Sensor horn: creating an electronically augmented trumpet

Abstract

This thesis documents the design, construction and evaluation of an original, electronically augmented trumpet: the Sensor Horn. Relevant existing alternate controllers and augmented trumpets are examined, together with the essential elements of an augmented instrument: gesture and data acquisition, sensors and controllers, analog‐to‐digital interfaces, and appropriate software. Following the construction of the Sensor Horn and the mapping of its hardware to various parameters in a specifically designed Max/MSP patch, the instrument is evaluated for its suitability as a performance instrument for the author in a solo improvisational setting. Finally, a number of hardware and ergonomic improvements are proposed together with recommendations for further software explorations.