music installation project using sensors

[Staceyb]

Hi all.
Hoping someone may be able to help. I'm completely new to electronics in music so please bare with me.

I have to do a music installation for my degree and I'm thinking of using sensors to trigger tracks of my composition based on movement (the more movement, the more tracks are triggered)

As i say I'm completely new to this so if anyone can give me any tips on how to get started I'd be really grateful.

Thanks

[Leo_Gnardo]

I was asked a similar question by a Vassar student about 1990. One development was this: conductive rubber mats used to prevent static from damaging sensitive electronic components were set up as control voltage generators for old-fashioned synth modules. The mats served essentially as potentiometers with a DC voltage brought to one end, zero volts to the other, and dancers feet as the pickups for voltage sent to modules.

These days I'm sure you could do a whole lot more with computer synthesis, say using a video image, picking a few pixel points on that image, interpreting pixel's brightness/color as control elements for "virtual" synth modules, for pitch, loudness, modulation etc. Movement to trigger sound? Program each sound module to remain silent unless there is a change in condition of the controlling pixel.

I'm sure more ideas will follow, stay tuned! And welcome aboard!

[Staceyb]

Hi.
Thanks for the fast reply and the welcome.

This really is completely new to me as I'm mostly a classical performer but wanted to try something out of my comfort zone so thanks for the suggestions. I'll look into these. Im sure more questions will follow too