I've got to the section in writing up my PhD where I outline my research into flexible beater designs in my musical machines. This is the first finding in the context of ams (acoustic modular system) from 2020. What a moment this was...!
I've done a little programming involving polyrhythms. It's very easy to make things happen in a polyrhythmic fashion by using loops and the modulus function. When applied to integers, it returns the integer remainder after (possibly repeated) division. This makes it possible to turn a sequence of numbers like 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 ... into a sequence like 0, 1, 2, 3, 0, 1, 2, 3 ... or 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 ..., etc. In pseudocode, it would look something like this: for i = 0 upto infinity: if i modulus 3 == 0, hit bass drum; if i modulus 4 == 0: hit cymbal; if i modulus 7 == 0: shake maraca; and so on. So far, I've only used this for graphics (animation), but if I knew how to do audio programming, I could use it for music (or at least sounds). It's the virtual equivalent of a row of disks rotating on a shaft with cams placed appropriately.
@@ParpClinkBonk I'm not sure what you mean. This is something I got to work. I haven't used the idea recently, but I probably will again. Unfortunately, RU-vid doesn't allow links, but if you're interested, the things where I used this idea shouldn't be difficult to find. Otherwise, you could send me an email, if this would be of interest to you.
@@ParpClinkBonk I might, but there are actually things I'm more interested in doing at the moment, involving real instruments. I also have a lot of effect pedals and I haven't even scratched the surface of what's possible with them. I spend a lot of time in front of the computer programming anyway, so it's nice to do something else instead.
Just in case you or somebody else might be interested, a similar idea I've used is to use algebraic curves that can be expressed using a single parameter `t' (in this case representing time) to control when something happens. It could be location, pitch, amplitude, or whatever. For example, to make something oscillate, the sine function can be used, to make something start out fast and then slow down, the logarithmic function, and to make something increase quickly, the exponential function. There are an infinite number of possibilities. It would be interesting to make this happen with physical objects, e.g., by having a fulcrum of a linkage travel along an edge cut to represent one of these curves.
For Japanese game geeks, this is a very inspiring rhythm. Specifically, "Bad Apple!! feat.nomico" from Touhou Project.and it's very cool. (Please excuse the poor English translation.)
@@ParpClinkBonk there are a few things at play here that can be reduced to CC's in terms of the drums placement, and parameters for the living hinge of course. Juce it up.
Someone on one of our Mammoth Beat Organ workshops tried similar. It was beautifully chaotic but far less structured / repetitive. Maybe with a different set up the output could’ve been tamed a bit but I think it’s always going to be more chaotic.
sounds great and interesting and visceral research. Have you thought about having a servo switch between the 3 or 4 positions you have shown to transition between the different designs?
Hey. Thank you. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to undertake it. I built a servo-tilted zither, controlled over CV. In that case, with multiple beaters, the density of the pattern was altered with the tilting. There’s always at least one human in my machines, so there’s a balance to be struck (for me) between what I do and don’t want to automate.
@@ParpClinkBonk I also do prefer to keep a human in the loop and not have a fully automated generator, the steps in which you switch and the resulting patterns just looked/sounded so distinct that it would be fun to see what would be possible if you could switch quicker between extreme steps, a bit like jumping keys.
You can do a PhD in most things with a willing supervisor :) It’s far less technical than what you describe. The intention is mostly to inspire people to make new instruments, in order to make new music 🙏🏼
@@ParpClinkBonk ah thats far more fun sounding to read than i thought then thats so true !! literally most of everyone just use existing instruments to make music. i never thought of that does it explore whether you need expensive tools or materials to do that?
@@nyuh Not so much the latter in this case, but that’s because it’s about my acoustic modular system, which is all rather snazzy. But I’ve made loads of interesting instruments with very little gear and seen many great performances on interesting but rudimentary / cheap to make stuff.
quite amazing, all it needs is a couple automated guitars, automated horns section, and a crazy robot singing the vocals, the you will have music from ghana
