Pressure Project 2 – New Age CD Player
Posted: October 22, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentMy intention with this project was to create an interactive music experience. I was inspired by CD players, specifically the Fisher Slim 4000 (a CD player that allows the listener to see the disc spinning, while also having the capability to change between CDs) and basic CDJs (which allow for pitch correction of discs, sort of like a record player).
My node setup is fairly straightforward, and is driven by a set of switches. I have a switch for my audio and a switch for my images, both of which are controller by the same data (“nose X” in MediaPipe). This allows the user to cycle between the 5 songs I provided depending on where they are standing. Further, I incorporated pitch correction by using the nose Y in MediaPipe, using the value to change the speed of the audio files. To sync the audio speed the with speed in which each disc turns, I added a transform TOP after my image switch, with the rotation driven by a ramp LFO. I referenced nose Y to the LFO speed, which makes the CD turn faster or slower depending on the speed of the audio.
In terms of aesthetics, I designed all my visual elements in Adobe Photoshop, looking to make them as engaging as possible. I chose my songs first (I opted for more electronic sounds that would sound the most interesting when pitch corrected), and then designed each CD based on the vibe of each track. I originally wanted to create some feedback visualizers behind the discs, however, instead of complex loops I settled on a simple loop that increases in size. This resembled a CD player tray, which I liked, and also helped to emphasize the main disc. I framed the whole scene with some speaker designs, which helps to keep the attention on the center.
4/5 of my CD designs (the 5th one would not load)
During the demonstration, some of the movement cues were not apparent. I think this is because the projects we did in class focused mainly on hand tracking, while this experience involved body tracking. However, once everyone realized how the system works, everything ran smoothly.
Pressure Project #6 – Cosmic Slop
Posted: October 2, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 2026 Leave a commentI had nothing in mind going into this project, and wanted to use the 5 hours I had to experiment with as many things as I could. I have worked with feedback loops in the past, but never in TouchDesigner, so it took some time to get used to. Still, I brought with me my knowledge of video synthesis to help guide me through.
My patch has three different components, which are all manipulated by respective sets of LFOs. Everything is then composited together using blend modes. I began my 5 hour time period by experimenting with a variety of feedback methods until I found something that was cool. I ended up with a circle pattern, which is composited over a rotating square feedback loop. To add some unpredictability, the LFO that controls the feedback rotation is turned off every second, creating subtle movement changes. Once I had this base, I experimented further by masking the circle with another shape: a circle TOP that changes its amount of sides through an LFO. I tiled this pattern in a 2×2 grid, and added a secondary feedback loop, which I incorporated using a “difference” blending mode.
This formed my base, however, I wanted to add some additional layering on top to make the pattern more unpredictable. I made two basic feedback loops using shapes, making sure their movement was offset using LFOs. These loops were a lot simpler than the base loop, providing for an interesting contrast. Both are incorporated using comp nodes. For final processing, I keyed out all the black areas, replacing them with the radial ramp node from earlier. I liked the pixelated nature of the shapes, so I grabbed a pixelate effect from the palette to make it more defined.
I approached this project like I do with a lot of my video work, working simple to complex. It was helpful to make standalone systems before adding them together as it gave me a modular patch that allowed for interesting possibilities. I’m aware of the power of LFOs from eurorack video synthesis, and this was a fun project to test those possibilities without needing an expensive rig. This project opened my eyes to the complex possibilities of TouchDesigner, and I am excited to learn more and explore.
The final video can be seen below, with a documentation video outlining each component of my final loop.
#2: AI EXPERT AUDIT
Posted: September 8, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentMaterials
Last semester, I applied to Siggraph with a visual system I had created using multiple programs (VDMX, OBS, and Tux Paint). Although it lacked the complexity to get accepted, I still found it incredibly useful in my editing workflow, and it is important to me because it is catered to how I create. The document detailing the system is what I submitted to the Gemini notebook (it is four pages long, but I included the intro page in this post, which has mosts of the relevant details).
Generated Materials
Accuracy Check
The AI did a good job of understanding all the base components. It clearly understood the workflow, and nailed down the reason why I wanted to create the project in the first place (to speed up my editing workflow). However, I feel Gemini gave me too much credit in some aspects, saying that I built the video mixer “completely from scratch,” when in reality I just combined various tools.
The “AI” Look
It is pretty obvious that what has been generated is AI. This can be seen with the audio overview, specifically with the monotone cadence. What I did notice, however, is that the more detailed the audio overview is, the more realistic it seems. I generated a deep dive and a brief, with the deep dive coming out on top in terms of realism. When it comes to the graphics (besides looking very AI), what I noticed is that AI treats a lot of systems linearly. Someone that would find this tool useful understands the importance of modularity and its place in live video, something that the AI fails to cover. In my workflow, a lot of elements can be swapped and routed back to each other, making it a more complex system than what the AI has outlined. Gemini has outlined its basic functionality pretty well, but it lacks the expertise of seeing the potential of the system, and all the possible effects that can be done.
AI as a Learning Tool
I would say that the AI resources are pretty helpful in getting a grasp of the project, with each resource being helpful in their own right. The audio overview, which I deemed to be the most helpful, gives a straightforward overview, while also outlining the intent of the project. I found this useful, because when I am trying to understand something I also like to know the why behind it. I also found the mind map to be fairly helpful, as it gives a good framework for the different elements of the workflow. This is not the most beginner friendly method, however, as the map only contains terms rather than a description of each element. Then comes the infographic, which is a double-edged sword. On the positive side, it adds the description for each element that I wanted in the mindmap, making it easier to understand each part of the workflow. On the contrary, the layout of the infographic is difficult to grasp, and I think it could have been arranged in a more digestible manner. It also completely disregards or jumbles some of the tools that I used: I used a computer and a very simple breadboard MIDI controller, however, the infographic displays this as multiple iPads and a super sleek controller that somehow connects to the iPad. All in all, each resource was helpful in its own way, but each one also has its downsides.
Final Statement + Trusting AI
From what I have seen, AI is really good with breaking down systems to be easily understood. However, especially in a creative field, it is important to use AI as a reference and not as an end all be all, as it lacks human creativity to see beyond basic limitations. AI serves as a rule follower, so if you want to stay in a linear, basic line of thinking, I would highly recommend using AI. If you want more complexity, use AI as a jumping off point.
Recent Comments