Prototype for Sound flowers

Idea

Original idea sketch of Sound Branches - which was not realized

Idea sketch for sound flower

Last time, I experimented with hitting different objects with a servo motor to produce different percussive sounds.

For the next project, I decided to push the idea further. This time, instead of having the servo motor make the sound, I wanted to make a instrument that the user can play directly. By using conductive materials in the instrument, I am planning to produce MIDI signals.

Physical prototype

Type A: Bell

Photo of a metal stick with chains, on top of different sized metal scraps

Type A

shaking and hitting a chain to metal objects to make sounds

The first type of this prototype would be a shakable instrument that you hit on conductive materials. As you hit conductive materials with different levels of resistance, the contact will produce different levels of electronic signals. This will be converted into different MIDI sounds.

Type B: Branch

Photo of a branch-shaped wire with copper tape leaves

Type B

Video of touching copper tape leaves attached to wire branches to make sounds

touching copper tape leaves to make sounds

shaking wire branches to make sounds

The second type of this instrument would be a branch-shaped instrument that you touch or shake. Copper tapes would be leaves and wires would be branches. By touching the copper leaves with your hand or shaking the branches, you will be able to produce different levels of electric resistance, thereby sending different signals to Arduino.