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Harry Plummer

KC39150

BA Digital Arts

Virtual Space

Assignment 1: Concept Proposal

23/03/16

Word count: 1449

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REVRB Virtual Sampler Concept Proposal Main Concept: The concept for my Virtual Space idea REVRB is to create a virtual Reality version of a Music Sampler that will allow users to interact with, and make music whilst also allowing them to see visually the sounds that they are playing. A Sampler is an electronic device that is used in both live performance and production and allows the user to pre load different sounds and samples into each of the triggers or pads and then play them back live with different effects and filters applied.

REVRB logo I want to allow users to select and pre-load a range of different sounds and samples into a bank that they will then be able to go through and pick what they want to play like an actual sampler and then give them the ability to loop and record themselves playing as well as allow them to swap samples out on the fly. I want to present this in a virtual 3D environment with the use of a VR headset like the Oculus Rift as well as with motion controls enabled by hardware like the Xbox Kinect Sensor all of which will help make the user feel immersed in the music and the space around them as it reacts and changes to the different sounds that are being played. It will be presented as a 3D black room with 10 different coloured glowing cubes that are arranged in a semi circle around the user, the cubes will act as the buttons that are seen on a real sampler and the user will press them in any order to trigger a different sound. Each cube will be assigned with a different type of sample including from left to right a Kick, Snare, Clap, Hi-Hat 1, Hi-Hat 2, Percussion, Bass, Stab 1, Stab 2 and FX. When each sound is played it will also trigger a visual cue along with the audio, from behind each cube there will be a column that will light up depending on the velocity that the cube is hit which as well as how loud the sample being played is, if the sound has been looped then the visual cue will continue to keep happening.

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Concept of cubes How It Works: The user can then choose from the 10 different types of sound which one they want to change by clicking the samples name located above each of the cubes, once selected a drop down list will appear with various different versions of the selected sound enabling the user to change and customize the experience to their preference. For instance if the user wants to change the kick sound they will highlight Kick which will then show a list of other kicks that can be chosen instead. This can be done for all 10 sounds giving the user variety and choice. Next to each of these cubes there is a volume slider to increase of decrease that specific sound and a loop button so that the user can loop a certain sound that they are currently playing to either ¼, ½, 1, 4, 8, 16 and 32 bars. The user can then also bring up a menu which will enable the them to assign different filters and effects to each of the 10 main sounds including Hi and Lo pass filters, Reverb, echo, pitch shift and many more. The user is then also able to start recording what they are currently playing by simply selecting the record option that is available in the menu. Once recorded this will then be saved as an audio file that the user can go back and listen to at any time. The menu also has options for selecting a Beats Per Minute as well as a metronome, which will make it easier for people to use this virtual sampler, as they will be able to keep in time and set the BPM to the kind of music that they want to make.

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Menu Concept

Concept of menu and user interface The Software And Hardware: When it comes to creating my idea I will need to use various different software in order to be able to achieve my final goal, I will be mainly using Unreal Engine which is a program used to create and develop mainly games and interactive encounters to build the experience as it allows for a lot of flexibility and will allow for me to achieve everything that I want to include within my concept, the interaction with objects, the implementation of sound, and the visuals of the Menus and User Interface. Unreal Engine will also make it easier for me to include VR functions as it already has settings built into it to help set it up. Finally Unreal Engine also allows for Xbox Controller support and motion controls with the Xbox Kinect allowing me to achieve everything that I set out to do. I am also fairly familiar with the software already having had to use it for previous projects.

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Graph to show the steps of using REVRB VR Headset: The main aspect of my VR Sampler is that the user will have to use a Virtual Reality headset meaning that the user can look around and feel like they are somewhere else. For my project I will be using the ‘Oculus Rift’ VR Headset as Unreal Engine 4 has integration with different VR headsets, in order to enable the Oculus to work the ‘Oculus Runtime’ (Oculus, 2016) software must first be installed and the headset must be configured, once done however the Oculus Rift will work in Unreal engine and mean that my idea will allow the user to feel more immersed in the 3D environment. Motion Controls: With the controls for REVRB I have decided to have two different ways for people to control it, the first being motion controls with gestures used in order to trigger the samples, this will be achieved via using the Xbox Kinect 2 which will allow the user to use their hands to hit the shapes. In order to get Kinect working I will need to use ‘Kinect 4 unreal’ (Unreal Engine, 2015) which will enable the Kinect 2 Sensor to work with Unreal Engine 4. Non-motion Controls: Along with motion controls I also want to allow for non motion controls for when users don’t have access to a Kinect sensor, to do this I will use an Xbox Controller which again can be used with Unreal Engine 4 straight out of the box, In order to make the Xbox Controller work with REVRB I will map each of the 10 cubes to different buttons on the controller and then split the menu controls up so that via the start button on the controller which will allow for use of features like the Volume, BPM, metronome, looping, recording features and effects and filters.

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Non-Motion Controls Diagram Why I want to make a virtual sampler One of the main reasons I want to create a Virtual Music Sampler is the challenge of trying to take something that exists in the real world and creating a digital version of it. Not only that, taking something into the digital and virtual world will allow me to expand upon just a normal sampler as I will be able to add visuals that effect the environment around the user that will change as they interact with the Virtual devices. However most virtual experiences are more to do with imagery and transporting you to places you could never go to in real life, whilst REVRB does include visuals I want to focus on creating experiences based around sound and that allows the user to interact with it in an environment that changes to their input. Uses: REVRB could be used in various different ways, first I’m designing it to be simple and easy to use so that anyone can pick it up and start making music in their own home. It could be used for live performance by music artists at gigs and festivals in which it could be displayed on large screens behind the performer. And it could also be used in schools mainly for music lessons but it also has the potential to be used in a cross curriculum way with subjects such as art, dance and drama. I feel that the VR at this current time is lacking music integration, only over the last two to three years have companies and individuals started to see music as a main focus when it comes to virtual reality and that is why I feel something like REVRB would work really well.

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Bibliography: Oculus (2016). Downloads. [Online] Available from:

https://developer.oculus.com/downloads/ [Accessed: 6th March 2016].

Unreal Engine (2015). Kinect 4 Unreal Introduction By Opaque Multimedia in

Blueprints. [Online] Available from:

https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/kinect-4-unreal-introduction [Accessed:

12th March 2016].