MU 2801 Making Music with Machines, A-2024

Maren Evans, Ritvik Garg, Liza Levin, Molly Olsen

The Automated Rain Handpan is a machine that uses valve solenoids and an Arduino to control the release of water droplets at specified time intervals to ultimately produce a melody on a handpan. Users are able to upload melodies that consist of a set 8 notes made on Ableton and have that melody played on the handpan. The machine consists of eight solenoids that are fixed over a certain note and the handpan.

Inspiration

When we first thought about our final project, we wanted to do something that connected nature with mechatronics. With the recent drought, we thought it would be important to do something involving rain. We thought about rain drums that are left outside to create music when water lands on them, which led us to learning that handpans can serve as rain drums. However, with the area of the drum hit, and thus the pitch produced, being left to where the rain falls, we decided that it would be cool to create a melody that still captures the sound of rain falling on the drum.