SFX recording with the maker bot

[Rabbit Ears Audio]

Hey Folks,

My name is Michael Raphael and I'm a SFX recordist and I'm planning on
recording the Makerbot for a SFX library. I'm wondering if you can
all help me. I want to be able to run the bot's motors and vary the
speeds and pitches without having to print something. I would like to
be able to get the motors to move at different speeds and different
lengths of time.

I not much of a scripter so I'm wondering if there is a way to do this
with the software that is used to drive the bot?


Thanks,
Michael

Michael Raphael
Rabbit Ears Audio LLC
http://rabbitearsaudio.com

[Jordan Miller]

are you going to profit off the recordings (viz. your website) or will they be released under a creative commons or other free and open license (very much preferable)?

you will get a better response for the latter. but you can go to any hackerspace with a makerbot and they will probably be happy to help.

jordan

[Michael Raphael]

I will be recording the at the markerbot warehouse with their blessing and will be donating a healthy amount of the recordings to thingverse.

The library will consist of other mechanical sounds and that will not be creative commons.

I would truly appreciate any assistance as I not only want to record the machine but want better understand how it functions.

Thanks,
Michael

[Jordan Miller]

excellent! you can do this easy with a python script to generate the gcode.

just remove all the temperature and extrude commands, and you'll be good to go.

here's the primer:
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:747
and explanations:
http://blog.thingiverse.com/2009/08/18/python-scripted-gcode-the-basics/
http://blog.thingiverse.com/2009/08/25/gcode-tutorial-building-circles/

jordan

[Mifga]

Hey folks,

I met with Michael last week and he is a super talented recordist. We
at Makerbot (well, Isaac and I, with approval from colleagues) are
thrilled he will be doing a thingiverse library of Bot sounds to share
with the world ... and raise the bar from the first MakerBot Sound
Library edition that I sent out via thingiverse a few months ago.

Yes, he does need to make money selling libraries on his website
(checkout his amateur rocket library -- pretty awesome and reasonable
price) much the way photographers supplement their income with stock
photography so that they can stay in business -- but he understands
how we do things here at MakerBot is eager to jump in to create solid,
ready-to-go samples of the MakerBot to share to the Thingiverse/
Makerbot communities via Thingiverse with an appropriate cc license.

I'm going to do my best to grant him some access to bots and quiet
time at the BotCave, but if anyone wants to partner with him a touch
to help him tune gcode and operate the bots while he records, I know
he would be really grateful!

Haeyoung, if you are around, any interest in letting Michael know what
he's in for based on your investigations?

I'm planning on using Michael's libraries in a MakerBot animation
project if he gets them done in time....

—Matt

[Michael Raphael]

And please, if there is someone in New York who might want to help me manipulate the bot movements, I'd really appreciate it. Anyone up for helping me code this thing and a recording session? I'll bring the coffee and donuts.

[Jordan Miller]

i get that he needs to make a living. i just don't get asking everyone to help him for free to develop stuff that will be sold. seems counterintuitive to me.

jordan

On Aug 7, 2010, at 3:23 PM, Mifga wrote:

[Michael Raphael]

Hi Jordan,

I don't want to offend anyone's sensibilities. I'm extremely grateful for Matt and Isaac's willingness to let me record the makerbot. I'm building a library of mechanical sounds, not just the makerbot, and as I previously mentioned, I'll be selling the larger library, but I'll be donating all of the recordings of the makerbot back to the community. I will be spending a considerable amount of time editing and mastering these recordings and I would hope that is of some value. All I'm asking is a little help manipulating the movements of the makerbot. I'm certainly not looking to take advantage of anyone's time, but I thought a mastered collection of sounds of the makerbot would be a decent trade. And obviously, someone with more experience with the bot than me will be better at generating unique sounds from the bot.

Michael

[Jordan Miller]

hi Michael,

excellent, thank you for clarifying. motivations are very difficult to determine over email, so sorry for putting you through the wringer. =]

without having to do too much scripting it would be very easy to just pick significantly different objects in thingiverse and 'print' those without heating or extruding anything (just edit the gcode). I know circles produce some particularly interesting sounds (motor forward and reverse actually sound different). definitely look at the super wavy wobble neutralizer object.

I think first recording some objects printing will point you towards the particular shapes/sounds you are after.

alternatively you could design some very simple tool paths and have someone help you convert to gcode.

best,
jordan

[Michael Raphael]

I understand. Glad to clarify.

I've been messing around a little today, but ideally I'd love it if someone would be game to help me the day of the recording session (which has not been set yet, but it will be sometime in the next 2 weeks). I'll be focused on recording and would love someone's help driving the bot so the session can go more quickly, and I can focus on the multichannel recording. I also know a more experienced user will quickly get it doing unique things that would take me a chunk of time.

I'm totally fascinated by the bot and i work with a lot of analog audio gear so I'm not foreign to tinkering, but I'm on a bit of a project deadline. The minute I heard the bot in a video I was smitten. So I'd really appreciate it if someone would be game to help if they are in the NY area.

I'll also being going to the NYC Resistor meeting on Thursday to introduce myself if anyone wants to meet me there.

Best,
Michael