Potarhythm

Taisei Kato

Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression

Abstract

Potarhythm is a MIDI-controlled musical performance device that uses the sound of water droplets colliding with an object as its sound source. The frequency of the water droplet sound is determined by the combination of the diameter of the droplet and the velocity at which it lands. I have developed a water droplet generation mechanism that controls the droplet diameter by electrically controlling the opening and closing of a solenoid valve. I used this mechanism to roughly control the pitch and volume of the water droplets and also used it as a MIDI sound source to enable music sequencing and real-time performance. Potarhythm can extend the tone by changing the objects that collide with the water droplets. Images and sounds of flowing water, ripples on the surface of the water, and ripples are called ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) and are appreciated as one of the phenomena that induce a state of euphoria and relaxation. In Japanese gardens, there are also examples of decorations using water, such as Suikinkutsu and Shishiodoshi. These are created to appreciate the movement and sound of water. In the field of musical works, various artists have presented works using the sound of water. For example, Junichi Kamiyama in 1989, and Cornelius in 2001 and 2016 have presented works that use the sound of water. Water sounds can be used as a method of musical expression. However, not much reproducible information has been published on how to record and perform live water sounds. I wanted to create a musical performance using not only sampled sounds but also sounds generated by the physical phenomenon of water droplets using real water. In this performance, I combined not only the real-time sound of Potarhythm but also reverb, delay, and looping to create more complex rhythms. This performance was also a combination of guitar and synthesizer to create and perform ambient music. I created the music to create a sound that expresses a sense of floating and instability.

Citation

Taisei Kato. 2021. Potarhythm. Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression. DOI: 10.21428/92fbeb44.ce443fea [PDF]

BibTeX Entry

@inproceedings{nime2021_music_23,
 abstract = {Potarhythm is a MIDI-controlled musical performance device that uses the sound of water droplets colliding with an object as its sound source. The frequency of the water droplet sound is determined by the combination of the diameter of the droplet and the velocity at which it lands. I have developed a water droplet generation mechanism that controls the droplet diameter by electrically controlling the opening and closing of a solenoid valve. I used this mechanism to roughly control the pitch and volume of the water droplets and also used it as a MIDI sound source to enable music sequencing and real-time performance. Potarhythm can extend the tone by changing the objects that collide with the water droplets. Images and sounds of flowing water, ripples on the surface of the water, and ripples are called ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) and are appreciated as one of the phenomena that induce a state of euphoria and relaxation. In Japanese gardens, there are also examples of decorations using water, such as Suikinkutsu and Shishiodoshi. These are created to appreciate the movement and sound of water. In the field of musical works, various artists have presented works using the sound of water. For example, Junichi Kamiyama in 1989, and Cornelius in 2001 and 2016 have presented works that use the sound of water. Water sounds can be used as a method of musical expression. However, not much reproducible information has been published on how to record and perform live water sounds. I wanted to create a musical performance using not only sampled sounds but also sounds generated by the physical phenomenon of water droplets using real water. In this performance, I combined not only the real-time sound of Potarhythm but also reverb, delay, and looping to create more complex rhythms. This performance was also a combination of guitar and synthesizer to create and perform ambient music. I created the music to create a sound that expresses a sense of floating and instability.},
 address = {Shanghai, China},
 articleno = {23},
 author = {Taisei Kato},
 booktitle = {Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression},
 doi = {10.21428/92fbeb44.ce443fea},
 editor = {Eric Parren and Wei Chen},
 issn = {2220-4806},
 month = {June},
 title = {Potarhythm},
 track = {Music},
 url = {https://doi.org/10.21428/92fbeb44.ce443fea},
 year = {2021}
}