I have an idea for a music box that plays an entire song, different phrases and all, and includes several "instruments" in the entire arrangement. In addition to this, it would include an LED light show in the display ("dancing" to the music) and some other simple things (simple parts mostly, the complete concepts for which have not been entirely determined as of yet). This project is pretty ambitious for me but I think I have a passable fundamental knowledge of electronics and am intending to collaborate with someone who has a better grasp of the subject.
I have a couple of questions off hand that I would like to ask about the project:
1. In order to have the several phrases of a song that repeat and then switch (verse/chorus/bridge/etc...) my plan is to have several movements (the piece in a music box that plays the music; a motor attached to a roller with bumps or "picks" that turns and plucks the tuned tines on a comb) that play one at a time, repeating 4, 8, 12, or 16 times and then stopping while another movement starts, continuing with the next part of the song, and keeping the beat. Building the movements is something that I can handle. The alternating between them is something I need help with.
2. I intend to include a display that interacts with the music. Included in the display is an LED light show. I want a specific LED light to turn on each time a specific note is struck by one of the movements in the music box. That is simple enough to accomplish; attach a power supply to every "pick" on the roller and a different LED light to each tine on the comb. My problem arrives in making the LEDs stay on beyond the small amount of contact between the pick and the tine. I would like each light to stay on for about a second. This is something else I need help with.
I have a few more questions but these are the most important right now. If anyone can answer these that would be greatly appreciated. This is just a home project I plan on giving to someone very important to me as a gift and if I can accomplish it with somebody's help from this forum I would be very grateful. Any ideas or answers would be greatly appreciated whether positively correct or just a thought. Thanks guys!
I have a couple of questions off hand that I would like to ask about the project:
1. In order to have the several phrases of a song that repeat and then switch (verse/chorus/bridge/etc...) my plan is to have several movements (the piece in a music box that plays the music; a motor attached to a roller with bumps or "picks" that turns and plucks the tuned tines on a comb) that play one at a time, repeating 4, 8, 12, or 16 times and then stopping while another movement starts, continuing with the next part of the song, and keeping the beat. Building the movements is something that I can handle. The alternating between them is something I need help with.
2. I intend to include a display that interacts with the music. Included in the display is an LED light show. I want a specific LED light to turn on each time a specific note is struck by one of the movements in the music box. That is simple enough to accomplish; attach a power supply to every "pick" on the roller and a different LED light to each tine on the comb. My problem arrives in making the LEDs stay on beyond the small amount of contact between the pick and the tine. I would like each light to stay on for about a second. This is something else I need help with.
I have a few more questions but these are the most important right now. If anyone can answer these that would be greatly appreciated. This is just a home project I plan on giving to someone very important to me as a gift and if I can accomplish it with somebody's help from this forum I would be very grateful. Any ideas or answers would be greatly appreciated whether positively correct or just a thought. Thanks guys!