This prototype (built in the "Physical Interfaces" course of the Digital Media Course at the Hochschule Darmstadt in 2013) is a device that is attached an instrument and able to measure its acceleration and its vertical and horizontal position. It delivers the values to the computer, where the instrument's signal arrives. This signal can then be modified by the values the device delivers though manipulating audio effects. Ultimately, the player is able to manipulate the instrument's sound simply by moving the instrument.
Through this device, a player is able to instantly change the sound of the instrument's signal without using feet or fingers while playing along. Possible effects can be filters, distortion, creation of oscillator sounds or white noise, etc.
In the end, any digital audio effect is possible.
The technical setup for this prototype is mainly based on an acceleration sensor and an Arduino board. There a two additional buttons for turning the two effects on or off (one effect is mapped to the Y and the other to the X rotation axis of the instrument).
The Arduino board runs the standard firmata that is constantly communicating with Processing. Processing maps these values and transmits them to a PureData project, where they are smoothed, translated to midi control values and instantly sent on to a sequencer program. There, it possible to alter any parameter of any effect or plugin the processes the incoming audio signal of the instrument.
