Lego MINDSTORMS NXT Bricks Play Music

[DLuders]

"The NeXT Blues" is a song by Lego Mindstorms NXT bricks playing a group of real musical instruments! "Organfairy" explains:

"First of all: I didn't pay for all this myself! The MindStorms phenomenon had it's 10 year anniversary recently and through my involvement with MindStorms I was encouraged to do a new music video. The materials were borrowed on the condition that the MindStorms team could use the result it if they wanted too. The "band" is inspired by another YT featured robot band called "the Trons" and this is the LEGO version of it. The melody the robots - and me dressed in NXT colours - are playing is called "the NeXT blues". Please note the lights in the keyboard. I though about making a semi-circular keyboard like J.M.Jarre's. But it's hard to make a circular interface from square bricks...."

Don't have any real instruments? Peter Cocteau programmed his Lego Mindstorms NXT brick to create programmable drum music. He explains his "NTX-606" creation (and offers the downloadable program) on NXTasy .

Highlights:

-Monophonic sample based drum machine

-24 percussion and Fx sounds

-Sampling rate: 8Khz

-memory: 96 measures

-control: 2 rotation sensor +NXT buttons

-hacked loud speaker to mono output: jack 6,35mm

-Editor: NXT-G

-Real time operation

I wonder what musician "Jurgmeister" thinks about these videos?!

[Jurgen Krooshoop]

I wonder what musician "Jurgmeister" thinks about these videos?!

Well, I enjoy this big time. The first video impresses by the big number of technical mechanisms to get sound out of all types of instruments. Even more impressive compositions would be possible.

And the drumcomputer NXT-606 (named after the famous Roland TR-606 drumcomputer) sounds quite groovy. I'd love to see one made from LEGO only.

[Jetro]

And the drumcomputer NXT-606 (named after the famous Roland TR-606 drumcomputer) sounds quite groovy. I'd love to see one made from LEGO only.

The NXT-606 *is* LEGO only ;)

Another LEGO music related video:

[DLuders]

@ Jetro: I like that video! I found the "Making Music with the NXT" on the Domabotics.com website: http://domabotics.com/makingmusic . It has a link to download sample pages.

"Looking for new and exciting activities to extend your LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT system?

"This book will take you, step by step, through the construction and programming of a variety of fun and engaging musical instruments. Each chapter addresses a different way to make music, and provides suggestions for further projects. Chapters include:

Onboard speaker

Rotation Sensor

Ultrasonic Sensor

Percussion Instruments

Drums

Trumpet

"Complete building instructions for the Trumpet and Xylophone player"

[Zerobricks]

The first video is simply amazing!!! That was at least NXT's performing on the instruments! The most impressive was the catarpillar track, which played on the xylphone (i think)! That was simply stunning!

[Jurgen Krooshoop]

The NXT-606 *is* LEGO only ;)

Then what are those parts used for the controlls (the part with the knobs & stuff) ? I've been building for almost 30 years and I've never seen anything like this. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Edited July 24, 2010 by Jurgen Krooshoop

[Silcantar]

Then what are those parts used for the controlls (the part with the knobs & stuff) ? I've been building for almost 30 years and I've never seen anything like this. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

The knobs are all brick-built, connected to either RCX rotation sensors or NXT motors (it's not completely clear which). If you look closely, you can tell. I think it said that it was connected to an external loudspeaker, though. I'm not sure the NXT speaker can make sounds that realistic, though I've never tried it.

[Jurgen Krooshoop]

The knobs are all brick-built, connected to either RCX rotation sensors or NXT motors (it's not completely clear which). If you look closely, you can tell. I think it said that it was connected to an external loudspeaker, though. I'm not sure the NXT speaker can make sounds that realistic, though I've never tried it.

Damn, that makes it even cooler!! Unfortunately, the video doesn't show the controlls much, so it was hard to tell in the beginning. And using an external speaker is no problem. The Roland TR-606 didn't have a built-in speaker either.

Edited July 24, 2010 by Jurgen Krooshoop

[Jetro]

Indeed, the knobs are brick built (round bricks and round tiles) and connected to NXT motors.

The only non-lego parts of this MOC are the the light to illuminate the display (maybe some day we'll get a retro illuminated display - keep your fingers crossed) and a sound output connetced to speakers to enhance the sound volume and quality.

[DLuders]

@ Jurgen Krooshoop: Here's some more information about the Lego Mindstorms Drum Machine NXT-606: http://createdigitalmusic.com/2010/07/26/brilliant-lego-mindstorms-drum-machine-nxt-606-new-video/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+createdigitalmusic+%28createdigitalmusic.com%29

[Jurgen Krooshoop]

@ Jurgen Krooshoop: Here's some more information about the Lego Mindstorms Drum Machine NXT-606: http://createdigitalmusic.com/2010/07/26/brilliant-lego-mindstorms-drum-machine-nxt-606-new-video/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+createdigitalmusic+%28createdigitalmusic.com%29

Thanx for the extra info & pictures. Now I can clearly see that it's 100 % Lego I'm truly fascinated by this creations as it demonstrates that proper electronic instruments can be created with Lego. Since I mostly deal with electronic instruments, this is really interesting. I currently don't have any Mindstorms-parts, but this would be a good reason to get some. I know I'd be able to make my own instrument. (But let's get the new 8043 Excavator first).

[Jetro]

@ Jurgen Krooshoop: Here's some more information about the Lego Mindstorms Drum Machine NXT-606: http://createdigitalmusic.com/2010/07/26/brilliant-lego-mindstorms-drum-machine-nxt-606-new-video/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+createdigitalmusic+%28createdigitalmusic.com%29

Thanks for the link - so far I had only seen a couple of dark pics and the creator's description on NXTasy.