BlahBlahCafe - Jean-Michel Jarre forum

Hello folks,

I've just done the finishing touches on the software for my very own Laser Harp. It's very much a prototype yet with all the parts just spread out on the floor, but it is fully functional and working very well. )

The "brain" of the Laser Harp (a laptop computer) is connected to the Korg M3 via the M3's USB/MIDI interface, and all sound is created by the M3 and its Radias expansion.

Have a look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL_AyNAuPRQ

, that is amazing. I want one.

Bravo !

Great work, how did you detect the laserbeams being broken?

Déjà Vue!

Dr_Jones wrote:Great work, how did you detect the laserbeams being broken?

A small, b&w USB camera from Mightex Systems "sees" the reflected light from my gloves. A laptop computer analyzes the camera frame (at almost 200 frames per second) to determine which beam(s) is interrupted.

Déjà Vue!

rfoshaug wrote:Hello folks,

I've just done the finishing touches on the software for my very own Laser Harp. It's very much a prototype yet with all the parts just spread out on the floor, but it is fully functional and working very well. )

The "brain" of the Laser Harp (a laptop computer) is connected to the Korg M3 via the M3's USB/MIDI interface, and all sound is created by the M3 and its Radias expansion.

Have a look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL_AyNAuPRQ

That is an awesome project and a great cover too !!

If you watch it in the new YouTube text resolution mode it looks like rfoshaug meets the matrix

Thanks.

AnDrOiD wrote:Déjà Vue!

Yeah, I usually don't like posting the same thing in several parts of the forum, but it seemed on-topic and relevant both here and in the "Instruments" section.

Lovely. If I had space and money (and knowledge how to build it), I would make one too

rfoshaug wrote:

AnDrOiD wrote:Déjà Vue!

Yeah, I usually don't like posting the same thing in several parts of the forum, but it seemed on-topic and relevant both here and in the "Instruments" section.

Just watched the video, and that's amazing; cool laser, cool cover version, (replicas are boring as hell and redundant, imo), and nice Jarre gestures. I don't say this often... BRAVO!

One thing, though... why doesn't it make any sounds at the end?

AnDrOiD wrote:

rfoshaug wrote:

AnDrOiD wrote:Déjà Vue!

Yeah, I usually don't like posting the same thing in several parts of the forum, but it seemed on-topic and relevant both here and in the "Instruments" section.

Just watched the video, and that's amazing; cool laser, cool cover version, (replicas are boring as hell and redundant, imo), and nice Jarre gestures. I don't say this often... BRAVO!

One thing, though... why doesn't it make any sounds at the end?

Thanks!

When the command to fold the laser harp is given to the computer from the sequencer in the Korg M3, it will wait with the actual folding until I remove my hand from the beams.

Once the actual folding starts, the harp will not send any MIDI data to the synth, and I can put my hands in the folding beams without any sound.

As with all of the animations, I can specify the number of seconds they will last, and this is also the case for how long it will stay as a single beam before shutting off the laser. If this time is more than 5 seconds, it will stay on for that number of seconds, except if I interrupt the single beam, in which case the laser will shut off immediately.

If the single beam time is shorter than 5 seconds (in this video it is set to about 3 seconds I think), it's the opposite. By keeping my hand in the single beam, I can extend the time before the laser shuts off. Once the light sensor (a special USB camera) no longer sees any light reflected from a glove and the beams have been folded for more than 3 seconds, it will shut off the laser. That's how I can bend down and "put the laser beam back into the harp". I simply move my glove below the camera's field of view, which causes the laser to shut off.



But the reason why the harp doesn't make any sound when I put my hands into the folding beams is that once the harp is in folding mode, it will not send MIDI data to the synth even if the camera sees reflected light.

Love it,Superb work,Respect to you

Laser harp is awesome,not only that the Cover Version is superb,love your own little groove at the end

Cover wise, THAT is the most impressive sounding and looking thing I've seen.

Technical wizardry!

Well done, The fact alone that you've built your own Lazerharp is astounding.

I enjoyed every second though I 'm not too sure about the solo sound that comes in under the harp.

I loved it over the drumbeat, really livened it up. BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!