AR_Step_Sequencer

Audio | Motion | Augmented Reality | Collaborative Interfaces

The AR Step Sequencer is a simple experiment in creating a musical interface that requires a group of people to play it. A grid of squares is projected onto the ground in a public space - each square should be approximately 1m^2 in size. Squares that are in the same column are positioned in the same spot on a timeline, while a square's sonic frequency is determined by the row that square is in (higher rows = higher pitches). The piece essentially functions like a human-scale monome, although instead of using buttons, the piece reacts to people standing in the individual squares of the grid. When the piece is started, it checks if there is a person standing in each square at a specified tempo. If there is, then it plays a sound. Multiple tones can be played at once if more than one square is occupied in any column at one time.

The piece is intended to be a playful "happening" in a public space to encourage people to share a musical experience. It encourages interaction and collaboration amongst the performers, and hopefully would encourage them to rethink their preconceptions about musical instruments and the act of composition.

The software is written in Pure Data (for sound output) and Processing handles the video processing. The piece is yet to be exhibited.