Creative Coding – Sonic Interactivity with Physical Computing (Arduino)

In preparation for my portfolio projects, I knew to execute my duvet sampler, I would have to expand into the coding and physical computing side of what sound art has to offer. Attending an introduction to a creative coding workshop in Arduino, answered many questions I had prior to this morning. In the workshop, we learned how to use and code the micro-computers themselves; using LED strips and small sensors that echo-located (there’s a proper term for this, I can’t remember haha). With these sensors, we learned how to code the computer to react through the LED strips, making the lights pulse or react to how close our hands were to the sensor. Kind of like a theremin for light (seen below). For my portfolio project, I knew I wished to use e-fabric or conductive thread within the duvet to act as the interactive element to trigger or manipulate the sound and nothing beyond that. Now, I have begun to uncover the details of the coding/computing side of how to execute this. Using an Arduino computer, I can connect Ableton via a plugin to map each sound and effect onto the computer itself and control and manipulate the sounds through the Arduino. In most situations I have researched using this method, knobs and switches are being used to trigger the sound/effects, connected to the breadboard of the Arduino. I need to learn how to substitute these knobs and switches with e-fabric and learn how to manipulate the sounds by handling and interacting with the fabric. I also am wondering if I were to have say- 24 different sounds and effects correlating to each panel of the duvet, would I need to have multiple Arduino computers or could I run it all through one? TBD