vikingbrian

i'm brand new to max and am learning it for a specific project i'm working on. i'm hoping you guys can offer me some much needed assistance and advice. the end result should be amazing.

a microphone is used to send an audio signal into MAX, when three different levels of decibel threshold are hit one of 3 things happens. level 1 threshold triggers solenoid 1 for 1 second, threshold 2 triggers solenoid 1,2 for 1 second and threshold 3 triggers solenoid 1,2,3,4,5 for 4 seconds.

in case you are curious the solenoids will have compressed propane pushed through them and across a pilot light causing a fountain of awesome, awesome fire.

by helping me here you can know that a) you are a solid and upstanding human being and b) you are assisting in creating a beautiful and exceptionally rad sculpture that a large amount of people will thoroughly enjoy.

max-to-trigger-flame-effects-2

vikingbrian wrote on Tue, 14 April 2009 12:49

Sounds cool. Are you taking it to Burning Man?? Go for it!

As long as you have a way to get the message out to the hardware controlling the solenoids, no problem, will likely use the [serial] object. To test the dB threshold just use snapshot~ or you can hook a floating-point number box to a dB meter that's reading your incoming audio (adc~). Check if level > X, Y, Z, and if so, bang out the fire!

vikingbrian wrote on Tue, 14 April 2009 10:49

If you're anywhere near San Francisco there are multiple people here triggering fire with Max. I'm not one of them, but I play one on TV.

More to the point, what is your question? For audio, look at the peakamp~ object, or maybe avg~. Set some thresholds using >. I like the Make Controller Kit for running solenoids, but Arduino should work well. Find the right circuit with a diode for those.

vikingbrian wrote on Tue, 14 April 2009 10:49hilo!
a microphone is used to send an audio signal into MAX, when three different levels of decibel threshold are hit one of 3 things happens. level 1 threshold triggers solenoid 1 for 1 second, threshold 2 triggers solenoid 1,2 for 1 second and threshold 3 triggers solenoid 1,2,3,4,5 for 4 seconds.

If you're anywhere near San Francisco there are multiple people here triggering fire with Max. I'm not one of them, but I play one on TV.  

Also check out Eric Singer. Like: http://flamingsimon.com/

More to the point, what is your question?  For audio, look at the peakamp~ object, or maybe avg~.  Set some thresholds using >.  I like the Make Controller Kit for running solenoids, but Arduino should work well.  Find the right circuit with a diode for those.

If you're anywhere near San Francisco there are multiple people here triggering fire with Max.

--i'm actually in Chicago, this is for our regional burn in June.

More to the point, what is your question?

in short, "how the hell am i going to do this"??? i'm real wet behind the ears here, i've got programming experience in other languages, nothing with MAX. i have done some video projectios using what seems like a similar environment ONADIME, but this is my first outting with MAX. i've got some pyro experience with flame effects from expansion chambers, etc. but nothing yet with solenoids (triggers were all manually done with ball valves previously). so i'm in the dark and tossing a net out as wide as i can in hopes of putting some threads together... but thanks to your post and the fellow prior to you i'm starting to get there.

For audio, look at the peakamp~ object, or maybe avg~. Set some thresholds using >. I like the Make Controller Kit for running solenoids, but Arduino should work well. Find the right circuit with a diode for those.

this is great information, thanks. i will most likely be hitting back here as questions come up over the next couple months. and i'll make sure to post some images of the final product when she's all done up.

Quote:If you're anywhere near San Francisco there are multiple people here triggering fire with Max. 

--i'm actually in Chicago, this is for our regional burn in June.  

Quote:Also check out Eric Singer. Like: http://flamingsimon.com/

Quote:More to the point, what is your question?

in short, "how the hell am i going to do this"???  i'm real wet behind the ears here, i've got programming experience in other languages, nothing with MAX.  i have done some video projectios using what seems like a similar environment ONADIME, but this is my first outting with MAX. i've got some pyro experience with flame effects from expansion chambers, etc. but nothing yet with solenoids (triggers were all manually done with ball valves previously). so i'm in the dark and tossing a net out as wide as i can in hopes of putting some threads together... but thanks to your post and the fellow prior to you i'm starting to get there.  

 For audio, look at the peakamp~ object, or maybe avg~. Set some thresholds using >. I like the Make Controller Kit for running solenoids, but Arduino should work well. Find the right circuit with a diode for those.

this is great information, thanks.  i will most likely be hitting back here as questions come up over the next couple months.  and i'll make sure to post some images of the final product when she's all done up.


in addition to average~ I reccomend using rampsmooth~ with a high value to smooth out the envelope following, otherwise you get these wierd dips

max to trigger flame effects