Hey all! I'm an interactive multimedia major in college, and I am just starting a new project. I am very interested in keyboard interfaces, and I am researching others' experiences. I want to teach a synthesizer keyboard to talk to Processing, so that playing specific notes, minor or major chords, etc. will cause a text-based reaction within Processing, reflecting the mood/pitch/volume of what was just played in the form of poetry, sentences, or simple words.

I would appreciate any advice, ideas, input, ANYTHING! It would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks! - Anna

Hi Anna!

As alexmillar said, MIDI is probably the best way forward, as this way you will be able to detect which keys are being played and from this you will be able to work out the arrangement of keys being played and therefore the chord. You will also be able to get the velocity data (how hard the keys are being pressed).

I am also doing Interactive Media/ multimedia at university and know somebody that did a project similar to yours (changing the colour of an image depending on which chord was being played- I think he was looking at some Toshio Iwai stuff for inspiration)

If you need anymore help, just ask Anyway, keep us posted on the progress!