You can now download and install an UNSUPPORTED prototype of Drancing in PureData/GEM for Wiimote on Mac OS-X.

A PureData/GEM audio/video synthesis prototype of the DranceWare software for Darren Kelly's Drancing accelerometer music "air instrument" system has been developed for Mac OS-X (it could easily also be adapted to other systems).

PureData audio and GEM visuals have been used here for rapid prototyping of a "port" of DranceWare to a MacBook Pro.
The original DranceWare - developed for Linux - is Java-based, and uses JSyn for audio synthesis, and Java3D for visuals.
I am working on a new UML/SysML-driven version of DranceWare with Java GUI, JSyn audio synthesis, and Java3D visuals.

For this PureData prototype two Nintendo Wii^TM Remotes - which use Bluetooth^® wireless technology - have been used as wireless triaxial accelerometer signal sources for the Drancel-RGB virtual synthesis "3D atom" of the Drancing accelerometer music system (which is designed to work with any accelerometers). Accelerometer signals are acquired from the Wiimotes using DarwiinRemote OSC, which was adapted by Andreas Schlegel from the original DarwiinRemote written by Hiroaki Kimura.

This PureData version of DranceWare for the Wiimote is really only conceived as a rapid prototype, although it can already be used very effectively for performance. It will not be supported in this PureData form, however it is available for download as an UNSUPPORTED prototype for Max OS-X.

Visit also these detailed screenshots and explanations of the PureData abstractions and modes of this DranceWare PureData+Wiimote prototype

Visit also this SysML mockup of the PureData synthesis patches.

GEM visuals for Drancing accelerometer music

The Drancel-RGB monitors of the Drancing accelerometer music system are designed to help performers ("Drancers") to understand the role of the "grounding" calibration strategy that is crucial to the Drancing approach, and can also be used very effectively when projected as stage visuals Whenever the accelerometers are motionless and at the same orientation as when they where calibrated (which may be at any convenient orientation for a given purpose) the monitors are completely dark (just as the audio output is near silent). This defines the performer's home position uniquely.

The rectangular strip monitors are easily understood as the calibrated, conditioned, "homed" accelerometer signals that drive synthesis in each virtual Drancel-RGB.

The signal is conditioned to range between about -1..1, with 0 = home = silent = dark.

The 3 outer Drancel-RGB colour circles are complemented by a central composite colour circle, which defines a unique vector in a colour space, which further enhances the performer's sense of orientation, relationship to "static" gravity, and awareness of dynamic acceleration.

See (and hear) these movies of the Drancing PureData+Wii prototype in action with projected GEM visuals.

Visit also these detailed screenshots and explanations of the GEM abstractions for these DranceWare visuals

Most Synthetically and for Real Time

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Miller Puckette, IRCAM, IEM, and all the PureData and GEM developers, whose synthesis software and examples made this rapid synthesis prototyping work for Drancing possible. Thanks also to Prof. Christopher Dobrian for helpful online examples.