Cannons in the Hall

So, most recently (January 2012), I got another new job, and this one even larger than the last!  I work at Grand Valley State University now, as their Equipment and Stage Manager for their Music and Dance department.  I have helped in a number of projects so far, but this one is of particular significance for this blog:

So, to kick off their Fall Arts celebration (tomorrow night), they are doing a number of Beethoven pieces.  My task has been to make sure everybody fits on stage, and that the lights and mic work.  Additionally, I get to make the cannon sounds happen for their performance of Wellington's Victory.  Rather, I built a rig, and my friend (the timpanist) is physically making them happen, according to the Cannon part he is reading from.  Sweet.

I'm low on time tonight, so I'll keep it simple.  It is two kick-pedal drum triggers hooked up to a Jeenode (with a pull down resistor so that each pedal acts like a big, fast potentiometer).  That Jeenode talks to another Jeenode connected to my computer, running a little Pd patch that plays the cannon sounds through speakers I put up in the back of the hall.  If you're in the Grand Rapids/Allendale area, check out the show tomorrow night (9/10/2012 8pm Louis Armstrong Theater, GVSU Campus in Allendale, MI) and hear it live (with the excellent musical talent Grand Rapids and GVSU have to offer).

Here's a pic:

Talk about low-profile!  Next, I want to work in some velocity sensitivity, so I can really use it in my own setup.  See you!