Walumi

An instrument which combines the theories of subtractive sound and color synthesis, inviting users to explore these concepts through a playful interaction

Walumi was created in collaboration with Lucy Kirakosyan and Wallis Millar-Blanchaer

Walumi blends subtractive sound and color synthesis concepts into a playful interactive instrument. This design encourages participants to actively engage with color mixing and its associated soundscapes, enhancing their grasp of these principles through an immersive, playful experience.

Participants move and play with acrylic sheets, which function as light filters, to selectively change which wavelengths of light, the RGB sensor is reading. These sheets, when placed between a light source and an RGB sensor, dictate the RGB light levels detected. The sensor feeds these readings into an Arduino, which then communicates the values to MAX MSP via serial transmission. Within MAX MSP, we map each color and their combinations to a distinct frequency array. These arrays orchestrate the resulting sound experience, emulating subtractive sound synthesis by filtering out specific frequencies, as new colors emerge through the users' interactions, creating a feedback loop.

Created using Arduino, RGB sensor, C++, and Max

Physical computing, Creative art

September 2023