Disclaimer: I change my projects entirely the night before they are due, so this is super bound to not be what happens.
This semester I had the pleasure of taking the Circuit Breakers class with Jonny Farrow. This class taught me all about creating circuits manually, meaning that no code was ever involved. The circuits we created produce sound, and we have made Atari Punk Consoles or Gated Oscillators. The class has also acquired a layer of design. How do you enclose your circuit, thinking of the user and the experience you want them to have? This is a super creative component of the class, and personally, one that I take very seriously.
The other day in Intro to IM, while looking at Examples on Processing, Michael showed us that there are files of code on Processing that make the exact same sounds as the oscillators we manually make in Circuit Breakers. This was a weird realization. What I liked about Circuit Breakers was that we were constructing these circuits manually and that what we were producing was due to understanding where to connect what pieces. By knowing that, you can then affect the sound you make by changing the values of capacitors, for example. It’s been a lot of hard work! And suddenly, I discover, that it can all be made from one click on a computer screen, all the work I have learned how to do manually, all digitalized.
I have decided to take the challenge of creating an instrument much like the ones we create for Circuit Breakers, but utilizing Arduino and Processing. I’d like to be as well versed as I am in this but in code. The most important parts I will need so far are LDRs, which I know run out super fast. All the rest of the materials I need are in the lab and all the instruments I need are in the lab too.
I know that this project might be simple to some, but this project will definitely involve a lot of coding, and the next disclaimer is: I SUCK AT CODING. It’s very challenging for me; it takes me hours to understand each homework assignment we have. I love the challenge, but studying theater has made my mind both visually and vocally. This will definitely be what I need most help in. I’d say the three hardest parts of my project are: coding, coding, coding. I haven’t done enough research yet, so I’m unsure how you would even go about making this happen, which I will do in the next days.