Rock & Rollerblade
Rock & Rollerblade
Rock & Rollerblade
Analog Motion Meets Digital Sound
Concept & Inspiration
Inspired by both the physical nature of turntables and modular synthesis, this project explores how movement and arrangement can shape musical output. By preserving the rollerblade's natural setup, the wheel rotations are converted into signals, linking movement to sound.
Inspired by both the physical nature of turntables and modular synthesis, this project explores how movement and arrangement can shape musical output. By preserving the rollerblade's natural setup, the wheel rotations are converted into signals, linking movement to sound.
Technologies: ESP32 Feather V2, IR Sensors & MAX/MSP
Reimagining Music Sequencing Through Physical Interaction
The system consists of four wheels, each featuring a black notch for tracking. I built a custom optical encoder using an IR sensor, which detects each notch pass and increments an internal counter. At the end of a monitoring period, the counters are compared to determine wheel order— the highest count corresponds to Wheel 4, and so on. This sequence dictates which track is played, turning wheel placement into a dynamic musical control system.
The system consists of four wheels, each featuring a black notch for tracking. I built a custom optical encoder using an IR sensor, which detects each notch pass and increments an internal counter. At the end of a monitoring period, the counters are compared to determine wheel order— the highest count corresponds to Wheel 4, and so on. This sequence dictates which track is played, turning wheel placement into a dynamic musical control system.
Wireless Integration with MAX/MSP
The ESP32 Feather transmits the wheel sequence via a Bluetooth stream to MAX/MSP, a visual programming environment for music and multimedia applications. MAX/MSP then interprets the sequence and triggers the corresponding audio track, allowing real-time sequencing where rearranging the wheels dynamically controls playback. This setup seamlessly connects physical motion to digital sound processing.
Skate Your Soundtrack: How to Play
Kaylee Jung
© 2025
Kaylee Jung
© 2025
Kaylee Jung
© 2025