{"id":6297,"date":"2026-11-06T23:53:11","date_gmt":"2026-11-07T04:53:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dems.asc.ohio-state.edu\/?p=6297"},"modified":"2026-11-06T23:53:11","modified_gmt":"2026-11-07T04:53:11","slug":"from-ink-to-aurora-a-midi-controlled-video-synth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dems.asc.ohio-state.edu\/?p=6297","title":{"rendered":"From Ink to Aurora: A MIDI-Controlled Video Synth"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Project Description<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My Video Synth is a real-time audiovisual instrument built in TouchDesigner and operated with a Korg nanoKONTROL2 MIDI controller. It combines three visual modules: Ink, Stars, and Aurora.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ink produces monochrome radial lines, Stars creates a field of particles and connections, and Aurora introduces colorful glowing forms and distortion. The visuals respond to a shared music input, while I control their visibility, composition, and intensity during the performance. I designed and built three visual modules in TouchDesigner: Ink, Stars, and Aurora. Ink explores monochrome radial lines, Stars uses particles and connections to create a sense of space, and Aurora introduces colorful glowing forms and distortion. I combined these modules into one instrument with a shared audio input and eight MIDI controls, allowing me to layer and transform the visuals in real time.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The setup consists of a computer running TouchDesigner, a Korg nanoKONTROL2 connected through USB.Each visual module sits inside its own component. Its output passes through transformation and brightness controls before entering a shared composite. A black background and a master brightness stage complete the final output.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A single Audio File In CHOP supplies music to all three modules through native CHOP connections. Each module retains its own audio-analysis network. This combines automatic musical responses with manual performance decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The eight faders control:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><\/th><th>Function<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>1<\/td><td>Ink brightness<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2<\/td><td>Stars brightness<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>3<\/td><td>Aurora brightness<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>4<\/td><td>Ink rotation<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>5<\/td><td>Stars scale<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6<\/td><td>Aurora horizontal position<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>7<\/td><td>Master brightness<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>8<\/td><td>Aurora distortion<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The MIDI controls use native <strong>MIDI In, Select, and Math CHOPs<\/strong>. Math CHOPs convert the controller\u2019s 0\u2013127 values into suitable ranges for each visual parameter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Music: <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/YBhL2a7CKYQ?si=88yAjIZQOqE4Ia6v\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/YBhL2a7CKYQ?si=88yAjIZQOqE4Ia6v<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Pressure project3\" width=\"590\" height=\"443\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/B-yMVqfd1V8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Process Reflection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How did I design my modular instrument?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I separated the visuals into three independent modules so I could work on one effect without rebuilding the others. A common output structure made it possible to mix different visual styles within one instrument.I first tested the controls with on-screen sliders, then replaced their control signals with MIDI input. This allowed me to develop the visual system before connecting the hardware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What did I choose to include or exclude?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I selected three visual systems from my own experiments because they offer contrasting textures: sharp lines, delicate particles, and soft luminous forms. I kept each system independent so I could perform with one at a time or combine them. I limited the interface to eight controls, prioritizing brightness, rotation, scale, position, and distortion. This kept the instrument manageable during a live performance while still allowing a wide range of visual combinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What surprised me when I performed?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I was surprised by how difficult it was to make visual decisions while keeping up with the music. Sometimes the rhythm changed faster than I could react. When performing to unfamiliar or randomly selected music, I wasn\u2019t always sure which control to use or what visual change to make next. This made me realize how much live performance depends on practice and familiarity with both the music and the instrument.<br \/>During development, I discovered how strongly parameter ranges affect playability. Sending raw MIDI values directly to brightness or position could overexpose an image or move it off-screen. Correct scaling was essential to making the instrument controllable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What would I change next time?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I would add smoother transitions between controller values, a unified restart control for the music and visual systems, and a clearer performance interface. I would also develop more original visual modules and explore controls that affect their internal behavior.Further rehearsal would help me refine the pacing: deciding when to introduce a new layer, when to reduce complexity, and when to leave a visual moment unchanged.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Project Description My Video Synth is a real-time audiovisual instrument built in TouchDesigner and operated with a Korg nanoKONTROL2 MIDI controller. It combines three visual modules: Ink, Stars, and Aurora. Ink produces monochrome radial lines, Stars creates a field of particles and connections, and Aurora introduces colorful glowing forms and distortion. The visuals respond to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6297","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dems.asc.ohio-state.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6297","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dems.asc.ohio-state.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dems.asc.ohio-state.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dems.asc.ohio-state.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/136"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dems.asc.ohio-state.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6297"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dems.asc.ohio-state.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6297\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6312,"href":"https:\/\/dems.asc.ohio-state.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6297\/revisions\/6312"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dems.asc.ohio-state.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dems.asc.ohio-state.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6297"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dems.asc.ohio-state.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}