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Random Piano

This code uses the Minim library, which makes it possible to play sounds from Processing.

First I downloaded a bunch of piano notes from freesound.org, and I added them to my sketch as files named 0.mp3, 1.mp3, 2.mp3, etc.

Then I looked at Minim’s documentation to find the code that would load and play the sound files.

import ddf.minim.Minim;
import ddf.minim.AudioPlayer;

Minim minim;
AudioPlayer[] notes = new AudioPlayer[73];

void setup()
{
  minim = new Minim(this);

  for (int i = 0; i < notes.length; i++) {
    notes[i] = minim.loadFile("notes/" + i + ".mp3");
  }

  frameRate(2);
}


void draw(){

  background(0);

  int i = int(random(notes.length));
  notes[i].rewind();
  notes[i].play();
}

I load the sound files into an array, and then I play a random note two times per second. The result is a random “song” that sounds like this:

The sketch, including the sound files, can be downloaded here.

Tweak Ideas

Make it so the notes speed up over time.
Move the random note playing into the keyPressed() function to turn your keyboard into a piano.
Rearrange the sound files from low pitched to high pitched.

Libraries

Random Piano

Random Piano

Tweak Ideas

Libraries Examples