Electronic music interface

Problem/Finish Description
There is no standard user interface to a synthesizer, yet there is a great synthesizer in the cheapest kids toy. Goal is to develop an open source, standardized user interface to a synthesizer.

Conceive
Synthesizer interfaces typically have limited selection or a knob for every possibility. Neither engage kids. Parents end up throwing away any kids toy that generates sounds.

Drums seem to be the starting point of making synthesizer. And the most attractive drum interface seems to be the beat bearing [video]. Electronic music and DIY festivals exist at which this synthesizer could be demonstrated.

Demo

 * Presentation
 * video

Next Steps

 * Build plexiglass beat bearing board (intro class)
 * Fit into the Roland Boss Loop Station world video
 * Expand drum repertoire of midi synthesizers (intro class)
 * shrink this drum rudiment history into a small paragraph
 * add the 40 rudiments
 * go through different drum patterns that drummers practice and bundle them into arduino code


 * go through free software file formats/mechanisms for recording and mixing sounds that can capture (store in a file on hard drive) what this beat bearing synthesizer creates ... figure out what data captured by the program running in the arduino that controls the interface can be stored ... see if it can be translated into an open source format (intro class)
 * Write sample code to use the midi buttons to stop and start a song (intro class)
 * Processing use of the LCD monitor (intro class)
 * Papilio FPGA use LCD monitor (enes-245)
 * Papilio interface to beat bearing board (enes-245)
 * Papilio serial interface to arduino (enes-245)
 * 1) Write arduino code to cycle through all drum possibilities using the midi shield buttons to stop and start moving through the possibilities
 * 2) Write arduino code to using the midi shield pots to change tempo
 * 3) Write arduino code to send signals to processing through usb cable