I’ve just completed a project which details how to control the Pimoroni Unicorn Hat Mini using Sonic Pi It includes full details of the software required and how to set it up.
You can read it here.
A
Midi player on Pi4
I have recently added an article to the site detailing a program which enables Sonic Pi to play Midi Files. There are two versions: one uses a TouchOSC interface running on a table ort phone to control the process, the other simpler one works directly, but you have to specify synths in advance.
My latest article describes how to control the Helm Synth from Sonic Pi with the aid of a TouchOSC template running on a tablet. The software is described and can be downloaded, and there is a video of the system in operation.
After quite a gap, I’ve at last got around to writing two further articles, for those interested in usingThe first article explains how to set up Qsynth with Sonic Pi on a Raspberry Pi or linux based computer running Sonic Pi. Unfortunately, for Raspberry Pi you need to install your own version of Sonic Pi built from Source, as the version currently supplied with the latest Raspbian Buster dated 2019-09-26 although built from Sonic Pi 3.1 source, does NOT include essential elements necessary for Midi or OSC communications to work.
I hope to publish details on building version 3.1 for Sonic Pi shortly, together with a bundled download that will let you install it, although not a full blown debian package which is difficult to build.
The first article details how to to install and connect Qsynth to Sonic Pi, tested on a full Sonic Pi 3.1 version running on a Pi4.
The second article details various techniques using OSC messaging to control various aspects of the Sonic Pi, like altering effects, volume, pan settings, samples playing in real time. This uses the TouchOSC application available for IOS or Android phones and tablets to send the control signals. This article applies to Sonic Pi running on Mac or Windows as well.
A new version of code to enable you to use your computer keyboard for note input in realtime for Sonic Pi.
Full details on this page, including links to a video and to the code required.
I have made some changes to version 1 which makes the program more flexible. The main change is that it is now possible to re-run the Sonic Pi program (now named spiroAuto.rb) which will abort the drawing currently in progress and start drawing a new design. This make it possible to change to a new drawing without having to wait for ` drawing to finish.
Also, instead of just having a few pre-chosen drawing parameters in the program, I now generate the parameters at random (with certain constraints), which means that you can continuously call up new designs. Thirdly I have added an option which changes the plot colour of a drawing to a random value at periodic intervals while it is drawing. This is set to a fairly low probability by line 34 in the spiroAuto.rb program
p+=[["purple","red","yellow","green","blue"].choose,["saw","tri","piano"].choose,
["true","false","false","false"].choose]
To adjust the probability simply change the section
["true","false","false","false"].choose
to give change the ratio of “true” to “false”. e.g. changing the overall line to
p+=[["purple","red","yellow","green","blue"].choose,["saw","tri","piano"].choose,
["true","false"].choose]
would give equal probability to random colour changes or fixed colour drawing.(random when true, fixed when false). Similarly you could give a larger selection of fixed colours in the first part of the list if you wish.
To make the program easier to install, I have put the code into a repository in github at
https://github.com/rbnpi/SpirographWithSonicPi/
From there you can download the repository to your computer, and set it up ready to go following the instructions in the READMEforSonicPi.md file
A video of the new program in action can be found here
I have just completed a project which uses Sonic Pi 3.1 to control a python drawn spirograph, based on a python project by marktini on github.
You can read an article about the project, which contains full details of the code employed and links to a video of the project in action here.
I have just completed a project to produce a new Theremin for Sonic Pi, using a new Time of Flight laser sensor breakout board with a Raspberry Pi 3. The performance is far superior to the previous version I did using an Ultrasound Sensor.
A full article giving details of the project with links to a video and all the software resources is available here.
A 16 channel sequencer which runs on Sonic Pi 3, which is controlled by a TouchOSC screen. You can find an article describing the project with links to a video and to the software here
I have just completed and published a second version of my Sonic Pi driven Glockenspiel
This version uses overhead hammers, and is more adaptable to work with a wider range of Glockenspiels. I set it up with a Plus Percussion PP1130 13 note Glockenspiel, which also has the facility to change certain notes so that it can play in C major, F major or G major. The article I have written contains constructional photos full circuit and software details and a link to a video of the working system.
rbnrpi 