Beats by Rae

An electromechanical beat machine.

Skills:

  • mechanism design

  • circuit design

  • software design

  • digital fabrication

  • CAD

My beat machine generates rhythmic patterns using four drum kit sounds: kick, snare, and two cymbals. Each drum noise is played by a servo motor-driven hammer which strikes a force-sensitive resistor (FSR) triggering a corresponding MIDI note in Ableton. User interaction is through four potentiometer sliders, one for each drum, offering sixteen discrete positions to control the number of notes played within a 16-beat measure. Code implementation of the Euclidean algorithm ensures a balanced distribution of notes. The beat machine also includes three audio effects—tempo, reverb, and saturation—controlled by potentiometer knobs for further customization of the beats.

Prototype Progression

1. Initial test using a solenoid and NPN transistor to throw hammer.

2. Transition to servo motor to throw hammer due to higher consistency.

3. Testing the sync two hammers.

4. Testing Euclidian beat distribution with two hammers.

The Algorithm

In a Euclidian Rhythm, notes are distributed as evenly as possible throughout a measure. Here, I show different ways of distributing four notes over an eight-beat measure.

On my beat machine, the player decides how many notes each drum should play over the course of a looping sixteen-beat measure. The Euclidian algorithm then distributes these beats as evenly as possible over the sixteen beats. An example of eleven notes distributed within a sixteen-beat measure is shown.

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