Hi. Looking to create an Audio Synced Light Projector

TFischer · March 18, 2020, 3:39am

Hi, I’m Tim. I’m a developer. My brother and his wife are expecting their first and I’m trying to win the coolest uncle game title right out of the gates. so I had this overly ambitious idea.

At a work code share session one of the developers on our team demoed a project they had been working on with Sonic Pi and I thought it was fascinating.

I wanted to create some sort of projector that would cast colored lights on a ceiling corresponding with notes in a programable song. Think a child’s mobile, meets ceiling projector, meets laser light show.

but you know… simple…

I know I’m trying to take a big bite here, but that’s kind of how I roll. I have experience with Arduino and Raspberry Pi’s and competently fluent in a couple of programming language, so the code writing portion doesn’t really intimidate me.

Wondering if anyone had worked on a similar project, or could point me in the direction of something that rings a bell. I’m super excited to work with and support this community.

Thanks!

robin.newman · March 18, 2020, 10:04pm

Here’s the code for a recent project I did to drive the Pihut Christmas triee from Sonic Pi. (This is the new colour version)

gist.github.com

https://gist.github.com/rbnpi/1bb941ee211c0a6ee071f91eb67e2e90

CoventryCarol.rb

#CoventryCarol.rb
#controlling ThePiHut RGBXmasTree via OSC commands
#these are sent from Sonic Pi to a python OSC server running on the Pi
#which then controls the leds on the tree
#written by Robin Newman, Decemeber 2019
use_real_time
use_osc"192.168.1.34",8000
use_bpm 120
##| osc"/setAll",'black'
##| stop

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ReadMe.md

The python server runs on the Raspberry Pi with the Xmas tree attached.
Set the treeServer.py file executable using chmod+x treeServer.py
start it running with ./treeServer.py -ip 192.168.1.34 -sp 192.168.1.129
where 192.168.1.34 is the ip address of the Raspberry Pi, and 192.168.1.129 is the address of the computer running Sonic Pi.
Set the correct IP address in line 7 of the Sonic Pi program, and use port 8000 as shown.

EDIT
You need to have installed the tree.py file for the RGBXmasTree in the same folder as the treeServer.py file. This can be found at https://github.com/ThePiHut/rgbxmastree#rgbxmastree colorzero should already be installed in the latest Raspbian Buster distribution.
If you need it use

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treeServer.py

#!/usr/bin/env python3
#this script allows OSC control of ThePiHut RGBXmasTree
#it is intended for use with Sonic Pi 3
#written by Robin Newman, December 2019
#it utilises the python-osc library and also the colorzero library
#this latter is used because of its support for gradient commands
#and a large list of named colours.
#see API doc at https://colorzero.readthedocs.io/en/release-1.1/api_color.html
#Sonic Pi can be on same computer if using Pi3, but if using pizero must be on separate computer
from tree import RGBXmasTree

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previously I did a similar project for the monochrome version.

I hav also done several other projects on driving led displays from the Raspberry Pi, including PiBorg’s TroPI board, and a hack of the lightshowpi project to work with Sonic Pi.

Note if you want to use a Pi4, you will need to build your own Sonic Pi on it, as the current version contained on Raspbian doesn’t support MIDI or OSC.
You can of course use a Pi3 or earlier with Sonic Pi 3.0.1 with the earlier projects here.

TFischer · March 18, 2020, 10:43pm

Thanks @robin.newman! I’m getting cracking on this tonight.