Interactive II: Project Milestones – 15 April

What we achieved:

Max MSP

  1. Extracting coordinates from Synapse and linked it to Max MSP
  2. Changing from mouse control to Kinect coordinates
  3. Particles initially tracked only on X and Y axis of window, but debugged to follow joint coordinates to move freely around the screen
  4. Fine tune particles to follow joints more smoothly
  5. All joints initially mapped to the left hand, leaving particles only connected to one joint
  6. Converting jit.gl.mesh into a matrix
  7. jit.xfade displays patches in separate windows but managed to sync individual particles into one window
  8. failure to interpolate Synapse’s Kinect’s depth mode and using it as a background mask layer – but created an alternative solution of background visualiser
  9. Audio-visual react – connecting Ableton to Max

For Max MSP, we managed to overcome several challenges that popped up time to time obstructing our process. Firstly, a block was being unable to connect the coordinates of the particles to the Kinect movement instead of ‘prepend mouse’. We managed to solve that by removing an argument in the code. Another main milestone was to be able to project all joint’s particles into one window, where initially it would open up in separate windows. Right now, we are currently in the stages of fine tuning the aesthetics and fine tuning the triggers of the audio.

Ableton Live

  1. Getting base tracks to work with commands dials
  2. Improved auditory tracks
  3. Fine tuning movements and audio react

For Ableton Live, it was a high level challenge to experiment with a new music software in just a short time period. Essentially, this project also requires music making and DJ skills in a sense, where cutting of tracks and beat matching is the key to making it work. Also, genre also played a major part that affects the entire project, with its varying tempo, sounds, and methods of triggering its layers. (Instrumental backing track, melody, beats etc). We overcame our first hurdle of finding fitting tracks and music cuts. Right now we are working on its seamlessness and gelling  the suitable sounds to an action triggered by the player.

 

Main Challenges

  • Producing suitable background tracks and music cuts
  • Achieving seamless audio react
  • Getting softwares to communicate with one another