.

This spawned whole new areas of investigation, resulting in new modules to both process and generate such outputs.