Proto Music Mixer
Exploring a new way to mix soundtracks
Prototype Development | Creative Exploration | Coding
Being a DJ is cool when you are performing in front of the crowd or simply enjoying yourself, however, it requires some initial investment and/or understanding of the software to begin the learning process. Which is where people get discouraged.
As an interest-driven project, we want to use readily available technologies to create an intuitive and exciting music mixing experience for all.
5 Weeks
Yaozheng Wang
Shravan Hotha
Junyan Li
Wekinator
Processing
Javascript
3D Printing
Physical Prototyping
Proto Music Mixer is an experimental concept that enables people to mix sound tracks through manipulating physical objects.
The fundamental system behind our rig is quite simple and classic: a feedback loop consists of a sensor(a webcam), a processor(the image recognition program), and an actuator(the speaker).
It didn’t take us very long to figure out how would the basic interactions with our device. After some discussion with random objects and a clean sheet of paper, we quickly moved to research and test for tools that can turn our design into reality.
It didn’t take us very long to figure out how would the basic interactions with our device. After some discussion with random objects and a clean sheet of paper, we quickly moved to research and test for tools that can turn our design into reality.
It took some time to get the Wekinator-Processing combo to work properly but we did it. Now it is a good time to gain a better understanding of the interactions and form factors of our contraption with a Ver.0.5 prototype.
After solving a number of technical difficulties on our test mule, we felt confident enough to move on to the final, higher fidelity build. While wrapping up the final bit of coding work at the same time.
Even though the initiative was very much interest-driven, I’m still seeing potentials where similar principles would be applicable outside of art galleries. For example, a button-less, in-car infotainment panel, operated by a single physical device - the user can place it on different sections of the panel to interact with different features.
With that being said, it was great fun when 3 DOers came together: things move fast from ideas to validation, followed by iterations until the final product.