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Trombino

The Trombino is a trombone like interface which produces both sound and OSC data. It is being created as a tool for teachers and musicians.

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The Trombino is an electronic trombone aimed for use as an interface device and to allow applications to be developed to help teaching trombone and brass related concepts. There are two versions, one using a wind sensor and the other using a mouthpiece to allow the instrument to be used in different contexts.

The Trombino is a new musical interface in two flavours which recreate more or less the interaction to a trombone through hardware. The aim is for data from it to be used both to develop tools to allow help in teaching concepts (eg making an application which helps learn tuning) and as an interface for musicians. 

It uses a potentiometer actuated by a string pulley connected to some gears to imitate the slide action. One version of the Trombino uses a wind sensor to note when it is being played, which is easier to use but not faithful to the trombone. The other version uses a vibration sensor within the mouthpiece to tell when it is played and to some extent what register it is in (it can currently distinguish between two different registers).

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  • Wee tiny update

    iPodling05/06/2014 at 06:58 0 comments

    I've added in build instructions for the wind version, I will add in alternate steps for the mouthpiece version later today. The Trombino is now able to send mapped OSC, unmapped OSC and MIDI information (via OSCulator) as well as outputting sound.

  • Where I'm at.

    iPodling05/01/2014 at 16:58 0 comments

    So the Trombino is in the sort of advanced prototype stage at the moment. All the hardware has been settled on and works, I'm currently working on making sure the outputs are as useful as possible (for example currently the OSC data it outputs is in the format of mouth reading and note calculated from trombone like mappings, I'd also like to output the data without mappings and in MIDI form).

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  • 1
    Step 1

    Open up the Gametrak, unplug everything and remove one potentiometer and sliding tower block. (I forgot to take a picture of this, image from here: http://janoc.rd-h.com/archives/129)

  • 2
    Step 2

    Use epoxy to glue the tower to the potentiometer casing. If using a wind sensor solder long wires to the V+, GND and OUT pins of the wind sensor. Seat it in the gap it magically fits perfectly into as shown below. Tidy your cables! I pleated mine and threaded them through the hole created where the tower and potentiometer housing meet. I also created a handle with polymorph and attached it to the underside.

  • 3
    Step 3

    For the wind version... Solder parts for the button board onto a small piece of stripboard. The schematic for the layout can be found in the Fritzing file on the projects github repository. Cover the back and sharp edges with Sugru.

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Craig Hissett wrote 07/21/2015 at 10:14 point

Hi there!

Did you ever do any videos of how this project turned out? I'm a trombone player and very interested in this project; especially the mouthpiece version - it could make a great practice tool for pro players as well as a learning tool for beginners :-)

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iPodling wrote 10/09/2015 at 10:56 point

Hi there!

I had a working prototype, with the mouthpiece I was able to tell the difference between 2 (sometimes 3) registers. I'm hoping to take it further but have the sad problem of being perpetually busy! If more development happens I will be sure to let you know :)

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Craig Hissett wrote 10/09/2015 at 11:02 point

I feel your pain buddy; so many projects, so little time! :)
I can't wait to see how this comes on man; I want one!

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