Blog Post 4 - Clock Follow Up

During this session, we created a functional clock that reacted with real time live data.

We started with some simple text and a background before developing and adding the time.

We then went through an added the time using the appropriate nodes.

It wasn’t too difficult to understand. Although the nodes were a bit tricky, once we went through it it made sense.

As a final task, we were to then add an icon that would change with temperature.

This finally lead to this. The image would change when the temperature number was between preset values. This was above 10 and we set images for between 0 and 10 and under 0.

For our follow up work, we were to create a clock face that functioned using a tutorial.

This was the first patch that created the rendered clock. This was a lot of fun and really got me used to how values work and using the time nodes. I found it simple thanks to the work we did in class. I did struggle to understand why dividing and adding from minutes to hours made it work but I just accepted it.

The only trouble I had with the second part was getting the slices to appear which I figured out in the end. I made sure everything was scaled but I would like to go back and tidy up the Photoshop a bit. It was a bit rushed due to thinking the patch would take a lot longer. 

Blog Post 3 - Follow up and further research

For the follow up task, we were required to follow a tutorial and create a patch that utilises sub-patches and effects. I began by creating the main patch and then planned to put it into a sub-patch.

I would have liked to have cleaned it up a bit but as I was following the tutorial, I tried to keep as close to what was being shown so I could keep up. This was a relatively simple patch and expanded on a lot of things we had done in classes. This created an effect and changing various things would have a different outcome. Then it was to add effects after turning it into a sub-patch.

The first effect I tried was dots. Remembering what was done in class, I turned the render into a texture to connect it to the filter and then another render, through a fullscreen quad.

I tried it with the tunnel filter and this was the outcome.

It was great to experiment with lots of filters and get a feel for the effect and visuals that could be created in VVVV just by creating and manipulating a shape.

For research, I started to look at existing patches that were fairly simple.

(GuiTwo, 2012)

I was able to download this patch but upon looking at it, theres a few nodes I still don’t know so I would like to learn about those in future. This is a shape that reacts to music using a beat detector. I like the geometric and simplistic design but wish it would fill the screen more.

Being a little more ambitious, I found a video of a simple music visualiser that’s being projection mapped onto shapes.

(J.P, 2016)

I feel like its important to realise that even a simple design can be used in quite a complex and effective way and that bigger isn’t always better. It can be simple yet functional.

For my project, I would like to stick to this principle. Create something that’s relatively simple, but functional and visually appealing. In a room it should complement the area and not take it over. Just a bold shape, bright colours and reactive to music.

References

GuiTwo, 2012. cubos_coloridos. [Art].

J.P, T., 2016. Music Visualisation with vvvv. [Art].

Blog Post 2 - Research and Follow up

During this session, we were taught about different types of spread and how they look in VVVV as well as the set slice node. The exercises included a mock restaurant menu that added text and values from an input box with multiple options and creating different shapes and colours with the spread nodes.

For the follow up work, one of the tasks was to create a patch with a circular spread of 15 with a bang that made the circle become bigger or smaller.

Using what we had done before, I found it relatively easy to do. I figured that it would need to switch between two inputs creating two states for the circle to switch between. This is where I added switches to width and height of the circular spread. I manually created the input numbers by right clicking and dragging till I was satisfied with the shape. Then I created the toggle node to set up the bang that would switch between these two inputs and connected them. To finish it off, I added two dampers to create a fluent motion. It would be a good idea to use an lfo to switch between them automatically if I needed to.

This was using a node to generate a random spread of 10 and use the set slice node to select the 3^rd slice. Remembering that 0 is the first slice, I wrote 2 to select the right one. 

I began to look into music visualizers and some existing examples of work.

(lecloneur, 2012)

This is just a still image that was posted but I loved the dimension within it. The variation of colours is very attractive and the idea of moving lines and shapes is appealing. It would be great to see it in action but it would look good if it seemed like the user was travelling into this design by having the shapes expand and come forward.

I then came across a video that reacted with changing levels in music. This included volume and specific parts of the sound.  The first image is with a lot of sound and the second is during the calmer parts of the music.

(DunkingMachine, 2014)

I similar idea and project is done with a group of bubbles instead. The same principle applies with the first being its resting state and the second is with music as live data, changing its form and shape. 

        (Villari, 2013)

These were projects created by VVVV as the program that controls it. For more ideas, I went to look at VJ work. This would involve manual creation of loops using various programmes and manual control.

(Boxcat, 2016)

References

Boxcat, 2015. None. [Art].

Boxcat, 2016. Red Tunnel. [Art].

DunkingMachine, 2014. Generative Project: Audio Visualization - 60 FPS. [Art].

lecloneur, 2012. Visual Music. [Art] (cloneproduction).

Villari, D., 2013. Sound Visualisation. [Art].

Blog Post 1 - Patches and Initial Ideas

Timelines: VVVV session 2/03/2017

During this lesson, we began with a few things about projection mapping and its uses. When it got to using VVVV, we learned about different nodes such as counter, LFO, damper and put them to use by creating a colour changing quad.

For the follow up work, we were to create a patch that switches between the words “This is VVVV” every 0.6 seconds. As you can see, the LFO is set to 0.6 seconds and hits the up switch once every time. This then switches the input up from 0 to 2 at an increment of 1, switching the word displayed on the renderer.

This is with the colour changer set with a manual toggle rather then automatically switching with an LFO.

For the next patch, we were required to render a quad that had 2 buttons. The buttons would change the quad position on the X and Y axis. The left button above the counter controls the position on the x axis and the one on the right controls the Y axis. The switches are programed with the required coordinates with a damper to smooth the transition and make it a softer movement.

My initial ideas for the VVVV project were to create something that changed and reacted with music as live data. Coming from a live events background, this really appealed to me as the visual would always be different and fit perfectly with the music. It would be important to create something that fits the silence of a room as well at the music. I then began thinking about a cloud of particles that would sit in the middle of the frame and float until activated by music.

(Boxcat, 2017)

Similarly, I thought about geometric shapes becoming more erratic with the change in music. In regards to colour, my initial ideas are to have colour themes go with the music. Calming music would be made of blue and green while louder and faster music would be red and fuchsia.

I would like to look into the possibilities and see what VVVV is capable of creating.