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An Audio Sampler Rube Goldberg Would Love
Thiago writes "Here is an audio sampler I made with 4 IR LEDs and 4 IR sensors. When something reflective goes by one of the sensor/LED combos, it triggers an event on the computer. On the videos, I mount the device on a turntable and use coins to trigger sound samples of my choice. I'd also like to make the project open-source (or whatever applies to hardware) but know nothing about licenses for this."
Just in case site is ./'ed
c/o Archive.Org
Video 1
Video 2
I made something similar, consisting of several metres of wire, a video camera, a microphone, loudspeaker, a hammer, some heavy duty duct tape, and several cats.
Worked fantastically well, until the damn RSPCA turned up.
Told me it would have been fine if I'd only used poodles.
So this is like a physical version of the curiously addictive BallDroppings, then?
Ydco co
A friend of mine did something similar for a project using IR sensors. In that case, he had a break in the beam trigger a sample, so he could have a LASER HARP
-mkb
Unless the RIAA decides to claim this is breaking the copy rights of the sample music!
/. always finds a way.
or SCO claims that the IR LEDs are using a technology they developed but cannot be released; it's a trade secret!
but can Gentoo load and play the samples more quickly thanks to its more streamlined and modern kernel?!
(ps: I'm just kidding. We all know that Apple already developed this technology and there's is far cooler and superior thanks to its scroll wheel.)
This is bloody awesome!
Now, I'm not sure that this is something your local DJ Sixpack would use, but I'm pretty sure you could turn this into a toy for children:
Imagine a record with holes you can fill with plastic pins - spin the record, and hear what you just made! It would exercise the children's sense of rythm and logic. Hell, make it a standalone unit while you're at it, and make cardridges that hold the samples. Drums, guitars, voices, bird sounds, car sounds, etc.
As for the license, it depends on what you want in return. Good karma or money? Or both?
www.6502asm.com - Code 6502 assembly or.. DIE!!
One suggested improvement: have the reflectivity control some variable (like pitch). small/dark/further away reflector will give you a low note, and a large/bright/close one will give you a high note.
Trust the Computer. The Computer is your friend.
Rube Goldberg's inventions
Everything you ever wanted to know about open source licenses and more!
Remember, anything you read here about open source licensing is only an opinion. Educate yourself!
A patent only gives you the right to sue someone who infringes on your patent. Deepest pockets win. Better to put in the public domain so that no one can grab it and claim ownership.....
I don't know any licenses specifically designed with hardware in mind, but why not use one of the Creative Commons licenses?
quidquid latine dictum sit altum videtur.
I'd describe this as a sequencer, not a sampler.
I bet you didn't already apply for a patent? then you just published it(making it unpatentable, even by you) and made the idea free for all to use.
world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
Imagine a record with holes you can fill with plastic pins - spin the record, and hear what you just made! It would exercise the children's sense of rythm and logic.
The first thing that popped into my head was that gadget/toy that consists of a rectangular frame filled with small parallel metal rods; the rods can move in Y (but not in X) to make 3-D images of objects. Often they are used to make replicas of people's faces. What the heck are they called?? Grrr.
Anyway, picture a record-like disc of these movable rods. The child can move the rods, fix them in place and then play the creation. This fits with your idea: the disc would be heavier but the rods would be captive (and thus much harder for the child to lose them)
Hell, make it a standalone unit while you're at it, and make cardridges that hold the samples. Drums, guitars, voices, bird sounds, car sounds, etc.
With a simple process for converting the audio to a sound file and a USB port for exporting the child's music.
I want to drag this out as long as possible. Bring me my protractor.
Which is why WD-40 is not patented. They would have to tell the world what is in their product and they don't want to do that.
And before anyone remarks that I'm wrong, I just called the WD-40 corporation to verify this. I had heard about this a long time ago and wanted to confirm this information before I posted.
We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
Its neat but its going to be a little cumbersome in the phone booth.
I started with nothing and I still have most of it.
You could finally have more than one sensor in between frets on a guitar, so that MIDI pitch bends and such sound realistic. You'd have to wear a shiny glove to play it, but that could be cool, so long as it's not sequened. Of course, I officially copyright this idea as of..... now.
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This device is simple. If you had a quarter dispensed by a complex pathway, say using wires, traps, egg timers, cats yowling after having their tails smashed, etc., THEN you would be approaching Rube Goldberg territory.
It's basically 4 switches that signal a program to play different soundtracks.
What would be interesting if it wasn't all digital signal, and he threw in an A/D converter so he could detect the IR light brightness, so a dull coin would produce a different sound than a nice and shiny coin... so you have more combinations.
Just having 4 on/off signals isn't that impressive right now, but it does have potential (of course, after a while you'd probably want to migrate to the serial port for speed and complexity).
Isn't this the high tech equivalant of putting baseball cards in the spokes of your bicycle and then being amazed how they sound different depending on how fast you go.
News flash: not every piece of freely available information has to be open-source! If you want others to be be able to use/improve your idea, publish the technical specifications and tell (clearly) how you did it. If you don't, don't tell anyone about it and maybe file a patent. It's that simple.
Open source licenses for hardware.... now I've heard everything.
Great story about Daphne Oram of the BBC RadioPhonics laboratory. She came up with a similarly inspired musical-thingy in the late 50's. Albeit entirely analog (analogue?) http://www.obsolete.com/120_years/machines/oramics /
Egads man, I'm gonna be rich! What, with the secret formula to WD-40, and I craftily deduced that Tabasco sauce is cayenne pepper, vinegar and salt, I stand to make from these two products alone. I could be a trillionaire by using the recipes on the backs of many foodstuffs, why I just noticed that this can of Mountain Dew I'm drinking just gives away their secret! Those fools! MWAHAHAH! They're rue the day they made this slipup, oh the rueing shall be glorious with the gnashing of teeth and beating of breasts.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Oh, that link should have been: Raymond Scott's circle machine.
So, to repeat: this 1950s contraption used a photocell at the end of a rotating arm: " The intensity of each light in this circle is individually adjustable. At the tip of the arm there is a photo cell. This cell is a part of an electronic sound generating system, so adjusted that the more light the cell 'sees' the higher the pitch of the sound produced. The cell also moves around in a circle at adjustable speeds. One of the controls, above the circle of lights, changes the pitch center of the complete cycle when required. As you will notice, there are many variable functions possible."
The link has sound samples.
I will use the Preview button. I will use the Preview button. I will use the Preview button...
"How to Do Nothing," kids activities, back in print!