d touch DIY audio sequencer + drum machine

‘d-touch’ tactile audio sequencer and drum kit

designed by a team of researchers as a tactile, DIY interface for realtime audio production, the d-touch drum machine and sequencer lets users record samples and loop them into mixes by repositioning ordinary paper cubes or other marked objects. first made available in 2009, a just-released version of the free software permits the importation of pre-existing wav files and additional control functions.

the downloadable d-touch software works in conjunction with a printable paper board, whose changes are tracked via the computer’s webcam. after calibrating the board, users may record and mix audio through the rearrangement of paper cubes (or other objects), onto which design markers have been printed or pasted.

full view of the board with cubes

demo of the sequencer

the ‘d-touch sequencer’ consists of two playback areas, a small recording area, and a pattern storage area. in the playback area, the horizontal position of blocks controls the timing of sounds within their loop; the vertical position controls volume; and their orientation determines playback speed. by placing a cube in the recording area, the current live input is recorded to that block; by placing one in the storage area, the current content of the playback areas is stored. three special markers permit the use of cubes for starting and ending a loop mid-track, and a tempo dice permits the selection of loop duration.

demo of the drum machine

the ‘d-touch drum machine’ consists of a single interactive area of 11 rows, each corresponding to a different sound (indicated in the video above by text labels). the horizontal position of the blocks determines the timing of the loop.

cellist giovanni sollima utilizes an early d-touch sequencer for a 2008 performance in monza, italy

via eurekalert

— designboom design-aerobics courses

design-aerobics 2011: PAPER course september 15 – november 15, 2011beyond a writing surface, paper can be used for so much more. furniture, lighting, packaging– from the planning stages to finished works, this fall designboom will explore the infinite possibilities of this material. to see a sample lesson and information on how to enroll click here.