Meeting Notes & Agendas

10/30/17 Meetin Agenda

• Thank you to all who came to help out with Late Night!
• Discuss CMU 50th Anniversary Celebration
  • RobOrchestra accepted as a submission to Student Exhibition!
  • Will need help with exhibition and setup on November 10th
  • Written descriptions of algorithms for poster
• Share Updates
  • Markov chains
  • Interactive interface
  • Distance sensor instrument
  • Ukulele clamp
• Assign people to work on Ukulele strumming arm
• Work on things!
  • Music generation algorithms
  • Distance sensor testing
  • Strumming arm
  • Crimping cables for UkuleleBot

10/23/17 Meeting Agenda

• If you're working on software, make sure you send me your GitHub username so you can get write access
• Club shelves have been redone, RobOrchestra right by shop door
• RoboClub Late Night
  • This Friday the 27th at 10pm, UC black chairs area
  • RobOrchestra will be DJing!
  • Come help with set up!
• Software
  • Markov chain progress
  • Interactive interface progress
• UkuleleBot clamp
  • Parts lasercut, will test today
• Distance sensor instrument
  • Work on implementing direct digital synthesis
  • Use sensor to control Xylobot

10/16/17 Meeting Agenda

• Submitted RobOrchestra to 50th Anniversary showcase
  • November 10th 11:30am-2:30pm
  • Setup starts at 9am
• RoboHub
  • Overarching club project aiming to have ready-to-go demos in the club
  • Run RobOrchestra off of a dragon 410c board
  • Start a RobOrchestra demo with just the press of a button
• UkuleleBot Updates
  • Circuit and Arduino code pretty much ready to go
  • Clamp underway
  • Need some people to start working on the strumming arm
• Software
  • Update from last week?
  • Add drums to Markov chains, and chords
• Interactive algorithms
  • Updates from last week?
• New instrument
  • Lets start getting a new instrument underway!
  • Perhaps something interactive, or involving sound synthesis?

10/9/17 Meeting Agenda

• More scales and other interactive features
• Markov chains
  • Generic Markov chain class done
  • Discuss what kinds of states we want to use
  • Create MIDI reader
  • Eventually combine these into one system
• Any mechanical/electrical projects people are working on

10/2/17 Meeting Agenda

• Project Updates
  • Clamp parts arrived!
  • What has everyone gotten done??
  • Address any issues that are arising
  • Next steps for each task?
• Mechanical and electrical work together to test circuit and clasping structure
  • Clamp finger plate to Ukulele
  • Hot glue pins to finger plate
  • Use electrical tape to secure circuit connections
  • Run Ukulele Arduino test code
• Set up Xylobot for testing new generation algorithms
  • Markov chains
  • Interactive scales
• No meeting next week (October 9th)

9/25/17 Meeting Agenda

• Overview of RobOrchestra data flow
  • How are all the instruments connected?
  • How are MIDI messages handled?
  • How can new instruments fit into the system?
• Go over structure of what meetings will be like form here on out
  • Focus on updates and assigning tasks instead of working
  • Work on project outside of meetings or after
• Introductions and task assignments
  • Add more scales and modes to interactive music generation algorithm
  • Create music using markov chains from existing music (In progress)
  • Develop a new music generation algorithm
  • Design/build a clamp to secure fingering plate to Ukulelebot
  • Drill holes for thicker Ukulelebot finger plate (requires shop training)
  • Solder new MIDI shield
  • Write Arduino test scripts to test functionality of Ukulelebot and Xylobot
  • Wire up Ukulelebot circuit to new Arduino and MIDI shield
  • Begin planning and designing a new instrument (possibly interactive?)
• Sara will go over how to set up and operate RobOrchestra for those interested

9/18/17 Meeting Agenda

• Everyone should have their computer set up at this point
  • Everyone should have installed GitHub Desktop and downloaded our repo
  • Those interested in electrical should have the Arduino IDE installed
  • Those interested in software should have Processing installed and (hopefully) playing sound
  • Those interested in mechanical should have signed up for shop training!
• Overview of MIDI standard
  • What is it?
  • Why is it useful?
  • How do we use it in RobOrchestra?
• Split up into subgroups
  • Electrical
    • Practice soldering and making connectors (led by Manu and Tito)
    • Practice writing and uploading Arduino code to tomBot (led by Wendy)
    • Check connections on UkuleleBot circuit and remake broken ones
  • Software
    • David will go over some techniques we used last year for music generation
    • Practice writing simple music generation algorithms and test with Xylobot
  • Mechanical
    • Sara will go over UkuleleBot design and how to use GrabCAD & McMaster
    • Install new finger plate for Ukulelebot
    • Take measurements for new lasercut strumming arm
    • Discuss design ideas for Ukulelebot clamp and new instrument
• Sara will go over how to set up and operate RobOrchestra