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Random Piano

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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.

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