A novel method of digital scratching is presented as an alternative to currently available digital hardware interfaces and time-coded vinyl (TCV). Similar to TCV, the proposed method leverages existing analog turntables as a physical interface to manipulate the playback of digital audio.
To do so, however, an accelerometer/gyroscope–equipped smart phone is firmly attached to a modified record, placed on a turntable, and used to sense a performers movement, resulting in a wireless sensing-based scratching method. The accelerometer and gyroscope data is wirelessly transmitted to a computer to manipulate the digital audio playback in real-time.
The method provides the benefit of digital audio and storage, requires minimal additional hardware, accommodates familiar proprioceptive feedback, and allows a single interface to control both digital and analog audio. In addition, the proposed method provides numerous additional benefits including real-time graphical display, multi-touch interaction, and untethered performance (e.g “air-scratching”). Such a method turns a vinyl record into an interactive surface and enhances traditional scratching performance, while affording new and creative musical interactions. Informal testing show this approach to be viable, responsive, and robust.
To be presented at NIME 2011 (http://www.nime2011.org/) in Oslo, Norway May 31-June 1.
For more info, please see https://ccrma.stanford.edu/~njb/research/turntable/
[via mmi]
