Or, if you're prefer a different model:
Since last time, I:
Fixed my interference issues by:
Got the software working reasonably reliably.
Designed and 3D printed a case, with lots of help from my MAS.837 TA, Lancelot.
Dumped epoxy all over the back of the metal plate to make it less likely the little piezo wires will break off.
Revived the Mac version of my MIDI mapper and made a cut down version that is designed to drive a wind instrument synth (code).
While this works, it's a little bulky for attaching to the mandolin. I also don't like having a bunch of wires running from the teeth to the computer and that I only have thirteen of the eighteen inputs hooked up. I've also been enjoying playing it with my fingers, in more of a piano orientation. I decided to make a new version that's all a single board:
The squares show where the "teeth" will go.
I've prepared a new batch of eighteen pluck sensors:
Sanding them smooth was a good fit for watching the kids at the park.
I'm a bit nervous with this design that something will break and it will be hard to repair because it's all on one board, but it's got to be better than the giant blob of epoxy in the v1 design.
If this works well I might make a case for it where only the teeth poke out?
This post uses the same approach as last year, which is almost the same as before then. Numbers are monthly, based on 2023 spending:
2024-04-19 through 2024-04-21: NEFFA. It's this weekend! On Friday night Kingfisher is playing the contra medley (9pm) and then a set of contras (9:30) with Alex Deis-Lauby calling. We'll be playing again on Sunday for a family dance (3pm) with Kristin Siebert calling. Plus Lily and I are leading a kids contra tune jam on Sunday at 2pm (tunes).
2024-04-27: Northboro. Adults $10, $5 students. Rick, Lily, and I are playing as Dandelion. This is Lily's first dance as a booked musician, and first time playing on-mic! It's also an afternoon dance, 2pm-4:30, not an evening one. Harris Lapiroff will be calling.
2024-05-11: Somerville Porchfest on Morrison Ave, Kingfisher with Harris calling. Free and outdoors, with a rain date of the next day. Here's the status of my block party application, with all the different city departments reviewing it; it looks likely that we'll be able to close the street again:
We're playing 2pm until ~3:30pm, since we need to drive to Hartford to play the evening dance with Don Veino.
2024-05-16: Concord Thursday. Evening contra dance as Kingfisher with Julian Blechner calling.
Work | Nucleic Acid Observatory | |
Work | Speaking | |
Band | Free Raisins | |
Band | Kingfisher | |
Code | Whistle Synth | |
Code | Apartment Price Map | |
Board | BIDA Contra | |
Board | Giving What We Can | |
Child | Lily | |
Child | Anna | |
Child | Nora |