ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions. ***************************************************************************** William, As I'm sure you realize, waveforms are a great way to visualize sound, and can be used as a springboard for a lot of science in a fun way. COSI Toledo (if my memory serves...it's been several years) has a keyboard instrument with which one can observe the two waveforms of any two keys struck, and, on a third display, witness the singular waveform that the combined tones produce. It's a great exhibit inasmuch as it simply and clearly demonstrates a set of principles, while at the same time, offering some aesthetic pay-off. At least for a musician such as myself, getting to actually see soundwaves merge, being able to see the differences between cacophony and harmony, was thoroughly engrossing. **But I have no idea how they kept that keyboard in good shape.** My inclination would be to enter the project assuming that I'd need to design a different interactive layer for between the user and the processor. Whether this means using pre-existing MIDI technology or hacking a keyboard is up to choice and budget. There's a whole community of "circuit-benders" out there, modifying consumer electronics, and you can find many "keyboard hacks" on the internet....for example: http://www.anti-theory.com/soundart/circuitbend/ But MIDI's worth delving into if you haven't. I'm surprised I don't see more exhibits that take advantage of MIDI, it being so rugged and pretty versatile. You know, one laptop computer, a cheap MIDI device, and a piece of software or two, and today one can emulate equipment that just seven or eight years ago would have cost tens of thousands of dollars. Apple's iGarage--or iLife GarageBand or whatever it's called-- is a great example...it's a sampler and sequencer that cost's only $50!!! (of course...you need a computer, too) So much for Junior asking Mom and Pop for a cheap electric guitar for Christmas! ___ jasonJayStevens exhibitsDevelopment annArborHandsOnMuseum [log in to unmask] potterBelmarLabs www.potterbelmar.org [log in to unmask] On Feb 25, 2004, at 1:07 PM, William wrote: > Hello everyone! > One of our upcoming projects is creating a sound booth area where > people > can experiment with sounds. Specifically, we wanted to create an area > where people could either utilize a keyboard or record their voice. > Then > play with the speed of those sounds and maybe even alter the wave > forms. > As such, I am looking for what people consider the most successful > exhibits in this vein. > More specific questions are: > Does anyone know of software packages that do this in a user friendly > way, > or that can be modified with overlays to do this? any items I should > avoid? > Recommendations for keyboards to use in conjunction with this? > > Thank you in advance for your ideas! > > -William Katzman > > William Katzman "The important thing is to never > stop > questioning." -A. Einstein > Director of Exhibits "Are you sure about that Al?" -His > wife. > Catawba Science Center > ph: (828) 322-8169 x307 > fax:(828) 322-1585 > [log in to unmask] > > *********************************************************************** > More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the > Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at > http://www.astc.org. > To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the > message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to > [log in to unmask] > ___ jasonJayStevens potterBelmarLabs www.potterbelmar.org [log in to unmask] *********************************************************************** More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org. To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to [log in to unmask]